How to extend and renew your visa in Vietnam

During your trip to Vietnam, if you want to stay longer than the visa period, you need to either exit and return to Vietnam or do a visa extension without leaving the country. Most travelers prefer visa extension thanks to the time-saving and cost-saving advantages.

Upon each type of visa you get, the extension process may require different documents and procedures. This article will show you a complete guide to extend the two most popular visa types for travelers which are tourist and business visas.

Tourists joining a boat tour in Ninh Binh, Vietnam

Why is visa extension important?

No matter which purpose you enter Vietnam for, if you overstay a visa and do not extend or renew your visa, an administrative penalty will be applied according to Vietnam Law. Moreover, your entry and exit history will have a bad mark on the record of the Vietnam Immigration Department which can result in a difficult entry the next time. As a result, a visa extension helps you prolong your stay for a period of time to finish your tourism or business plan.

A visa should be extended before it expires due to the fact that it takes you 5 to 8 working days for the approval.

Tourist visa extension

Tourist visa is a kind of visa issued for foreigners entering Vietnam for tourism purposes. A tourist can apply for a visa with a validity of up to 3 months and stay in Vietnam for no longer than 30 days for each entry.

Travel visas allow an extension when you arrive in Vietnam and for single entry only. The extension duration is 15 days or 30 days.

Conditions

In order to extend a tourist visa, foreigners need to satisfy some conditions below:

  • Foreigners temporarily residing in Vietnam for vacation/traveling purposes
  • Having a guaranteed travel agency in Vietnam
  • Holding an at least 6-month valid passport
  • Have all documents proving eligibility to apply for the extended visa type
  • Not prohibited or restricted from entering Vietnam

Document requirements

Both foreigners and a sponsor/guaranteed travel agency must prepare documents for the extension application. Here are all documents needed:

  • A certified copy of the travel agency's travel license
  • A confirmation that foreigners are temporarily staying at tourist accommodation establishments
  • A valid passport with 2 blank pages for stamps
  • A visa application form for visa issuance and stay extension (Form NA5)
  • Temporary residence card (if any) or an online temporary residence registration or temporary residence registration certified by the police

How to apply

  • Step 1: Foreigners prepare all documents as required and send them to the travel agency.
  • Step 2: The guaranteed travel agency submits documents to the Vietnam Immigration Department’s office.
  • Step 3: Pay the visa extension fee based on the type of visa applied for. The review process takes 05 working days.
  • Step 4: Get your passport back with the visa extension stamped

Processing time & fee

Visa tourist extension takes 5-8 working days and the fee varies depending on the service fee of the travel agency and the visa type you apply for.

Business visa extension

Business visa is granted for those foreigners coming to Vietnam for business purposes such as participating in a conference/seminar, cooperating with Vietnamese enterprise, signing a contract, offering business opportunities, etc. Vietnam business visa has a validity of 1 month up to 1 year and the length of stay is not exceeding 90 days per entry.

There are 2 types of business visas which are DN1 and DN2.

  • Visa DN1: granted for foreigners who enter Vietnam to work with enterprises and other organizations with legal status
  • Visa DN2: granted for foreigners who come to offer services, establish a commercial presence, and perform other activities under international treaties to which Vietnam is a member.

Business visas can be extended up to 1 year for single or multiple entries.

Conditions

Similar to a tourist visa, a business visa extension needs a sponsor or guaranteeing enterprises in Vietnam. Besides, there are several conditions that foreigners need to meet:

  • Temporarily stay in Vietnam for business purposes
  • Sponsored or guaranteed by a Vietnam enterprise/organization
  • Have a passport with a validity of at least 6 months prior to the extension time
  • Have all documents proving eligibility to apply for the extended visa type
  • Not prohibited from entering Vietnam or forced to leave Vietnam

Document requirements

  • A certified copy of legal documents of the guaranteeing enterprise (business license, seal certificate)
  • A visa application form for visa issuance and stay extension (Form NA5)
  • An original passport with a validity of 6 months and 2 blank pages
  • Temporary residence confirmation (online registration or temporary residence registration certified by the police)

How to apply

A business visa can be extended via a visa agency or a sponsor in Vietnam. But to avoid the administrative procedures, applying through a visa agency is recommended to give you peace of mind and guarantee your visa extension is approved. The basic process includes 4 steps:

  • Step 1: Prepare all documents
  • Step 2: Submit documents to Vietnam Immigration Office

You can submit all documents at one of three Vietnam Immigration offices (Hanoi, Danang, and Ho Chi Minh City) or the Immigration Office in your residing province.

