Visa Run from Nha Trang: What the Law Says by Visa Type
An extension of stay is filed by your inviting or sponsoring organisation or individual. An e-visa is valid for a maximum of 90 days. A visa-exempt stay under Resolution 44/NQ-CP is 45 days from entry. Your options depend on your visa type.
On this page
Your visa type decides what the law gives you. The table gives the short answer per type; the sections below give the rules.
| Visa type | Extend in Vietnam? | Must you exit? |
|---|---|---|
| Extendable visa | Yes, filed by your sponsor | Not covered |
| E-visa | New visa if invited or guaranteed | An e-visa request after exiting |
| Visa-exempt | Not covered | Not covered |
For a tourist visa run, the sources do not say whether leaving and coming back renews your stay. Ask the Nha Trang immigration office first.
Which case are you?
- You have a sponsor (an organisation or a close Vietnamese relative): the sponsor files an extension, so you may not need to leave. The fee is US$10 and the decision takes no more than 5 working days from a complete dossier.
- You have no sponsor and hold an e-visa: the law gives no self-filing route for an extension. You request a new e-visa only after you exit Vietnam.
- You are visa-exempt from a 45-day country: a fresh entry gets a 45-day stay certified at the border, with no advance filing. Your passport needs 6 months of validity.
- You hold a treaty exemption: you get the stay that treaty sets, or 30 days if it sets none.
- You overstayed: do not treat a run as a fix. A fined person can be barred from exiting, and deportation can follow.
- You have been deported or forced to leave: entry is refused for 3 years or 6 months, counted from the date the decision took effect.
If you hold an e-visa
An e-visa is valid for a maximum of 90 days, for single or multiple entries.
The e-visa portal says the visa is issued to foreigners who are currently abroad, not to foreigners who are currently temporary resident in Viet Nam. Someone already in Vietnam may request an e-visa after departing and exiting Vietnam.
For a stay in the country, the portal points to a different route. It says e-visa holders in Viet Nam may be considered for a new visa if invited or guaranteed by an authority, organisation or individual in Viet Nam.
The portal presents that as applying for a new visa, not as extending the e-visa itself.
Resolution 127/NQ-CP, Article 1, provides for e-visas for citizens of all countries and territories.
Border gates for e-visa holders
An e-visa can be used for entry and exit through border gates on the list approved by the Government. The portal’s air list includes the Cam Ranh Airport Border Gate. Its sea list includes the Nha Trang Port Border Gate, Khanh Hoa Province.
Which gates take the run
An e-visa works only at border gates on the Government’s list. Near Nha Trang, the air list includes Cam Ranh, and the sea list includes Nha Trang Port. Resolution 127/NQ-CP, Article 2, also names the Nha Trang port gate.
For a land crossing, the portal’s land list includes the Moc Bai gate in Tay Ninh province. The sources give no distance or fare from Nha Trang to Moc Bai, so check the route before you book.
The portal’s current list names 15 air gates, 27 land gates and 39 sea gates. Resolution 389/NQ-CP added more gates to the first list in Resolution 127/NQ-CP. It took effect on 2 December 2025.
You may leave through a different gate from the one where you entered. At the border you present your residence document, such as the e-visa, to the immigration officer.
If you carry cash across the border, declare it to border-gate customs above US$5,000, or its equivalent in other foreign currency, or above VND 15,000,000.
Getting out of Nha Trang
Cam Ranh International Airport is 35 km south of central Nha Trang. Grab gives an average trip of about 45 minutes and VND 250,000 to 350,000. Grab lists Terminal 2 for international flights, and an arrivals pick-up point named “International Arrival Terminal”.
The airport’s own transport page lists these ways to reach the airport, one way:
| Option | Price | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 4-seat Quoc Te taxi | VND 300,000 | Not stated |
| 4-seat Xanh SM car | VND 350,000 | Not stated |
| Dat Moi bus, route 18 | VND 50,000 per person | 50 to 60 minutes |
Prices were checked against the airport’s page and may change. The sources do not list international routes from Cam Ranh, so check airlines before you book.
For a land crossing via Saigon, the first leg is by train. Train SE7 leaves Nha Trang at 08:47 and reaches Saigon at 17:00. Train SE5 leaves at 10:25 and arrives at 18:20. A soft seat on SE7 costs VND 263,000 and a 6-berth lower bunk VND 472,000.
Foreigners show a passport or consular letter when buying a ticket and boarding. The sources give no Saigon to Moc Bai fare or time.
On the day you fly
The airport’s departure guide says check-in counters open 3 hours before departure and close 50 minutes before departure. The airport lists an ATM in the international terminal, open 24/7. It also lists a currency exchange in that terminal, by flight schedule.
Planning the exit and the new e-visa
Request the next e-visa only after you have left, because e-visas go to foreigners who are still outside Vietnam. The single-entry fee is US$25, and the multiple-entry fee is US$50. An online application is processed in no more than 3 working days from a complete application and the fee.
An e-visa’s validity must end at least 30 days before the passport expires. The portal’s FAQ gives evisa.gov.vn and thithucdientu.gov.vn as the official addresses, and warns that unofficial pages may charge unauthorised fees.
