by: Robelyn M. Yambao

As a Filipino, we are allowed to travel to Vietnam without a visa if you plan to stay there for only 21 days or less. If more than that, you will need a visa as a tourist. So, aside from a visa you need to prepare your valid passport and round trip tickets. I bought my tickets at Cebu Pacific Airlines.

You don't need to visit the Vietnam embassy in Manila since you can have a visa upon arrival. All you have to do is to do it online. Visit the website below:
vietnamvisapro.net

After you filled-out the form and paid the amount for your visa, that agency will send you the approval letter to your email. Just follow their instructions for the smooth processing of your travel to Vietnam.

Here's How I did it:
*Get approval letter online by paying the VietnamVisaPro through credit/debit card.
* Print out all the papers sent by VietnamVisaPro to your email.
*Prepare a passport size photo and filled out entry form downloaded online.
*Prepare $25 stamping fee when you reach Vietnam airport to be paid at the Visa Upon Arrival section.

The flight will be at NAIA terminal 3. You will need to pay your travel tax before going to check-In at the airport. Only the terminal fee is included in the airfare ticket. I chose without baggage and also no meals so, I only traveled with Carry-On with me to save more. I did not buy return ticket since I have visa approval, I just showed to the airline counter that approval letter. If you won't show it they will still ask you for that. So, always prepare your papers.

When you arrive at the Saigon airport, you will go straight to the Visa Upon Arrival Section before entering Immigration. Then, do the following:
*Submit all the papers such as approval letter, filled out entry form downloaded online, passport size photo and your passport at the Visa Upon Arrival Section.
*Wait for few minutes for your visa then pay $25 and they will give you back your passport with visa stamped.

For more info in traveling, just contact me through my email or leave a comment below to answer your questions. Thank you for reading and please follow me for more blogs to read.

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by: Robelyn M. Yambao

As a Filipino citizen, you are only required a valid passport and a round trip tickets. I bought mine through KLM airlines because they offer routes that Filipinos are allowed to enter without a transit visa. You will need transits in different countries before arriving Costa Rica since there is no straight flight from PH to CR.

These are the countries that we are allowed to enter without a transit visa: Taiwan, Amsterdam, and Panama.

For more info about the airline, you can visit klm website. The fare is almost $3000 round trip valid for one year but non-refundable nor transferable. 

You can use credit card or debit card in booking your tickets. I don't recommend online booking nor calling international number because they are costly, it can reach almost $5000. I booked mine through local landline with Filipino agent because they will give you the base cost or reasonable rate. They can also speak fluent English so you don't have to worry about communication problem. Just visit their office for more info in Makati city.
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Your flight going to CR is at terminal 3, you should go straight to the KLM counter during your check-In time because your travel tax is already paid in your ticket. Just show your valid passport, valid ID and the ticket booking.

When you are done checking in, you need to pay the terminal fee before entering the Immigration section. This experience was last 2014 so, please be aware of the changes because when I traveled to Vietnam this year 2016 the terminal fee is already included in my ticket but not my travel tax and this is with Cebu Pacific. Take note that each airline has different rules. So, always ask the agent about it to be aware with the changes.

When entering the Immigration section, please be prepared with all your documents like round trip tickets, boarding pass, passport, filled-out departure form, print out hotel booking and other documents related with your travel including another ID.

The officer will ask personal questions and also your purpose of travel. If this will be your first time, you will need to have second interview where mostly they denied and will ask you to re-book your flight if you don't know how to answer them because of lack of documents or whatever their reasons are.

The documents mostly are:
If you have business in the Philippines, show your business permit and latest tax payment.
If your relative invited you, show your invitation letter certified by the embassy with affidavit of support.
If you are financially independent, show your credit card statement or bank certificate.

Tips: Book only short trip if you plan to stay longer just re-book it so Immigration won't suspect you for staying longer in your destination. If you already booked your tickets in the exact number of days allowed in the country which is 30 days, don't show it to them. Two weeks vacation is mostly acceptable or 10 days but if you are confident enough by saying 30 days or more it is also okay as long as you can support yourself. If you can convince the officer that you are coming back to PH then, congratulations!

When you search on the internet, Filipinos are allowed to stay in CR for 30 days. But, in my experience they stamped 3 months. The immigration asked me how long am gonna stay so I said only 28 days since I thought we are allowed only 30 days. But I was surprised when I lived there for almost a year because I was allowed to stay 3 months without exiting the country.
The officer will ask you to show your round trip tickets but sometimes they won't ask anymore but always be prepared.

Tip: Here, you can tell the officer the days of stay at most so they can stamp your passport with 3 months, if short time only you might get one month stamp.

This is all for today, just feel free to comment below if you have more questions about traveling in Costa Rica.
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Have a nice and safe trip!!! Don't forget to pray for protection all the time.

The Ultimate Guide in Flying to Costa Rica Through KLM Airlines, just read the article below:
Flying To Costa Rica Through KLM Airlines From Philippines

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