  • Step 3: Pay fee and wait for the result

The fee for the business visa extension. The process takes around 5 working days since the Immigration Department receives the valid application and full payment.

  • Step 4: Get the visa extension

Come back to the Immigration Office and get the visa extension as an appointment.

Processing time & fee

  • Processing time: It takes 5 - 7 working days for the Immigration Department to review your extension application.
  • Fee: Service fee of the visa agency (varied). Stamping fee: USD 10

Vietnam immigration office locations

Below are the addresses and contact numbers of the Immigration offices in major provinces and cities in Vietnam.

Provinces/Cities Address locations Phones
Hanoi
  • Location 1: 44 Pham Ngoc Thach Street, Dong Da District, Hanoi.
  • Location 2: 6 Quang Trung Street, Ha Dong District, Hanoi.
  • 0692191515 
  • 0692197051
Ho Chi Minh city
  • 196 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Ward 6, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City.
  • Phone: 02838299398 
  • Fax: 02838244075
Vung Tau City
  • 15 Truong Chinh Street, Phuoc Trung Ward, Ba Ria Town, Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province.
  • 0693545424  
  • Fax: 0643852423
Binh Duong
  • No 17, N3 Street, Chanh Nghia Residential Area, Chanh Nghia Ward, Thu Dau Mot City, Binh Duong Province.
  • Phone: 02743891268 
  • Fax: 02743828043
Can Tho
  • 9A Tran Phu Street, Cai Khe Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City.
  • 0693672131  
  • Fax: 0693672129
Da Nang
  • 78 Le Loi Street, Thach Thang Ward, Hai Chau District, Da Nang City.
  • 0694260192
  • Fax: 0236 3889820
Dong Nai
  • 161 Pham Van Thuan Street, Quarter 1, Tan Tien Ward, Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai Province.
  • 0613822186 
  • Fax: 0613949123
Hai Phong city
  • No2 Tran Binh Trong Street, Luong Khanh Thien Ward, Ngo Quyen District, Hai Phong City.
  • 0692785572 
  • Fax: 0692785525
Khanh Hoa/Nha Trang
  • No 47 Ly Tu Trong Street, Loc Tho Ward, Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province.
  • 0694401249 
  • Fax: 02583522826
Hue City
  • 50 Tran Cao Van Street, Phu Hoi Ward, Hue City.
  • 02343897770 
  • Fax: 0234 3825819

Office hours

Business hours are from Monday to Friday and Saturday (Morning):

  • Morning: 08:00-11:30
  • Afternoon: 13:30- 16:00

Questions and Answers (09)

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Contact Information
Q
Alysa Nguyen
United States

I applied for an visa and approved 1 day short of my flight. No response from evisa and only 10 days. How can I extend it or do I apply for new evisa. It's very frustrating! My trip is not till Dec 30

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Your Reply
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A Answered by Lan

@Alysa Nguyen, there’s no issue with leaving one day after the date on the visa. However, we still recommend you to apply for a new evisa with a longer validity (30 days), even if your trip is only 10 days.

5 people found this helpful
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Q
T green
Australia

We are currently in HoiAn our e visa arrived 1 day short of the date asked. We tried to have this changed before we left Perth ,no reply on evisa support , no response on evisa help line phone numbers. Our plane tickets are for 30/10/2024 out of Saigon but hubby,s visa runs out on the 29th. Consulate in Perth WA would not talk to us, so no help there .we leave HoiAn on the 27/10/24 so can’t send passports off . Any help would be greatly appreciated

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Q
Helen
Vietnam

I am currently in HCMC on a 1 month single entry EVisa. Can I extend this visa while I am still in Vietnam?

