Apart from the Vietnam visa extension, foreigners can also have another choice to get a Vietnam visa if they want to stay longer in the country which is called Visa run. However, this term seems puzzled to many of them. So let’s find out all the things about Visa run in Vietnam with Vietnam-visa.com.
1. What is a Visa Run for Vietnam?
Unlike visa extension, the visa run is an action that expats lengthen their legal stay via a trip to another country. It means that they will have to leave Vietnam to one of the neighboring countries like Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, or China, and then enter the country with a new visa.
So it can be seen that if foreigners choose to do a visa run, other expenses will need to be prepared such as traveling cost, flight tickets, or car fares, etc. and it sometimes will be much more than extending a Vietnam visa. But in some special cases when your visa is close to expiry and you are not eligible for a visa extension Vietnam, then visa run is a better and reasonable option.
2. Where to do a Vietnam visa run
Expats will have 2 options to do visa run, either via airports or via land borders. Please have a look at the list of entry ports that are available for Vietnam visa run as below:
Airports
- Cat Bi Int Airport (Hai Phong)
- Cam Ranh Int Airport (Khanh Hoa)
- Can Tho International Airport
- Danang International Airport
- Noi Bai Int Airport (Ha Noi)
- Phu Bai Int Airport
- Phu Quoc International Airport
- Tan Son Nhat Int Airport (Ho Chi Minh City)
- Lien Khuong Airport (Lam Dong)
- Can Tho Int Airport (Can Tho)
Landport
- Bo Y Landport
- Cha Lo Landport
- Cau Treo Landport
- Huu Nghi Landport
- Ha Tien Landport
- Lao Bao Landport
- Lao Cai Landport
- La Lay Landport
- Moc Bai Landport
- Mong Cai Landport
- Nam Can Landport
- Na Meo Landport
- Song Tien Landport
- Tinh Bien Landport
- Tay Trang Landport
- Xa Mat Landport
What documents needed for a visa run in Vietnam?
Before doing a Vietnam visa run, there are some important things that expats should take into consideration that:
- Visa run can’t be processed without an approval letter. Please be noted that the approval letter can be obtained via a local travel agency so contact with them to have a valid one with all your personal information on the letter and your passport is the same;
- If you do visa run via land border, it is requested to show the approval letter in paper (original) with red stamp and signature; if you do visa run via airport, a printed or scan sample is acceptable;
- Don’t forget to prepare 02 passport-size photos as it will be needed to use when you do the customs at the borders. It normally costs around 50 to 100k VND, but if you take at the borders, the cost can be doubled or tripled, so get it well ready to save cost;
- Another indispensable thing when doing a Vietnam visa run is the stamping fee. This fee will be paid in cash to the Immigration Officer to have the visa stamped on your original passport;
- Along with approval letter, passport, and cash, applicants are advised to prepare the completed Vietnam entry and exit form as well. This form can be taken on flights, at the front desk of the Vietnam visa counter at the border gate, or you can download here for free.
Preparing enough required documents is the very first step leading to the success of doing a Vietnam visa run, so don’t miss it.
The list of papers for Vietnam visa run include:
- Original passport (at least 6 months in validity and at least 2 blank pages);
- An approval letter;
- Vietnam entry and exit form (also known as Vietnam visa application form);
- Stamping fee (in cash, USD);
- Flight tickets/ Car fares;
- 02 passport-sized photos;
- Pen (in blue or dark) to fill in the entry and exit form;
How to do a visa run in Vietnam
When all the documents are ready, just bring along with you when you take the flights or bus to leave Vietnam, and then you can proceed the procedures to get a new Vietnam visa when you come back the country via airports, or land ports.
The process of Vietnam visa run is almost the same even via airports or land ports, followed by these basic steps:
- Foreigners take flights/ bus/ car to leave Vietnam;
- Do the customs procedures at Vietnamese side to get the exit stamp in the passport;
- Do the customs procedures at the other side (it can be in China, Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia depend on your choice) to get the entry stamp in the passport;
- The applicants can choose to stay there a few days for a visit, or come back Vietnam at once;
- From this time, applicants will show all papers and fee to the officer to get a new Vietnam visa;
It’s all easily done, right?
Although the procedure is not so separated, however there is still some places that expats should be reminded:
- Approval letter for visa run at the airport can’t be applicable for doing at the land borders;
- Applicants can change the port of entry when doing visa run at the airport, but the port of entry when doing visa run at the land ports are fixed;
- The approval letter should be taken within Vietnam if the applicants do visa run via the land ports, while it can be obtained in either Vietnam or other country if foreigners do visa run via airports.
Hope this post can bring the most useful information regarding Vietnam visa run.