Cam Ranh International Airport is the air gate nearest Nha Trang, and it is on the portal’s list.
Does it fit your deadline?
| Time before your stay ends | What the rules allow |
|---|---|
| A week or more | A sponsor-filed extension decides in no more than 5 working days. A new e-visa decides in no more than 3 working days. |
| A few days | The e-visa clock runs from a complete application and the fee. You can only apply after you have left. |
| The last day | A 45-day visa-exempt country gets a fresh stay at the border with no filing. Anyone else needs a visa before entry. |
An e-visa gives at most 90 days, for single or multiple entries. Leave a margin, because the head of the immigration control unit decides on refusals at the gate. A fresh e-visa also needs your passport to stay valid, with at least 30 days left after the e-visa ends.
Timing the new e-visa
| Step | Rule |
|---|---|
| Earliest you may apply | Up to 1 year before the planned entry date |
| Where you must be | Outside Vietnam |
| Fee | US$25 single entry, US$50 multiple entries |
| Decision time | No more than 3 working days from a complete application and the fee |
| Validity | Up to 90 days |
| Passport | The e-visa must end at least 30 days before the passport expires |
The fee is non-refundable if the visa is refused. Apply on the official portal only.
Nguyen Tat Thanh, Bac Cam Ranh, Khanh Hoa, Vietnam · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
If you are visa-exempt
Some nationalities get a fixed stay from the date of entry. Check the resolution that names your country.
- Resolution 44/NQ-CP gives citizens of the countries it names 45 days from entry, for any purpose, from 15 March 2025 through 14 March 2028.
- Resolution 229/NQ-CP gives citizens of a separate list of European countries 45 days, for tourism purposes, from 15 August 2025 through 14 August 2028.
- A holder of a visa-exemption certificate gets a temporary residence certificate of 6 months per entry. Staying beyond 6 months needs a Vietnamese sponsor and a valid reason.
Shorter and longer exemptions
Some passports have their own rule, set by a treaty or a decision. These are listed on the Foreign Ministry’s directory, which states it is updated to 14 March 2025. Check the current text for your passport.
| Passport | Stay without a visa |
|---|---|
| Cambodia | Up to 30 days |
| Laos | Up to 30 days |
| Thailand | Up to 30 days |
| Singapore | Up to 30 days, with conditions |
| Philippines | Up to 21 days, with a return or onward air ticket |
| Brunei | Up to 14 days |
| Chile, Panama | Up to 90 days, not for paid activity |
| Kazakhstan | Up to 30 days per entry, capped at 90 days in any 180-day period |
| Phu Quoc island | Up to 30 days, a rule separate from the country lists |
Under the Vietnam-Indonesia agreement, the visa-free stay cannot be extended.
Re-entry after you leave
The 2014 original of Article 20 required a unilateral-exemption entrant to hold a passport valid for at least 6 months. It also required at least 30 days since the last exit from Vietnam.
Law 51/2019/QH14 replaced Article 20, and its new text drops the condition about days since the last exit. The 6-month passport condition remains for unilateral-exemption entrants.
Người nước ngoài nhập cảnh theo diện đơn phương miễn thị thực thì hộ chiếu phải còn thời hạn sử dụng ít nhất 06 tháng
A foreigner entering under unilateral visa exemption must hold a passport valid for at least 6 months.
Law 51/2019/QH14, Điều 1 khoản 11 (replacing Điều 20)
What the law requires on re-entry
The general entry conditions are a passport or international travel document and a visa, unless you are visa-exempt, and no ground for refusal under Article 21. Forging documents or making a false declaration to obtain an entry document is one of those grounds.
For a country on the unilateral list, a fresh entry gives 45 days. The border certifies the stay at the checkpoint, with no advance filing. The Government decides which countries are on the list, for up to 5 years at a time.
Visa exemption under a treaty gives the stay that the treaty sets. The 30-day default applies only when the treaty sets none.
If the officer refuses entry
Entry can be refused when the general entry conditions are not met. The head of the immigration control unit decides to refuse entry in the cases of Article 21, clauses 1 to 6. A visa at an international border gate is issued only in listed cases, including a tour programme run by an international travel company in Vietnam.
So do not plan on buying a visa at the gate. Get the e-visa first, and keep the file code, because a foreigner granted an e-visa uses the electronic file code to check and print the result on the portal.
If your visa can be extended in-country
The inviting or sponsoring organisation or individual files the request.
Người nước ngoài đang tạm trú tại Việt Nam có nhu cầu gia hạn tạm trú phải đề nghị cơ quan, tổ chức, cá nhân mời, bảo lãnh làm thủ tục tại cơ quan quản lý xuất nhập cảnh hoặc cơ quan có thẩm quyền của Bộ Ngoại giao.
A foreigner staying in Vietnam who wants to extend must have the inviting or sponsoring organisation or individual file the request with the immigration authority or the competent Ministry of Foreign Affairs office.
Law 47/2014/QH13, Điều 35 khoản 1
- A Vietnamese citizen sponsor must be a grandparent, parent, spouse, child or sibling, and must show proof of the relationship.
