Visa run from Vietnam in 2026: routes, costs, tips

What is a visa run, and why do you need one?

A visa run is a short trip out of Vietnam into a neighbouring country for a few hours or days, followed by a return. The goal is to reset your permitted stay. You need one when:

• Your visa-exemption days have run out (45 days for many nationalities, others vary).
• Your 90-day e-visa is expiring and cannot be extended in-country.
• You want another couple of months without applying for a long-term visa.

The key point in 2026: neither the visa exemption nor the e-visa can be extended inside Vietnam under any circumstances. The DL tourist visa used to be extendable through an agent, but since Decree 282/2025 those extensions are issued far less often. The one reliable path is to cross the border.

💬 "In 2026, in-country tourist visa extensions are generally not permitted. To renew your 90 days, you must perform a visa run by exiting Vietnam and re-entering with a newly approved e-visa." — 68solutions.vn, 2026

Most long-stayers run from Ho Chi Minh City (close to the Cambodian border) or from Da Nang and Hue (near Laos). From Hanoi people usually fly to Bangkok or Kunming.

Is it legal in 2026?

Yes. A visa run is a legal procedure: you officially exit the country through passport control and re-enter. No grey schemes. But there are caveats.

Since 2024 Vietnam's immigration authority has quietly tightened its stance on "perpetual tourists." If your passport shows 4-5 back-to-back runs in six months, an officer at Tan Son Nhat may ask follow-up questions: purpose of travel, return ticket, hotel booking, income. There is no wave of refusals for any particular nationality, but the risk grows with each run.

💬 "A visa run is a legal procedure, but not an automatic right. Your success depends 99% on careful preparation and how you behave at the border." — seasoned expats, r/VietNam, 2025

Cambodia — the cheapest route

Mộc Bài → Bavet (overland from Ho Chi Minh City)

The most popular run from southern Vietnam. The border sits 70 km from Ho Chi Minh City, about 2.5 hours by bus.

How to get there:

• Bus (Sapaco, Mekong Express, The Sinh Tourist): $9-12 one way, a direct Ho Chi Minh City → Phnom Penh service that stops at the border.
• Public bus 703 from Bến Thành: 40,000 VND (~$1.60) to the border itself, then a moto-taxi to the Cambodian side for $2-3.
• Grab taxi: $35-45 one way, handy for two people.

At the border:

• Cambodia visa on arrival (VOA): $30 + an unofficial "tip" of $5-10. Cash US dollars only, crisp notes without tears.
• Processing time: 30-60 minutes each way.
• You can return the same day.

Total cost: $50-100 (bus + VOA + lunch + snacks).

💬 "A visa run through Mộc Bài from Saigon cost me about $80: $12 for the bus one way, $36 for the Cambodian visa at the border, plus food. We left at 6 a.m. and were back by 3 p.m. The one downside — each Cambodian visa takes a full passport page, so after three runs I'd used three pages." — traveller report, r/VietnamTravel, 2025

Phnom Penh — by air from Ho Chi Minh City

If time is worth more than money, fly Vietjet or Cambodia Angkor Air. It is a one-hour flight, with the return the next day after a night in the Cambodian capital.

• One-way ticket: $50-100 on low-cost carriers, $120-180 on Vietnam Airlines.
• Hotel in Phnom Penh: $20-60 a night (Riverside area).
• VOA at the airport border: $30 + cash.

Total: $150-300 with an overnight.

Hà Tiên → Prek Chak (overland from the Mekong / Phu Quoc)

An alternative land crossing in the south of the Mekong Delta. Convenient if you are on Phu Quoc or in Can Tho.

• Speedboat from Phu Quoc to Hà Tiên: 1.5 hours, $20-30.
• Bus to the border: $5-10.
• Cambodia VOA: $30.
• On the other side you can continue to Kep or Sihanoukville.

Total: $60-120, but the logistics are trickier than via Mộc Bài.

Laos — for those in the north and centre

Vientiane — by air from Hanoi

The best option if you live in Hanoi or northern Vietnam. A one-hour flight, a night in Vientiane, then back.

• Vietnam Airlines, Lao Airlines: $100-180 one way.
• Round-trip sometimes turns up at $200-250 if you catch a deal.
• Laos visa policy depends on your passport: many nationalities get a visa on arrival, some have a visa exemption, so check yours before you fly. By land you may be asked for a $30-40 "processing fee."
• Hotel in Vientiane: $25-50 a night.

Total: $250-400 with an overnight and meals.

Lao Bảo → Dansavanh (overland from Da Nang / Hue)

The busiest Vietnam-Laos land crossing. Good if you are on the central coast.

