The majority of travelers typically obtain a standard Vietnam visa, which permits them to enter and exit the country. However, an exit visa serves a distinct purpose and is granted solely for the purpose of legally exiting Vietnam. So, who requires a Vietnam exit visa and how can one obtain it? To address these queries and related concerns, let us delve deeper into each section of this article.

What's a Vietnam exit visa?

The Immigration Office of Vietnam issues a Vietnam exit visa, which is a legitimate document that permits travelers to legally leave the country in the event of a lost or damaged passport, or an invalid visa. It is important to note that without obtaining an exit visa, leaving Vietnam legally is not possible.

Who needs a Vietnam exit visa?

A Vietnam exit visa is granted to foreign passport holders, which includes:

Infants with foreign passports who were born in Vietnam. When giving birth while residing in Vietnam, it is highly likely that your child does not possess a Vietnam visa in their passport. Therefore, in order to leave Vietnam legally, parents must obtain a birth certificate, passport, and exit visa for their child prior to departure.
Foreign visitors who lose their passports while staying in Vietnam. If you are faced with such circumstances, obtaining an exit visa after renewing your passport is crucial to legally depart from Vietnam.
Travelers who exceed their visa validity while staying in Vietnam. Deliberately or unintentionally overstaying in Vietnam can result in significant trouble with Vietnam Immigration while attempting to exit the country through any means. Obtaining an exit visa is strongly advised if one wishes to avoid severe consequences depending on the length of their overstay in Vietnam.
Foreign workers whose temporary resident card is confiscated by their employer following the termination of their labor contract. In practice, when employed by a company in Vietnam, a foreign worker is typically granted a resident card by the Vietnam Immigration Office with the sponsorship of the company. Therefore, when the employment contract terminates, the resident card is either canceled or retrieved by the company at the request of the Immigration Office. Consequently, the foreign worker no longer has a valid Vietnam Resident Card/Visa to continue staying and working in Vietnam unless they are employed by another company. In this case, you must inquire the sponsored company to submit an exit Vietnam visa at the Immigration Office of Vietnam so that he/she can leave Vietnam with a visa legitimately.
Foreigners who obtain new passports issued within Vietnam. In numerous cases, foreign travelers enter Vietnam with a valid Vietnam visa, but during their stay in the country, they need to obtain a new passport due to the expiration of their current passport with no additional pages for visas.

How to apply for a Vietnam exit visa?

Infants born in Vietnam hold foreign passports.

Document required:

Child’s original passport
Birth certificate/ Notice of birth from the hospital
Parent(s)’s original passport

Steps: You can seek the assistance of any visa agency in Vietnam to obtain a Vietnam exit visa. They will submit a request for the visa on your behalf to the Vietnam Immigration Office. If you prefer to handle the process on your own, it is recommended that you visit the Vietnam Immigration Department directly.

Foreign visitors whose passports are lost or damaged during their stay in Vietnam.

Steps:

Visit the nearest ward police office to report your situation.
Visit your embassy/ consulate in Vietnam to apply for a new passport, emergency passport, or travel document.
Get in touch with a visa agency to help you submit your exit visa application.
Get a visa stick on your passport after 5-7 working days

Travelers who exceed their visa validity during their stay in Vietnam.

Required documents:

Original passport with the expired Vietnam visa
A detailed letter explaining the reason for overstaying
Proof of departure flight, indicating the date you plan to leave Vietnam.

Steps: Immediately contact a visa agency to handle your overstaying >> Submit your original passport >> Pay a fine for overstaying and exit visa fee >> Get your exit visa stamped on your passport and prepare to exit Vietnam

Travelers who exceed their visa validity during their stay in Vietnam.

Required documents:

Original passport with the expired Vietnam visa
A detailed letter explaining the reason for overstaying
Proof of departure flight, indicating the date you plan to leave Vietnam.

Foreign workers whose temporary resident card is collected upon termination of their work contract.

Steps: Submit your temporary resident card with your original passport >> Prepare documents signed and stamped by your company (Included the letter explaining the cancellation/withdrawal of residence card) >> Pay the processing fee >> Receive the visa stamped on your passport between 5 and 7 working days

Foreigners who have renewed/issued their new passports in Vietnam.

Required documents:

Your old passport
Your new passport
Processing fee

If you have renewed or obtained a new passport while your visa is still valid in the old one, you can transfer your visa to the new passport. The new visa sticker on the new passport will have the same validity as the one on the old passport. It is important to note that both old and new passports must be submitted together for the transfer process.