How To Avoid Troubles When Getting Visa Extension In Vietnam
Jan 17, 2022
1262 Views
By Ngo Long
According to Vnexpress.net (March 26, 2020), many foreigners are fretting over their legal status in Vietnam amid uncertainty over visa extensions and the pandemic risk of traveling.
Some experts have no idea if their business visa could be extended, which will expire soon. Some said that the three-month extension would cost between $140 and $350, according to quotes from different agents and that it is expensive but cheaper than heading home.
The U.S. publicly advised its citizens to immediately return "unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period" on March 19.
In the past week, several expat groups on Facebook have been flooded with threads about visa extension for foreigners in Vietnam, with many complaining about agencies charging exorbitant fees.
As boarding a plane home is not a safe option with the risk of being exposed to the virus, many who are nearing the end of their current stay in the Southeast Asian nation are getting increasingly anxious about their immigration status.
Their distress is compounded by the fact Vietnam has shut its borders with the world by suspending all international routes starting Wednesday and halting the issuance of new visas for all nationalities starting March 18.
Previously, Vietnam had decided no more visa waivers would be issued for South Koreans and Italians of Vietnamese origin, and nationals of Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Germany, France, Spain, and the U.K., as well as Belarus, Russia, and Japan.
Visa regulations for those already residing in Vietnam have also fluctuated, according to several visa agencies.
Vietnam-based Domicile Corporate Services company wrote on its website on Wednesday: "We did see a period last week where visa extensions were being denied to some, but as at the date of writing we believe everyone can get an extension."
Those in Vietnam with existing visas are able to extend them. However, the process and extension period, ranging between one to three months, depends on the visa type and original sponsoring party.
In practice, according to the company, Vietnamese authorities have temporarily stopped accepting new applications for work permits and only approve a limited number of renewals. For temporary residence card holders, the company said there were some approvals for extension before and that the authorities will now issue the cards "for valid cases again."
Spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said at a press conference on Thursday that amid the pandemic, foreigners in Vietnam can still extend their visa at the Immigration Department under the Ministry of Public Security.
How to Avoid Overstay Vietnam Visa In Advance?
Prevention is always better than cure. This applies for not only health, but also overstaying visa issues. It is best to avoid it in the first place with the following tips:
Check the expiry date on visa stamps right at Vietnam airports. There are cases in which the officers give a wrong date on the visa stamp. It can be a huge issue and the travelers then cannot explain in detail upon being caught violating Vietnam laws. Therefore, make sure that your visa shows correct details, particularly valid dates.
Take note or set an alarm of the last date of your Vietnam visa validity. You may forget it due to a wedding, hospital treatment, an extended trip, and lost documents, which result in overstaying your visa. Thus, always remind yourself of this crucial date in order to avoid possible fines or repercussions.
If you would like to overstay beyond your visa’s expiration, you must file for a Vietnam visa extension.
What to Do If You Have Overstayed?
Once you have overstayed your Vietnam visa, you need to:
Acknowledge the possible penalties: If you have overstayed your visa, you will have to pay a penalty fee for this violation and either (1) visa fee if you wish to exit Vietnam or (2) extension fee if you love your time here and wish to stick around. The former situation (1) is not serious and the fine fee is not high. You just need to go to the Vietnam Immigration Office at the airport and pay the fee by yourself before leaving Vietnam. In accordance with the 150/2005/NĐ-CP Decree, the penalty could range from VND 500,000 to VND 2,000,000.
In case you overstay for a prolonged duration, you are required to submit your original passport and pay all of the dues at the Immigration Office in either Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi. By that way, you can avoid any potential hold-off or delay at Vietnam airport that you might encounter later.
How to extend your visa
The process of applying for a visa extension usually lasts 7 - 10 business days. You can apply when the visa is about to expire, or as soon as the visa is expired. However, absolutely do not let the visa expire then applying for an extension, this will make you more likely to be denied and forced to leave Vietnam.
To apply for your visa extension, you need to contact the visa agent and check if the type of visa you have can be extended. You can contact us by phone or email before coming to the agent’s office to avoid wasting time. You can email
[email protected] to ask all questions about extending your visa (costs, procedures, types of visa can be extended, processing time, etc.). After receiving information from the agent, you can proceed to apply for an extension visa immediately.
You need a special note, Vietnam visa policy has changed a lot during the period of epidemic Covid-19. You should contact the agent to check the information and proceed to extend the visa as soon as possible, because visa policies are subject to change at any time. Once the visa extension is banned, there is no way to extend your stay.
With the aim of getting more and more opportunities to support our valued clients, applyvietnamvisa.org has also developed Vietnam visa extension/renewal service.
To extend/renew your visa through our company, you are have to follow the below steps:
1- Provide us with details of your current visa included:
+ Your nationality;
+ Visa category (15 day or 30 day visa exemption, 1 month single/ multiple, 3 month single/multiple ...). DL stands for tourist visa and DN stands for business visa;
+ The latest date of your entry or the expiry date of your visa;
+ The port of entry: Hanoi airport, Danang airport, Ho Chi Minh airport or land border.
2- Inform us of the duration for the extension you want to apply for.
3- Get a quote for the extension and be informed about the processing time.
4- Provide us your address and your convenient time for us to collect your original passport if you agree to get your visa extended through our company. You will get a receipt (received when the cashier accepts the application. Payment can be made when you get your passport back with the extended stamp for your stay).
We provide a range of collection and delivery services in Hanoi on behalf of the Consular Section. If you are living in other provinces and cities, please contact us for assistance.
5- Once your visa is extended, we will deliver your passport to the pickup location you specified when you scheduled your appointment. You should check accurate information on visa extensions being issued by the Immigration Department then pay an extension fee to our company.
Important Notes for Vietnam Visa Extension:
Your visa MUST be submitted for the extension one day before it expires by the latest (NOT AVAILABLE on weekends and Public Holidays). It doesn't matter if the extension is not done on your visa expiry date.
Visa extension fee can be paid either in US dollars or Vietnamese Dong or by credit card.
Visa extension fee may change from time to time.
The extended visa is valid for one entry.
To extend your Vietnam visa 2020 or apply for a visa extension in Vietnam, please send a scan of your passport and visa page via email:
[email protected] for extension.
Please feel free to contact us at +84.899.33.12.12 or email us at
[email protected].
Our address: No. 88 Xa Dan Street, Phuong Lien Ward, Dong Da Dist, Hanoi, Vietnam