- The dossier can be filed in person, online or by post.
- The government fee is US$10.
- Processing takes no more than 5 working days from receipt of a complete dossier.
- The extension form is NA5.
- If you do not qualify for the visa or refuse to accept the result, the fee already collected is not refunded.
DL and EV visas, like HN visas, are valid for a maximum of 90 days.
What staying costs against leaving
| Route | Government fee | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsor-filed extension | US$10 | No more than 5 working days |
| New e-visa, single entry | US$25 | No more than 3 working days |
| New e-visa, multiple entries | US$50 | No more than 3 working days |
These are the government fees only, as stated in the sources, not what an agent or airline charges. Transport out of Vietnam and back is extra, and the sources give no Nha Trang fares.
Before you pay anyone
Be careful with sites that sell a Vietnam e-visa. The official addresses are evisa.gov.vn and thithucdientu.gov.vn. A cybercrime officer says fraudsters build sites that closely resemble the official portals, register misleading domain names or pay for online ads.
Look-alike sites have no authority to issue visas. If you see signs of fraud, report them to the police at once. The police line is 113.
The national tourism portal publishes a list of recognised and accredited travel agencies. A name absent from that list proves nothing alone, so ask for written terms. The portal’s own fee is US$25 or US$50, so any extra charge is the agent’s own service fee.
If you overstay
Fines for individuals under Decree 282/2025/NĐ-CP, by length of overstay:
| Overstay | Fine (VND) |
|---|---|
| Under 16 days | 500,000-2,000,000 |
| 16 to under 30 days | 5,000,000-10,000,000 |
| 30 to under 60 days | 10,000,000-15,000,000 |
| 60 to under 90 days | 15,000,000-20,000,000 |
| 90 to under 180 days | 20,000,000-25,000,000 |
| 180 days to under 1 year | 25,000,000-30,000,000 |
| 1 year or more | 30,000,000-40,000,000 |
Leaving after an overstay
An overstayer should go promptly to the Immigration Management Office of the police where they stay to report, pay the fine and get guidance. A fined person pays within 10 days of receiving the decision, unless the decision states a longer deadline. The officer sets the fine at the midpoint of the band, and circumstances can move it within the band.
Deportation, exit hold and re-entry bans
Deportation can be applied as an additional penalty for the violations in clauses 4 to 9 of Article 21, based on the nature, severity and consequences of the violation.
A foreigner with an administrative-penalty decision still to fulfil, such as an unpaid fine, falls into a group that can be temporarily barred from exiting Vietnam. A temporary exit suspension cannot exceed 3 years, though it can be extended.
After deportation, a foreigner is refused entry for 3 years from the date the decision took effect. After a forced-exit decision, entry is refused for 6 months from the date it took effect.
- Extend your visa in Nha Trang
- Vietnam e-visa for Nha Trang
- Overstay fines in Nha Trang
- Cam Ranh Airport immigration on arrival
- All visa guides
Photos and clips uploaded to Google Maps (Cam Ranh International Airport on Google Maps (opens in a new tab), Nha Trang Railway Station on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)) by @Auld F. Art, @風walk, @Michael Hoang.
Not confirmed: Which international routes leave Cam Ranh Airport today is not confirmed. Check with the airlines and the airport before you book. Whether a new entry restarts a visa-exempt stay is not confirmed. Ask the immigration office before you book a flight.
Common questions
Can I extend my stay myself instead of leaving?
The law has your inviting or sponsoring organisation or individual file the extension with the immigration authority. A Vietnamese individual sponsor must be a grandparent, parent, spouse, child or sibling.
Can I apply for an e-visa while I am in Vietnam?
The e-visa portal says e-visas are issued to foreigners who are currently abroad, not to foreigners currently resident in Viet Nam. After you exit Vietnam, you may request one.
Can I leave Vietnam by sea with an e-visa?
An e-visa can be used for entry and exit through border gates on the Government's list. The portal's list of sea border gates includes the Nha Trang Port Border Gate.
What does an extension cost and how long does it take?
The government fee is US$10. Processing takes no more than 5 working days from the date a complete dossier is received.
What happens if I overstay?
Overstaying under 16 days is fined VND 500,000-2,000,000 for individuals. Deportation can be applied as an additional penalty for the violations in clauses 4 to 9 of Article 21.
How much does a new e-visa cost?
The official fee is US$25 for a single entry and US$50 for multiple entries, paid on the portal and non-refundable if the visa is refused.
How early can I apply for the next e-visa?
An applicant may submit an e-visa application up to 1 year before the planned entry date.
Do I have to leave through the same gate I came in?
No. An e-visa holder is not required to exit Vietnam through the same border gate used to enter.
Can an unpaid overstay fine stop me leaving?
Yes. A foreigner with an administrative-penalty decision to fulfil can be temporarily barred from exiting Vietnam, for no more than 3 years.
Is there a shorter exemption on Phu Quoc?
Foreigners entering, exiting or staying on Phu Quoc island are visa-exempt for up to 30 days, a rule separate from the country lists.
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General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.
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