Someone DM’d me last week: “My visa runs out in 10 days — what do I do?” I’ve lived in Vietnam for six years and hear this question every month. Good news: no need to panic. There are three options, and each one works.
Three paths: the overview
The “I’m already in the country and my visa is about to expire” situation breaks down like this:
- Visa run — leave to a neighbouring country and come back with a new stamp. Fast and cheap.
- New e-visa — apply online while you’re here, activate it on exit. Official, 90 days.
- Agent-handled extension — work or business visa via a local sponsor, no exit needed. Pricier, but sometimes the right call.
Which one to pick depends on how long you need to stay and whether you’re up for crossing a border.
Visa run: fastest and cheapest
From Da Nang the closest border is 350 km north. Bus there and back takes 7-9 hours each way — doable in one long day. From Ho Chi Minh City the popular option is the Cambodia border.
What to bring: passport with at least 6 months validity, cash USD for the receiving country’s visa ($20-35 depending on your nationality), a bit of reserve cash. If you’ve already got a fresh e-visa lined up — perfect: you exit and re-enter on the new visa same day.
For the full first-visa-run experience see our visa run article .
New e-visa: handle it from your apartment
The e-visa on the official portal evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn costs $25, gives you 90 days, multiple entry. You can submit it sitting in Da Nang — that’s legal.
Processing time: 3 working days. Apply 7-10 days before your planned exit and you’ve got buffer. Catch: the visa doesn’t “activate” when approved — it activates when you cross the border. So you apply in advance, then enter on it during your visa run.
If you’ve never done the e-visa yourself, our step-by-step guide walks through every field and the typical mistakes.
Agent extension: when it makes sense
Some agencies advertise “extension without exit” — what they actually do is sponsor a work or business visa through a local company. Usually $100-300 per month depending on type and length.
Worth considering if:
- You’re employed officially and the company sorts out a Work Permit for you — visa side gets handled automatically. Details in our Work Permit guide .
- You’re staying more than a year and don’t want to keep doing border runs.
- Special situation: medical treatment, pregnancy, urgent project.
If you just need another 3 months — visa run plus e-visa is simpler and cheaper by a wide margin than the agent route.
The big mistake: overstay
Overstaying in Vietnam is serious. Fines scale with how long you went over and can get expensive. Repeat offenders get deportation and entry bans. At the border the date is checked automatically — “almost expired” doesn’t count.
Set a reminder 14 days before your visa ends. That’s enough time to calmly file an e-visa, book a bus and not stress.
FAQ
Can I extend an e-visa without leaving? There’s no official mechanism for in-country extension. The only no-exit path is an agent-handled business or work visa, but it costs more.
How many visa runs in a row are okay? No formal limit. In practice expats do them for years with no problems. If you stack a lot of them in a row, border officers might ask questions — answer honestly that you live or work here.
When should I apply for the new e-visa? 7-10 days before exit. Official processing is 3 working days, but during peak periods there are delays — leave yourself buffer.
What about visa-free entry? Some passports get visa-free stays in Vietnam under bilateral agreements (Russians get 30 days, several EU countries get 15-45 days). For longer stays you’ll still need an e-visa or another visa type.
If you’ve got a question about your specific situation — message us:
- Instagram @vietnam_samurai — DM the word test
- Telegram visa bot — bot for visa questions
- WhatsApp +84 368 214 520 — DM test for general questions