A Chinese friend just told me, that you do not need a visa for Vietnam, if you stay only for 7 days. Your Chinese visa kind of counts as a visa for Vietnam.
Sounds a bit strange to me. Has anybody made experiences?

Thanks a lot for you comments

I think that only works for Chinese people and maybe only in border regions. I could be wrong, but I have been there several times and have always needed an actual visa (fairly easy to get and straightforward. Just need a few days and 350RMB, I think).

Unless you are Finnish then you need a visa for Vietnam

I agree with Wei Xue's post but a quick trip to the travel agent at the entrance to the Camelia hotel or log onto the Vietnamese embassy or consulate in China itself will clear up the matter.

Thanks for all your responses. I got my visa today: 450 RMB

just Korean and japanese no need to get visa(2wks since 2007)

Thai citizen also can stay in Vietnam up to 60 days without visa.

You can get a visa in Hekou. There are hundreds of travel agents around the border crossing. 99% sure that your china visa is invalid for vietnam.

If you're planning to travel to Hanoi and have taken the overnight bus to Hekou you have plenty of time to sort out your visa there and then get the evening train to Hanoi. If you want to take the morning train you need to get thru the border and move fast. It's easy to get caught in queues and miss the train. Lao Cai is a dull place to kill time.

how bout for filipino like me having a Philippine Passport..

Any updates on countries that don't require Vietnamese visas? I'm going to Vietnam for less than 2 weeks and have been told that some Europeans don't require visas (i.e. visa waiver). I'm travelling on a UK passport. The consulate don't answer their phone.