Last updated: November 5, 2026
Many travellers fall in love with Vietnam and want a few more weeks. This guide explains when a stay can really be extended, when it cannot, how a visa run works step by step, and what happens if you stay even one day too long.
β‘ At a glance | Vietnam visa extension in 2026 |
|---|---|
Extend a tourist e-visa yourself? | β No self-service extension |
Extend a 45-day visa-free stay yourself? | β No, a sponsor is needed |
Extension through a sponsor | β οΈ Possible in some cases, case by case |
Most common solution | β Exit, then re-enter on a new e-visa (visa run) |
New e-visa government fee | USD 25 single Β· USD 50 multiple entry |
Overstay fine | From VND 500,000 (about USD 19), rising with each band (Decree 282/2025) |
Can you extend a Vietnam e-visa?
Not on your own. The e-visa (code EV) is issued for a fixed period of up to 90 days. There is no online form on the official portal to add days to an e-visa that has already been issued.
Under Vietnam's Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners (Law 47/2014, amended by Law 51/2019 and Law 23/2023), a request to extend a stay or to issue a new visa inside Vietnam goes through the person or organisation that sponsors you. A tourist who applied for an e-visa by themselves has no sponsor on file. That is why a self-applied tourist e-visa is, in practice, not extendable.
The law does allow some e-visa holders to get a new visa inside Vietnam when a qualifying sponsor stands behind them, for example an employer with a work permit in place, an investor's company, or a Vietnamese relative. Those cases are handled by the Immigration Department or provincial immigration police, not by an e-visa agency.
A 90-day e-visa is a 90-day window, not a 90-day head start. When the last day arrives, the e-visa is finished.
Can you extend a visa-free stay in Vietnam?
Not by yourself. Visa-free stays of 45 days (for example UK, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea) or 14β30 days (ASEAN and bilateral agreements) end on the date stamped at entry.
Law 23/2023 says visa-exempt visitors may be considered for a visa or an extension "in accordance with the law", which again means through a sponsor. For most holidaymakers the realistic route is the same as for e-visa holders: leave before the visa-free period ends, then re-enter on an e-visa.
π How you entered | Self-extension | With a sponsor | Easiest way to stay longer |
|---|---|---|---|
Tourist e-visa (EV), up to 90 days | β | β οΈ Only in qualifying cases | Exit, then re-enter on a new e-visa |
45-day visa-free (Europe, Japan, Koreaβ¦) | β | β οΈ Case by case | Exit, then re-enter on an e-visa of up to 90 days |
ASEAN 14β30 days visa-free | β | β οΈ Case by case | New visa-free entry or e-visa |
Phu Quoc 30-day visa-free | β | β Rarely relevant | E-visa if you want to visit the mainland |
Embassy tourist visa (DL) | β | β οΈ Through the sponsoring travel company | Ask the sponsor before the visa ends |
Work (LD), investor (DT), family (TT) visa | β | β Normal route | Extension or Temporary Residence Card via the sponsor |
Who can extend a stay through a sponsor?
Mainly people with a real working, investment or family link to Vietnam. The sponsor files the paperwork, usually with form NA5, at the immigration office. The traveller cannot file it alone.
π€ Your situation | Who sponsors you | Usual result |
|---|---|---|
Employee with a work permit | Your Vietnamese employer | β Work visa (LD) or Temporary Residence Card |
Investor or company representative | Your registered company in Vietnam | β Investor visa (DT) or Temporary Residence Card |
Spouse, child or parent of a Vietnamese citizen | The Vietnamese family member | β Family visa (TT) or Temporary Residence Card |
Business visitor | The inviting Vietnamese company | β οΈ Possible, decided case by case |
Tourist, backpacker, digital nomad | No qualifying sponsor | β Use a new e-visa instead |
A Temporary Residence Card (TRC) lets long-term residents stay without visa runs. Its length depends on the visa category behind it, and it is linked to your work permit, investment or family tie. If you are moving to Vietnam for work or family, start the TRC process with your sponsor well before your current visa ends. For the meaning of each visa code, read Vietnam visa types and codes explained.
Not sure which option fits your situation? Send us your entry date and visa type and we will tell you honestly what is possible.
How does a visa run to stay longer in Vietnam work?
You leave Vietnam before your stay ends, get a new e-visa, and come back on it. The new e-visa starts from the entry date you choose, not from the day it is approved. The safest order is to apply after you have left, because of the point explained below.
- Check your last legal day. It is the expiry date on your e-visa or the date on your visa-free entry stamp.
- Exit before your last legal day. Leave yourself a buffer day in case of flight delays.
- Apply for the new e-visa from abroad. Set the entry date to the day you plan to return and choose the entry port you will actually use. Our step-by-step application guide shows each screen.
- Wait for approval outside Vietnam. Allow about 4β6 working days, or pay for a faster speed to shorten your time away. Vietnamese working days skip weekends and public holidays (see e-visa processing time).
- Re-enter on the new e-visa. Carry the PDF printed and saved offline. Make sure it shows the correct passport number and dates.
