If you’re travelling extends beyond SE Asia and into India, you can sort out a visa for India in Hanoi.

Go and see the real thing

All nationalities require a visa, except citizens of Bhutan and Nepal. Residents of Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Singapore, and the ASEAN can arrange a 30-day single entry on arrival, everyone else will need to arrange it in advance.

The Embassy of India is on Tran Hung Dao, a few blocks south of Hoan Kiem Lake. For visas, look for the white metal gate to the left of the main Embassy entrance.

The visa application form is longer than that required for countries such as Cambodia and Laos but it’s largely straightforward information, with just some extra questions such as ‘where the applicant or his parents or grandparents were holding the nationality of Pakistan at any time’ and details of any previous visits. Don’t be put off by the section on the last page asking for referees — you only need to fill that in if you are holding a “No objection to return endorsement”.

Other than the form you just need to take a copy of your passport and two passport sized photographs. They accept applications Monday to Friday mornings between 9 and 12 and it takes 5 working days to process. Visas can be collected in the morning or afternoon.

I was unable to procure a full list of fees but they told me that for British and Australian citizens the fee was $60 and $80 for US citizens. Having done a bit of online research I see that it is cheaper for some nationalities. They only accept US$ in cash.

Embassy of India in Hanoi