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Your Reply
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A Answered by Lan

@Helen, Yes, the extension service is now available for evisa holders. If you’re currently in HCMC, you can contact this company for assistance in extending your 1-month visa:

https://expat.vn/

24 people found this helpful
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Q
Emily Duggan
Ireland

Help! I applied for visa last week and was supposed to fly to Vietnam yesterday but visa never arrived so instead I came to Bangkok. Planning on doing around 3 weeks here and then going to Vietnam. My visa came through this morning but expires in 4 weeks only giving us 1 week for Vietnam (want to do 3) is there a way of changing the dates of visa or do I apply for extension or just a new visa? Thanks

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Your Reply
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A Answered by Lan

@Emily Duggan, unfortunately, there is no way to change the dates on an issued evisa. Therefore, we advise you to apply for a new visa with your intended stay in Vietnam.

3 people found this helpful
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Q
Tamara
Australia

We have a 30 day multi entry visa and are exiting and reentering twice in that time , our problem is our flight has been changed and we are now entering 1 day before our original date , how do we change it to a 3 month evisa!

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Your Reply
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A Answered by Lina Tran

@Tamara, The 3-month multiple entry e-visa will not be available until August 15, 2023. Therefore, if you do not plan to travel before that date, you can wait for the new e-visa policy.

6 people found this helpful
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Q
Geri Crosato
Canada

We are planning a trip to Vietnam and understand we are allowed a 30 day tourist visa. We have found flights back to Canada but are 3 days past our 30 day visa. How do we apply for an extra few days and cost?

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Your Reply
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A Answered by Lina Tran

@Geri Crosato, If your trip is not until later this year (after July), you can wait for the new visa policy updates. There are proposals for a 3-month e-visa that are expected to be implemented in July or August.

4 people found this helpful
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Q
Lisa Todd
Australia

If you are Australian and come on a 30 day tourist visa gained prior to arrival can you then extend it for another 30 days whilst in Vietnam ? Thank you Lisa

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A Answered by Lina Tran

@Lisa Todd, We are afraid that visa extension service is currently unavailable. We advise that you consider a visa run instead to have a new visa to stay for another 30 days in Vietnam!

4 people found this helpful
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Q
Karen Simpson
Australia

Who is a reliable english speaking travel agent in Nha Trang who can help with visa extension?

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Your Reply
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A Answered by Lan

@Karen, We cannot recommend any specific agency for visa extension because we have never used their services. However, based on our research, the following agency has a good reputation in Vietnam and is located in Nha Trang:

https://letsflytravel.vn/dich-vu-visa-gia-han-visa-tai-nha-trang/

4 people found this helpful
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Q
Anna Kalinina
Russia

I’m considering to use your agency’s visa services. I’m a citizen of Russia and will be in Vietnam on a 30-day business visa shortly. The business visa will expire on May 4. I have a question regarding the visa extension: 1) the company that issued the business visa might not be able to issue the extension again, so I will have to switch to a tourist visa 2) what would you company recommend in this case: can I switch from a 30-day business visa to a 3-month tourist using your company’s services and without leaving Vietnam? OR should I leave Vietnam before May 4, apply for a 30-day e-visa while staying abroad, return to Vietnam on an e-visa, and then with the help of your company extend the visa to a 3-month valid tourist visa?

Reply
Your Reply
No more than 2,000 characters, please.
A Answered by Lina Tran

@Anna Kalinina, Unfortunately, visa extension is temporarily unavailable. We advise that you exit and return Vietnam with a new visa.

1 people found this helpful
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Frequently asked questions

1. How long can I extend my tourist visa?

A tourist visa allows foreign travelers to stay in Vietnam for 1 month (30 days) per entry and can be extended for 15 or 30 days.

2. When should I extend my visa?

The process may take 5 - 8 working days except for the holiday, so you should extend the visa at least 1 week prior to the expiration date to avoid the overstay visa penalty.

3. I enter Vietnam with a business visa for a 3 month multiple entry, can I extend it for only 1 more month?

Yes. For a 3-month visa, you can either extend for 1 or 3 more months. However, if you hold a 1-month visa, you cannot extend it for 3 more months.

4. Can I extend my e-visa?

No. E-visa cannot be extended. You can apply for a new visa via an inviting/guaranteeing agency, organization, or individual in Vietnam.

5. Can I apply for an extension before I enter Vietnam?

No. Visa extension is only available once you are already in Vietnam only.

Contact sales if you have additional questions.

Contact support if you already submitted your visa application on our website.

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