Vietnam's Independence Palace Has a New Photography Fee

The Independence Palace in Vietnam has a new fee for visitors who bring cameras: VND500,000-10 million. This fee depends on the type of photography.

Visitors are unsure if they must pay just for taking personal photos with a camera.

A visitor said she was surprised to hear that bringing a camera could cost 10 times the entrance ticket.

She usually carries a small camera for personal photos and finds the new fee confusing.

Visitors with cameras must pay VND500,000 for photography inside and outside the palace.

For photography crews of up to eight people, the fee is VND1.5 million for outdoor shoots and VND3 million for indoor and outdoor shoots.

The palace offers a VND10-million monthly package for 10 outdoor photo shoots.

Commercial productions need to contact the management for separate arrangements.

Visitors are touring the Independence Palace in Ho Chi Minh City.

The Director of Independence Palace says the new fee is to regulate professional photography crews.

Some crews occupy popular photo spots for long periods and use bulky equipment.

The fee is to regulate the use of space, not to generate revenues.

It only applies to photography service providers, not ordinary tourists.

The management will revise the terminology to make things clear.

Security staff identify professional photographers based on their equipment.

There have been no disputes since the new fee schedule took effect, but a photographer had a different experience.

He was asked to pay a VND500,000 photography fee with just a digital camera.

There was no notice at the entrance or inside the site on the first day of the new regime.

VND500,000 is expensive for ordinary tourists and students taking graduation photos.

Charging for filming at heritage sites is not unusual in Vietnam.

The Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum charges VND300,000 per camera for regular photography.

Film crews producing reportage or documentary content are charged VND5-20 million.

Other heritage sites have a flexible approach to photography fees.

At An Dinh Palace, visitors can take personal photos with phones or cameras after purchasing a ticket.

Most attractions distinguish between personal and commercial photography.

At the Louvre and the Palace of Versailles, visitors can take personal photos.

Visitors at the Independence Palace in Ho Chi Minh City are taking photos.

A researcher said heritage sites should not charge visitors for personal photography.

If the goal is to prevent professional crews from occupying spaces, management should regulate those activities directly.

Fees should be reserved for commercial activities like advertisements and music videos.

Visitors' photos can promote the site and attract more tourists through social media.

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