Vietnam Visa Run

If you are a frequent traveler who visits Vietnam for only a few days or 30 days and then returns home, maybe you are not aware of the term “running Vietnam visa”.

If you plan on staying in Vietnam beyond the duration of your visa, and find it challenging or expensive to obtain a visa extension within the country, a visa run can be an ideal solution. Many expats in Vietnam have utilized this approach to extend their stay in the country at least once, in order to avoid overstaying their visas.

Now, it's time to provide you with a comprehensive guide on the concept of a Vietnam visa run, including where to do it and how to carry it out correctly.

What is a Vietnam visa run?

In essence, a Vietnam visa run refers to a trip that is necessary for you to undertake if you wish to prolong your stay in Vietnam because your visa is about to expire, and extending it within the country is either not possible or expensive. Essentially, you have to exit Vietnam, travel to a nearby country such as Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, or China, and then return to Vietnam with a fresh visa.

Read more about Vietnam visa run and visa extension

Advantages and Disadvantages of a Visa Border Run

Advantages:

• Cheap price: Opting for a visa border run is a more cost-effective means of extending your visa compared to other methods.
• Variety options: The visa obtained through a visa run is independent of your previous visa, and you have the option to apply for a one-month single entry, one-month multiple entry, three-month single entry, or three-month multiple entry visa, based on your requirements.

Disadvantages: 

• When doing a visa run, it's important to note that you cannot stay within the borders of Vietnam. You must exit at the border and then re-enter to obtain a new visa, which can be a time-consuming and effort-intensive process.

Where to do a visa run from Vietnam?

There are two ways to do your visa run in Vietnam:

• Do the visa run via Vietnam international airports
• Do the visa run via land borders

Below is a compilation of checkpoints from where you can carry out a visa run departing from Vietnam:

Tips:

• The most economical visa runs from Hanoi typically involve traveling via Noi Bai Airport to Singapore, Thailand, or Cambodia, which is a popular choice for many.
• For individuals in Saigon or the southern regions of Vietnam, the Moc Bai border is a favored option, given that it's the most affordable, efficient, and convenient method to carry out a visa run from Ho Chi Minh City.

How does a visa run for Vietnam?

There are two options available for conducting a visa run - either via airports or land borders. Let's discuss each of these methods in detail.
1. Vietnam visa run via international airports

• Get your e-visa via email, print it out
• Go to the Vietnam airport for a flight leaving Vietnam
• After completing the customs procedure in that country, you may choose to stay there for a few days or return immediately for a flight back to Vietnam

2. Visa run to land borders
Many expats in Vietnam favor this method of carrying out a visa run because of its affordability. To undertake a visa run in this manner, you need to adhere to the following steps:

• Get the e-visa
• Book a van or a bus or simply drive on your own to the border
• Show your passport once you are at the Vietnam border, and get the Vietnam exit stamp.
• After that, you can get into Laos/Cambodia for a few days’ trips or go back to the immigration counter to do the exit procedure to get the exit stamp. You’re done and successfully outside Laos/Cambodia and ready for a new Vietnamese visa

How much is the visa run in Vietnam?

To do a visa run, you need to pay the following items:

• E-visa/Visa approval letter;
• Bus tickets/Air tickets
• Visa fee to Cambodia, Laos, etc. (if required).

Moc Bai visa run
Vietnam visa run to Laos