Can you apply for the new e-visa while still in Vietnam?
Don't count on it. Vietnamese legal guides describe the e-visa as a visa for foreigners who are outside Vietnam, and some applications filed from inside the country are reported to be refused. Other travellers report that theirs went through, and the law on e-visa applications does not spell this out clearly. Because the result is uncertain, plan to apply after you exit, or message us first with your dates.
Where do people go on a visa run?
Popular short trips are Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore by air, or Cambodia and Laos by land. Our Vietnam visa run guide covers routes in more detail. Entry rules for those countries depend on your passport and change often, so check them with the official source of that country before you book. Make sure the land border you use to come back is open to e-visa holders: see our list of Vietnam e-visa ports of entry.
Is there a limit on visa runs?
Vietnam's law does not set a fixed number of e-visa re-entries. Still, each entry is the border officer's decision. Someone who keeps living in Vietnam on back-to-back tourist visas, or who appears to be working, can be questioned. If you really live and work in Vietnam, the correct route is a work permit and a sponsor-based visa.
What happens if you overstay in Vietnam?
You pay a fine that grows with every band of days, and long or serious overstays can lead to deportation. Since December 15, 2025, fines are set by Decree 282/2025/ND-CP, which replaced Decree 144/2021. The overstay rule is reported to sit in Article 21 of that decree.
β° Overstay length | Fine (VND) | Approx. USD |
|---|---|---|
Under 16 days | 500,000 β 2,000,000 | β 19 β 76 |
16 to under 30 days | 5,000,000 β 10,000,000 | β 190 β 380 |
30 to under 60 days | 10,000,000 β 15,000,000 | β 380 β 570 |
60 to under 90 days | 15,000,000 β 20,000,000 | β 570 β 760 |
90 to under 180 days | 20,000,000 β 25,000,000 | β 760 β 950 |
180 days to under 1 year | 25,000,000 β 30,000,000 | β 950 β 1,140 |
1 year or more | 30,000,000 β 40,000,000 | β 1,140 β 1,520 |
The bands above come from Vietnamese press and legal summaries of Decree 282/2025. USD figures are rounded and depend on the exchange rate. The official in charge decides the exact amount within each band.
Deportation rules are set separately by Decree 59/2026/ND-CP, in force since April 1, 2026. A deportation record can make future visas much harder to get. Even a short overstay can mean a delay at the airport while the fine is settled, so it may cost you your flight as well.
How much does it cost to stay longer?
The cheapest legal option is a new standard e-visa: USD 25 government fee if you apply yourself, or USD 50 in total through our service. Add the cost of your trip out and back.
π΅ Option | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
New e-visa, self-applied | USD 25 single Β· USD 50 multiple | Government fee only, not refundable |
New e-visa via Vietnam Visa Easy | USD 50 single Β· USD 75 multiple | About 4β6 working days, fee included |
Urgent new e-visa | USD 70 β 215 | From 4 working days down to 30β60 minutes; shortens your wait abroad |
Sponsored visa or TRC | β Varies | Government fees plus the sponsor's or lawyer's costs |
Overstaying instead | β From VND 500,000 per case | Plus risk to future entries |
Full speed options are listed on our Vietnam visa cost page.
What no agency can honestly promise
- β That a self-applied tourist e-visa can be extended inside Vietnam.
- β That a new e-visa will be approved by a certain hour. The Immigration Department decides.
- β That an e-visa application filed from inside Vietnam will be accepted.
- β That a border officer will always let you re-enter after many back-to-back visa runs.
- β That an overstay will be forgiven or that no deportation record will follow.
- β What we can do: check your dates, file a correct application and tell you plainly when a sponsor-based route is the only real option.
Frequently asked questions
Can I extend my 90-day Vietnam e-visa?
Not by yourself. Leave Vietnam before the current e-visa ends and re-enter on a new one. A sponsor-based new visa is only possible in qualifying cases such as work or family.
Can I apply for a new e-visa while I am still in Vietnam?
Don't rely on it. The e-visa is generally described as being for foreigners outside Vietnam, and reports of applications filed from inside the country conflict. The safest order is to exit first, then apply.
Can UK or EU citizens extend their 45-day visa-free stay?
Not without a sponsor. The usual solution is to leave before day 45 and come back on an e-visa of up to 90 days.
How much is the overstay fine in Vietnam?
Under Decree 282/2025, under 16 days costs VND 500,000β2 million, and the fine rises by band up to VND 30β40 million for a year or more. Serious cases can also lead to deportation.
Do I have to leave Vietnam through the same port I entered?
No. You can exit through any border gate designated for e-visa holders. Your new entry must also use a gate that accepts e-visas.
How early should I plan a visa run?
Start at least 7β10 days before your last legal day. Book your exit, then budget about 4β6 working days abroad for a standard e-visa, or less with an urgent speed.
Related guides: Vietnam tourist visa Β· Vietnam visa exemption list Β· Multiple-entry e-visa Β· Visa types and codes Β· Urgent Vietnam visa