Before you enter Vietnam as a foreigner, you should know when your visa will remain valid. For instance, if you are visiting Hanoi on a single-entry tourist visa, you should make sure to get out of the country within 30 days. If you have applied for the 60-day tourist visa, then you should get out of Vietnam before the 60-day period expires. Otherwise, you will be slapped with a hefty fine.
If you plan on staying longer in Vietnam and your visa is about to expire, you have the option to get it extended or renewed. That way, you can extend your stay in the country without getting into trouble with the authorities. If you are currently in Ha Noi and you wanted to get your visa extended or renewed, you should go to the Vietnam Immigration Office in Ha Noi. Here, you can send your application for a visa extension or renewal, whichever is suitable for you.
When you send in your application for a visa extension, you will be asked to fill out a form at the Immigration Office. You also need to submit a copy of your passport. So once your application is approved, they will stamp your passport for the new duration of your stay in the country. But take note that you cannot request an extension period beyond the original period. For instance, if your current visa is only good for 3 months, your extension should not go beyond 3 months.
Take note that you can only extend your visa a maximum of two times. So if you have already requested an extension twice, you must go out of the country already since you can no longer request another extension. Also, double-check your passport and make sure that it’s valid for at least six months from the new extension period.
The process of applying for a Vietnam visa renewal is similar to applying for a visa extension. But for this option, you will be issued a new visa. If your application is approved, Vietnam Immigration will attach a visa sticker on one of the pages of your passport. The visa will indicate the new duration of your stay in the country. Since a new visa will be given to you, the cost of a visa renewal is more expensive than the visa extension. Nevertheless, it’s a good option for those who entered Vietnam without a visa or those foreigners who are included in Vietnam’s visa exemption scheme.
When applying for the Vietnam visa extension, you will be asked to fill out a form at the Vietnam Immigration Office in Ha Noi. You also need to submit your passport. Make sure that your passport has at least two blank pages because you will be given a new visa sticker. Check the validity date of your passport as well. It should remain valid for at least six months from the duration of the new passport.
A lot of foreigners are often confused between visa extension and visa renewal. Both processes can help prolong your stay in the country without getting into trouble with the law. However, it’s important to understand that these two are different. Depending on your nationality and the type of visa that you hold, you may not be eligible for the visa renewal or visa extension. That’s why it’s important to first get in touch with the Vietnam Immigration Office in Ha Noi to determine which process can work best for you.
If you are going out of Vietnam soon, yet you plan on coming back again, you can request a visa extension. With this option, you will be able to immediately go back to the country without the need to apply for a new visa. The new period duration must not exceed the duration of the first visa you are holding. So if the current visa’s validity date is only 30 days, then the extension of your visa should not go beyond 30 days.
For those who are eligible for a visa renewal, you can apply for this option. That way, you will not have to go through the hassles of going out of Vietnam. If your renewal request is approved, you will be given a new visa sticker. This will be attached to your passport. It is for this reason why the visa renewal is more expensive than the visa extension. With a visa renewal, you are like applying for a new visa but without the need to go out of the country. Since a new visa will be issued to you, make sure that your passport has at least two blank pages for the visa sticker.