• Sleeper bus from Hue or Da Nang → Savannakhet: 6-8 hours, $20-35.
• Lao Bảo is the one crossing with Laos where a visa on arrival is issued on the spot for eligible passports. At other border posts the Lao visa must be arranged in advance.
• Lao VOA cost: $30-40.
• The round trip takes 1-2 days.

Total: $80-150 including a night in Savannakhet.

💬 "The Laos border crossing for a visa run takes 2-3 hours. As of early 2025, officers ask for an unofficial fee of around 50,000 VND." — traveller reports, r/VietNam, 2025

Thailand — if you want to combine it with a holiday

Bangkok is the most common pick for people who run regularly. Low-cost carriers fly from Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Cam Ranh and Phu Quoc.

Round-trip ticket prices:

• Ho Chi Minh City ↔ Bangkok: $80-150 on Vietjet, AirAsia, Thai Lion Air.
• Hanoi ↔ Bangkok: $90-160.
• Da Nang ↔ Bangkok: $110-200.
• Cam Ranh / Phu Quoc ↔ Bangkok: $150-280.

What to know:

• Many Western passports (US, UK, EU, AU and others) enter Thailand visa-free for 60 days — check your nationality on the Thai immigration site before you fly.
• You can turn it around in 24 hours: fly out in the morning → land in Bangkok by lunch → shopping at Pratunam → a night in Sukhumvit → morning flight back.
• Bangkok has plenty of English-speaking visa agencies that handle complex paperwork fast.

Total: $150-300 with one overnight and meals.

💬 "Round-trip flight tickets from Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok are around $100, with routes to Chiang Mai and Phuket also available at similar prices. Air visa runs are best if you can get cheap flights." — goviettravel.com, 2025

Routes compared: cost, time, convenience

If you live in Ho Chi Minh City or Nha Trang, pick Mộc Bài. If you are in Hanoi, fly to Bangkok or Vientiane. If you are in Da Nang, do the "bus + Laos" combo via Lao Bảo, or a low-cost flight to Bangkok.

Overland or by air: which to choose

Overland is 2-3x cheaper, but slower and physically more tiring. It suits you if:

• Budget is the priority.
• You are in Ho Chi Minh City or the south.
• You want to see border towns on the way — Bavet, Sihanoukville, Poipet.

Flying is faster but pricier. It makes sense when:

• You are on Phu Quoc, in Cam Ranh or Da Nang — overland is awkward.
• Time is worth more than money.
• You want to fold the run into a weekend trip to Bangkok.

Documents and the step-by-step

What to gather

1. Passport — valid for at least 6 months from your return date into Vietnam.
2. Blank pages — at least 2, ideally 3-4 (a Cambodian VOA takes a whole page).
3. A fresh Vietnam e-visa — apply in advance at evisa.gov.vn. Single entry $25, multiple entry $50, for 90 days. Submit 5-10 days before you leave.
4. Photos 4×6 cm — white background, front-facing, for the Lao/Cambodian VOA and the e-visa itself.
5. US dollars in cash — Cambodia VOA $30, Laos VOA $30-40. Crisp notes, no tears.
6. Return ticket — for immigration on the way back.
7. Hotel booking in Vietnam — in case of questions at the border.

Step-by-step

1. 10 days before departure — submit a fresh Vietnam e-visa at evisa.gov.vn.
2. 7 days before — wait for approval (status "Granted"), download the PDF, print two copies.
3. 3 days before — buy bus/plane tickets, book a hotel.
4. Day X (departure) — leave early, carry documents and cash.
5. At the Vietnam border — you get an exit stamp. The officer may ask where you are flying and why.
6. At the neighbouring border — get the VOA (Cambodia, Laos) or enter visa-free (Thailand, if eligible).
7. Return — at the Vietnam border show the fresh e-visa, or your passport if you are re-entering on a visa exemption.
8. Get the stamp — 90 days on the e-visa, or your exemption period on return.

Risks and pitfalls

Refusal at entry

No wave of refusals was recorded in 2025-2026, but the risks exist:

• 4+ runs in six months — an officer may ask to see a return ticket, hotel booking, source of income.
• "Multiple entries denied" stamp — very rare, usually on suspicion of illegal work.
• A past overstay — even a one-day overstay stays in the database and can surface on re-entry.
• Name typo — the automatic match against the passport MRZ is strict, and any error means denied boarding. Check your e-visa data the moment it is approved.

Decree 282/2025 — what changed

Since 15 December 2025, Decree 282/2025/NĐ-CP is in force. Overstay fines have doubled:

• 1-15 days — 500,000 to 2,000,000 VND (~$20-80).
• 16-30 days — 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 VND (~$200-400).
• 30-60 days — 10,000,000 to 15,000,000 VND (~$400-600).
• Over 1 year — up to 40,000,000 VND (~$1,600) and an entry ban of up to 10 years.

