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Can I apply for a visa in Hanoi if I'm currently in Ho Chi Minh City?

Jul 29, 2025
6 days ago
Can I fly to Ho-Chi-Minh but still apply in Hanoi? Any experiences? No scared and afraid people pls ๐Ÿ™
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The consensus in the comments is that you must apply for a visa in the city you are located in, which means if you are in Ho Chi Minh City, you should apply there and not in Hanoi. While some have suggested ways to work around this, such as booking a hotel in Hanoi and providing proof of that location, there is a risk involved as authorities increasingly ask for documentation to confirm where applicants are currently staying. It's recommended to consult the relevant consulate's website for the most accurate and specific guidelines.
Rafal *******
Your arrival stamp will be in HCMC.
Anonymous ******************
They usually ask you to provide immigration entry stamp which would be hcmc.

You could try just giving them hanoi hotel booking, but you risk them rejecting your application for providing false information. More and more people are being asked to provide more documentions after submitting eg every page of their passport etc
Michael **********
well, at first it doesn't seem a bit issue but recently there are a lot of cases of people being asked for proof of location and that could lead you to some potential issues. The website clearly states that if you are in ho chi minh you must apply at the embassy there
Ogi ***************
You can book an hotel in Hanoi, take a screenshot and cancel
AuthenticPas************
@Ogi **************
how easy is this nice.
John *******
If you look at each consulate/embassyโ€™s website, it lists the provinces that it supports. Vietnam is split into two, with those located in half of the provinces told to apply via HCMC and those in the other half told to apply via Hanoi. This is all laid out in detail on their websites. Nothing complicated and nothing to do with people being scared or afraid.
Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John ******
yes mister perfectly correct I know that ๐Ÿ˜‚
John **********
You must be an area served by Hanoi when you apply, you can travel to HCMC after that if you wish but you can't apply via Hanoi while located in HCMC
James ********
@John *********
correct โœ…
AuthenticPas************
Apply wherever u staying because they can ask for proof of location
Wannikea *********
AuthenticPassionfruit644 they will ask, and they ask very specific proof.
Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Wannikea ********
so you work at the embassy right ๐Ÿ˜‚
John *******
Anonymous participant - You asked a question and people answer. If you want answers from the embassy then try asking them. What he is referring to is the many others who have responded about their experience (you can search) here. They have asked some applicants to buy something local and take a photo of the receipt with the date and location of the shop, have had them take photos of themselves in the city and supply the time stamps, etc. this isnโ€™t all applicants, but some. Not aware of any other embassies doing this, except in Vietnam.
Andi ***********
You apply in Hanoi first then travel to HCMC .