A visa run is when you leave a country to renew or extend your visa, usually by crossing the border to a neighboring country and then returning. It's like a little adventure where you get to explore a new place for a short time before heading back to your original destination. People often do visa runs to comply with visa regulations and continue staying in a country legally. It can be a bit of a hassle, but it's also an opportunity to see new sights and have a mini getaway.Creating detailed information on how to do a visa run in Vietnam, things you need to know before doing it.

How can we do the visa run in Vietnam?

Doing a visa run can be done by using the quickest way going into 3 neighboring countries China, Laos, and Cambodia by crossing these countries and going back quickly just to get a new visa or stamp. But be sure to check the eligibility of your passport if you’re visa-free, visa on arrival or you need to apply before going back.

Another way is taking a flight to a different country and going back some other time after exploring the country, which could be much better than spending money on a visa extension in Vietnam.

A list of International Airports and Land Borders you can go to are the following:

Airports

• Noi Bai International Airport – Hanoi
• Tan Son Nhat International Airport – HCMC
• Da Nang International Airport – Da Nang
• Cat Bi International Airport – Hai Phong
• Cam Ranh International Airport – Khanh Hoa
• Phu Quoc International Airport – Phu Quoc
• Lien Khuong International Airport – Da Lat
• Can Tho International Airport – Can Tho

Land Borders

• Bo Y Landport (to Laos)
• Cha Lo Landport (to Laos)
• Cau Treo Landport (to Laos)
• Huu Nghi Landport (to China)
• Ha Tien Landport (to Cambodia)
• Lao Bao Landport (to Laos)
• La Lay Landport (to Laos)
• Lao Cai Landport (to China)
• Moc Bai Landport (to Cambodia)
• Mong Cai Landport (to China)
• Nam Can Landport (to Laos)
• Na Meo Landport (to Laos)
• Song Tien Landport (to Cambodia)
• Tinh Bien Landport (to Cambodia)
• Tay Trang Landport (to Laos)
• Xa Mat Landport (to Cambodia)

Recommendation when doing a visa run:

The cheapest and Fastest visa run from Hanoi is by taking Lao Bao Landport (Laos) or Cau Treo Landport (Laos)  and for the Airport might be from Noi Bai Airport Flying to Bangkok, Singapore, Cambodia, or any cities you want to go.
If you’re in HCM (Ho Chi Minh City) you might be considering taking the Moc Bai Landport (Cambodia) this is the nearest and and fastest way to do a visa run.

What are the things I need to bring with me?

Of course, to do a successful visa run you should have a passport with you and still valid for more than 6 months, or else you might be considering a visit to your consular for a passport renewal and also you’re not allowed to enter to the next country and you’ll be forced to go back to your home country.

• Valid Passport (more than 6 months of validity)
• A valid visa (If you’re not visa-free country)
  • Apply for a visa in advance to the destination country and Vietnam as well.
  • E-visa if required
  • Visa on arrival is available at the border
  • Your visa approval letter if you get your visa stamped at the checkpoint (original if you do the visa run via land border, or print if doing it via international airports of Vietnam). This is now available for a business visa only;
• Prepare some cash for a visa run at least you have some 40k to 100k in total to complete the visa run.
• Air ticket/bus ticket in case they want to see when you’re leaving the country
• At least you have your pen for writing some documents

Please give me more details about the visa run

Remember that you can take two ways by going into the airport and land borders, I will try to provide you with detailed information on how to do it, let's start with:

• Vietnam visa run via International Airport
  These are just a few steps to prepare the following details:
  • Your passport: Make sure that you won’t overstay if you don't want to have a problem with immigration for staying too long.
  • Air ticket to the country of destination
  • Your visa to the country of destination if required
  • Just complete the process and get your boarding pass, pass through the immigration, and head to the boarding gate and viola you’re safe;

Plan your trip, and make this a hobby of checking cheap plane tickets so you can save your money for your entire trip and accommodation to the destination. Considering that you want to go back to Vietnam just book an Asian destination like the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, or maybe China.

• Land Borders to neighboring countries
  This is way cheaper than flying out from Vietnam and is preferred by ex-pats and tourists who go back and forth to Vietnam;
  • Your passport is always a similar requirement to the air travel
  • Book transportation like a van or bus going into your preferred land border destination; you can also drive on your own but make sure to have a Vietnam license to do this as there are a lot of checkpoints to go through and once you make it to the border, you can look for some parking area and go back once you successfully made the visa run and made it back
  • The process will be;
    • First you have to go the passport control to check if your entry stamp is still valid and didn’t exceed the given date;
    • Second, you will go to the main building to get an Exit stamp from Vietnam, they will check if your passport is eligible to enter the target destination if you have visa exemption, e-visa, visa-on-arrival, or visa before entering to avoid problems, once everything is done and successfully got the stamp you’ll need to cross the border gate and there will be another staff to validate your exit stamp;
    • Third, you have to go through the destination border control for your entry stamp, they will gonna ask about the purpose of your trip, just be real and don't make any lies, at this moment the immigration staff is so nice but to have a same day stamp you have to pay 20k VND and fill some papers.
    • Fourth, go to the other side from exit stamping; congratulations you’re almost done;
    • Fith, you have to go back to border control where you had your Vietnam exit stamp; he’s gonna ask some questions what is the purpose and prepare a reason or a flight ticket if possible for a faster transaction; once you get the new stamp, Congratulations your visa run is Completed!

How to get a visa for doing a visa run at Vietnam airport?

You will find it easier than ever. You just need to:

• Complete the Vietnam visa form online
• Make payment of letter fee;
• Get a visa approval letter via email within 2-3 working days normally, or within 2-4 working hours in case you need it urgently.

https://www.vietnamvisaonline.org.vn/

How to get an approval letter for a border visa run from Vietnam?

It’s also quite simple to get a visa letter for a border run in Vietnam. Just follow the steps below:

• Step 1: Contact a local travel agent, like us, to ask for the visa approval letter.
• Step 2: Make a payment of the letter fee,
• Step 3: Receive the visa approval letter in person or by post;
  If you need this one, make a call to +(84)825112228 or email [email protected] for the service. Or send me an email at [email protected] for more information

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 stamping fee (if getting visa on arrival)
• Visa fee to Cambodia, Laos, etc. (if required).

* Important tip: You also should prepare some cash (around US $10) for the immigration officer if you do the visa run at the land border.

The most commonly used borders that expats in Vietnam often choose for the cheapest visa run are Moc Bai (to Cambodia), Lao Bao, and Cau Treo (to Laos).

If this article helps you a lot and feel to support the blog, buy me a coffee :)