An overstay of 16 days or more can mean deportation. This is not a scare tactic — it is the official text of the decree.

Passport wear

Each Cambodian VOA takes up a whole page in your passport. After 3-4 Cambodia runs the pages run out. If your passport is nearly full and you plan a long stay, get a new one with more pages before your trip — doing it from within Vietnam is slow and expensive.

The border "tip"

At land crossings (especially Mộc Bài and Lao Bảo) officers often ask for an unofficial $1-5 to stamp you through. It is not a fine and not mandatory, but if you refuse they may "slow-walk" the process for an hour. Most people just pay and move on.

Alternatives to a visa run

If you run more than once every three months, you probably need a different visa category rather than another e-visa.

Extending a DL visa through an agent

The DL tourist visa can formally be extended by 30 days through agencies in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Nha Trang. Price: $80-200. Since Decree 282/2025 these extensions are granted less often and not to everyone. It does not work for the e-visa or the visa exemption.

Changing your visa status

The most reliable path for long-stayers:

• DT (investor) — open a company in Vietnam and get a 1-5 year visa. Costs $1,500-3,000 with business registration.
• LD (work) — via an employer with a Work Permit. For 1-2 years.
• TT (family) — if your spouse is Vietnamese or you hold a Work Permit. Up to 1 year, renewable.

Temporary Residence Card (TRC)

A Temporary Residence Card is issued for 2 to 10 years. You obtain it through DT, LD or TT. It lets you enter and exit freely without a visa.

💬 "The Moc Bai visa run from Saigon is considered the cheapest, fastest, and most convenient way to do a visa run. But if you do 4 visa runs in 6 months, you should seriously consider a long-term visa instead — it's cheaper in the long run." — myvietnamvisa.com, 2026

FAQ

How many visa runs in a row can you do?

Formally there is no limit. In practice, after 3-4 Cambodia runs in six months, officers start asking questions. If you plan to stay longer than six months, a long-term visa works out cheaper.

Can you re-enter Vietnam on the same day you exit?

At a land border (Mộc Bài, Lao Bảo) — no problem. By air it is technically possible but expensive, since you need a ticket both ways on the same day.

How much does the cheapest visa run cost?

Mộc Bài → Bavet: $50-80 with lunch. Public bus 703 + Cambodia VOA + a snack. A full day on the road.

Do you need a Vietnam e-visa before you leave, or is a visa exemption enough?

It depends on your plans and passport. Want 90 days? Apply for the e-visa in advance ($25 single entry). If your nationality gets a visa exemption and that is enough, just exit and get a fresh stamp on the way back.

What if the e-visa is processing and you fly tomorrow?

Pay an agency for an urgent tier: $89-155 for 1-4 hours. On your own via evisa.gov.vn it is a minimum of 3 working days, up to 7 in high season.

Can you do a visa run by motorbike?

Through Mộc Bài in theory yes, but the Cambodian side requires a temporary import document (Carnet de Passages); without it you get turned back. Easier to leave the bike in Ho Chi Minh City and take the bus.

What money should you bring to the Cambodia border?

At least $50 cash in crisp US dollars: $30 for the VOA + $5-10 for a border tip + $10-15 for food and a moto-taxi. Old or torn notes are refused.

Does a visa run give you a fresh visa exemption on return?

Yes, if your passport qualifies you get a fresh stamp on return. But do not run on the exemption more than twice in a row — after two runs it is better to switch to the e-visa.

Can you combine a visa run with a holiday?

Ideal. Ho Chi Minh City → Sihanoukville (3 beach days) → Mộc Bài back. Or Hanoi → Luang Prabang (4 days of culture) → back via Lao Bảo. It often works out cheaper than a standard run with an empty overnight.

What if you lose your passport abroad?

Go to your country's embassy or consulate in Phnom Penh or Bangkok. An emergency travel document usually takes 1-3 days. Without it you cannot re-enter Vietnam. Make copies of your passport before you leave.

Key takeaways

1. A visa run is legal, but not endless. After 3-4 runs, think about changing your status.
2. The cheapest route — Mộc Bài from Ho Chi Minh City: $50-100.
3. The most convenient — Bangkok on low-cost flights: $150-300 + a bonus holiday.
4. Documents: passport valid 6+ months, 2 blank pages, a fresh Vietnam e-visa, 4×6 photos.
5. Decree 282/2025 — overstay fines have doubled, do not risk it.
6. Apply for the e-visa 7-10 days ahead, not at the last minute.

Information current as of July 2026. Rules can change — check at immigration.gov.vn, evisa.gov.vnand with your own country's embassy in Vietnam.