Vietnam Visa Extension and Overstay: What You Can and Can't Do

Two questions come up on almost every long trip to Vietnam: can I stay longer? and what if I get the dates wrong? The answers are less flexible than in some neighbouring countries, so it pays to know them before you book.

Can I extend a Vietnam e-visa?

Not through a simple online renewal. An e-visa is issued with a fixed start date and end date, and there is no button to add days.

Extending a stay from inside Vietnam is handled by the immigration offices through a sponsoring organisation or agency in Vietnam, case by case. It is slow, the outcome is not guaranteed, and it usually costs more than a new visa. For ordinary tourists it is rarely the practical route.

The practical option: leave and return

Most travellers who want more time do this:

1. Leave Vietnam before the visa ends - a few days in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand or Malaysia.
2. Apply for a new e-visa from outside Vietnam. Applications made from inside the country are not accepted.
3. Return once it has been issued.

There is no required waiting period between visas. Allow for the processing time in your plans: a new e-visa takes three working days at the immigration department by its own estimate and often five to seven, so a "border run" is a break of about a week unless you pay for faster processing.

Better: ask for enough time at the start

The government fee is the same for a 30-day e-visa as for a 90-day one. If there is any chance you will stay longer than a month, apply for the full 90 days from the beginning. And if you might leave and come back, make it multiple entry.

If you entered visa-free

Visa-free stays - 45 days for British, German, French, Japanese and South Korean passports, 30 for most ASEAN ones - cannot be converted into an e-visa from inside Vietnam either.

Your options are the same: leave by the last day, and either come back visa-free for another stay or return on a 90-day e-visa. There is no minimum gap between visa-free visits.

If you already know your trip is longer than your exemption, get an e-visa before you travel. Check your passport's allowance.

What counts as overstaying

Staying in Vietnam past the date you were permitted to stay until. Two dates matter, and they should match:

• the valid-until date on your e-visa, and
• the date stamped in your passport when you arrived.

Check the stamp before you walk away from the immigration desk. Smartraveller specifically warns that the date written in the passport can differ from the one on the visa, and that you can be fined for overstaying if it is wrong. If it is, say so there and then.

What happens if you overstay

• You are fined. The amount rises with the length of the overstay, and it has to be settled before you are allowed to leave.
• A short overstay is normally dealt with at the airport, but it can take long enough to miss your flight. Arrive early and expect paperwork.
• A long overstay has to be resolved at an immigration office before departure and can lead to deportation and a ban on returning.
• It goes on your record, and can complicate future visa applications.

There is no grace period to rely on. Treat the date in your passport as the last day you can be in the country.

How to avoid an accidental overstay

• Count the arrival day as day one.
• Check the entry stamp against your visa before leaving the desk.
• Book your flight out for a day or two before the last day, not on it. A cancelled flight on your final day is an overstay.
• Put the date in your phone with a reminder a week ahead.
• Do not plan a border run for the last day. Buses break down and borders close for the night.

Frequently asked questions

Can I extend my Vietnam e-visa online?

No. There is no online extension. Most travellers leave Vietnam and apply for a new e-visa from outside.

Can I apply for a new e-visa while I am still in Vietnam?

No. Applications are only accepted from people outside the country.

How long do I have to stay out before coming back?

There is no minimum. You can return as soon as you hold a new visa, or immediately if your passport is visa-free.

How much is the overstay fine?

It depends on how long you overstay and is set by the immigration authorities. Even a day or two is fined, so do not treat a short overstay as free.

I am going to overstay because my flight was cancelled. What should I do?

Keep the airline's written confirmation of the cancellation, rebook the earliest flight you can, and go to the airport early. Explain the situation to immigration with the paperwork in hand.