Long An is located in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta Region. Sharing a border with Cambodia, some foreigners who are going on a backpacking trip across Asia would pass through here. Aside from the foreign backpackers, Long An is also a popular destination among foreign investors and entrepreneurs. This mid-sized province is home to several factories and manufacturing firms that produce various products, such as plastics, shoes, and feed mills.
For foreigners who are currently in Long An and would like to extend their visa, you do not need to travel far. You can go to the Vietnam Immigration Office in Long An and get your visa extended or renewed from there.
If you are holding a Vietnam visa that’s about to expire soon, but you are planning to stay longer in Long An, you can apply for the visa extension. To do this, download the NA5 form online, print it out, and fill it out completely. Make sure you fill out all details correctly. Take note that you can only extend your visa twice. If this is the third time you have asked for a visa extension, Vietnam Immigration will deny your application. Also, you can only extend your visa to the same validity period of the visa. For example, if your visa is only valid for 30 days, then you can only extend this for 30 days or less.
After you fill out the form, bring this to the Vietnam Immigration Office, along with your passport and visa. At the Vietnam Immigration Office in Long An, the staff will check your requirements and will ask you to pay for the processing fees. The processing time for the visa extension is usually 3 to 5 business days, but this could take longer sometimes. So it is best to apply for an extension at least a week before your visa expires.
Another option that foreigners have when it comes to extending their stay in Vietnam is to apply for a visa renewal. This option is more suitable for those who entered Vietnam without a visa since they are eligible for a visa-free entry.
The visa renewal is almost the same as applying for a new Vietnam visa because a new visa will be issued to you. If your application is approved, they will attach a visa sticker to your passport. This new visa will let you stay in Vietnam for a much longer time, depending on the type of visa that you have requested for. You can apply for a single entry visa or multiple entries, depending on what you prefer.
There is a processing fee that you need to pay when applying for a visa renewal from the Vietnam Immigration Office in Long An. The fee is usually more expensive compared to that of the visa extension. However, it’s more convenient since it will no longer require you to exit the country. If your visa renewal is approved, a new visa will immediately be issued.
Foreigners who are thinking of extending their stay in Vietnam are often confused between the visa extension and renewal. Both methods are almost similar, but it’s important to understand that these two are different. So what are the differences between the visa extension and visa renewal?
If you have the intention to exit Vietnam since your visa is due to expire, yet you plan on coming back again, you can choose the visa extension. When you re-enter, the immigration officer will immediately stamp your passport for re-entry since your original visa has already been extended. With the visa extension, you can only extend it to the same period as that of your visa. So if you’re holding a 30-day visa, then it can only be extended for 30 days maximum. In addition, you can apply for a visa extension up to two times only.
For those who don’t have any intention to exit Vietnam but would like to lengthen their stay in the country, the visa renewal is a good option. With this method, you will be granted a new visa and you have the option to choose between the single entry and multiple entries. If your application for a visa renewal is approved, they will attach a new visa sticker to your passport. As for the cost, the processing fee for visa renewal is more expensive compared to the visa extension.
If you are still confused between the visa extension and visa renewal, you can consult with a local agency that can help extend your stay in Long An. The agency can offer advice on what would be the best option that can work for you.
