Visa run is a term that comes from foreigners living in Thailand. When their Thai visa is about to expire, instead of extending their visa domestically, they often leave Thailand for a third country for a short time, maybe just a few days or a few hours, then return with a new visa and a new stay.
Vietnam visa run also applies similarly. When a tourist’s stay in Vietnam is about to expire, the foreigner will leave for a neighboring country or in the region, then return to Vietnam to complete entry procedures with a new stay.
Choosing visa run often occurs when foreigners cannot extend their visa in Vietnam or the extension cost is too high compared to doing visa run.
Currently, the subjects that often do visa run in Vietnam include:
- Tourists are exempted from visa to enter Vietnam.
- Tourists with a 5-year visa exemption certificate.
- Tourists are granted an electronic visa with a stay of 30 days. Foreigners working in Vietnam under DN visa.
2 Vietnam visa run options
Currently, foreigners in Vietnam have two forms of visa run as follows:
- Visa run by air. Visa run by air is when foreigners leave Vietnam and return by air. This is the choice of many foreigners in Hanoi.
- Visa run by land. Visa run by land is when foreigners leave Vietnam and re-enter through a neighboring country with a land border gate such as Laos or Cambodia. This is the choice of many foreigners in the Central and Southern regions to do visa run at low cost.
Here is a list of 24 land and air border gates for doing visa run Vietnam:\
Airport Border Gate | Road Border Gate
– Noi Bai International Airport – Hanoi
- Bo Y Border Gate (with Laos)
- Tan Son Nhat International Airport – Ho Chi Minh City
- Cha Lo Border Gate (with Laos)
- Da Nang International Airport – Da Nang City
- Cau Treo Border Gate (with Laos)
- Hai Phong International Airport – Hai Phong City
- Huu Nghi Border Gate (with China)
- Cam Ranh International Airport – Khanh Hoa
- Ha Tien Border Gate (with Cambodia)
- Phu Quoc International Airport – Kien Giang
- Lao Bao Border Gate (with Laos)
- Lien Khuong International Airport – Da Lat
- Lao Cai Border Gate (with China)
- Can Tho International Airport – Can Tho City
- La Lay Border Gate (with Laos)
- Moc Bai Border Gate (with Cambodia)
- Mong Cai Border Gate (with China)
- Nam Can Border Gate (with Laos)
- Na Meo Border Gate (with Laos)
- Song Tien Border Gate (with Cambodia)
- Tinh Bien Border Gate (with Cambodia)
- Tay Trang Border Gate (with Laos)
- Xa Mat Border Gate (with Cambodia)
Note: The cheapest forms of visa run currently include:
- Visa run from Noi Bai Airport to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore by air if visitors are in Hanoi.
- Visa run Moc Bai for visitors in Ho Chi Minh City and the southern provinces.
- Visa run Lao Bao for visitors in the central provinces.
How to apply Vietnam visa run?
To apply for a visa run in Vietnam, foreigners need to prepare the following documents:
- Original passport (valid for at least 6 months from the date of re-entry into Vietnam and with at least 02 blank pages).
- One of the documents valid for entry into Vietnam (unless foreigners are exempted from visa):
5-year visa exemption certificate. - Vietnam e-visa.
- Entry letter to get visa at the border gate (applicable to customers applying for DN – business visa).
- Airline ticket/bus ticket.
- Visa and required documents to enter the third country when applying for a run visa.
- Black or blue ink pen to fill in the required forms.
- If customers get visa at the border gate, they need to bring:
- 2 4*6 portrait photos
- Vietnam visa application form
- Stamping fee: $25 for single entry visa and $50 for multiple entry visa
