How to Extend Vietnam visa

In the outbreak of Coronavirus in the beginning of 2020, are there any changes in the procedure to extend Vietnam visa? I am from foreign countries, can I extend my visa in Vietnam? How can foreigners extend their Vietnam visa in 2021? How much does it cost to extend Vietnam visa in 2021? All these questions about visa extension in Vietnam will be answered in our post.

1. Vietnam Visa Extension Overview

1.1 Legal basis for Vietnam visa extension

If you are searching for legitimacy of Vietnam visa extension, you may refer to the following legal documents:

  • Law on entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam (Law No. 47/2014/QH13, June 16, 2014).
  • Circular No. 04/2015/TT-BCA, dated January 5, 2015 of the Ministry of Public Security, providing for forms of documents related to entry, exit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam.
  • Circular No. 219/2016/TT-BTC, dated 10 November 2016 of the Ministry of Finance stipulating the regime of collection, remittance, management and use of charges and fees in the fields of exit, entry, transit and residence in Vietnam.
  • Circular No. 190/2012/TT-BTC, dated 09/11/2012 of the Ministry of Finance amending and supplementing Circular No. 66/2009/TT-BTC, dated 30/3/2009 of the Ministry of Finance on the regime of collection, remittance, management and use of fees for granting passports, visas, papers on exit, entry, transit and residence in Vietnam.
  • Circular No. 31/2015/TT-BCA, July 6, 2015 of the Ministry of Public Security, guiding some contents on visa issuance, temporary residence card, granting entry and exit permits, settling permanent residence for foreigners in Vietnam.

1.2. Some requirements for the foreigners to extend visa Vietnam

To extend visa in Vietnam, foreigners need to adapt all the following requirements:

  • Passport to carry out procedures for Vietnam visa extension for foreigners must be valid
  • Foreigners staying in Vietnam must have a register of temporary residence from the police of the area where the foreigner resides.
  • The Vietnam visa of the individual is still valid.
  • There is a company in Vietnam which guarantees to carry out procedures to extend Vietnam visa for foreigners for business, work and investment visa.
  • Foreigners have not committed crimes during their stay in Vietnam.

1.3. Current regulations on Vietnam visa extension

Vietnam has implemented the “automatic stay extension” for foreign nationals since May 2020 and it is currently available until March 31st, 2021
Eligible foreigners are those:
  • entering Vietnam with Visa Exemptions, E-Visas, or Tourist Visas from March 1, 2020
  • Entering Vietnam before March 1, 2020 with Visa Exemptions, E-Visas, or Tourist Visas but having
    • Certification by your diplomatic mission in Vietnam through an official Diplomatic Note stating that you are stuck in Vietnam due to Covid 19 (attached with a translation in Vietnamese);
    • Documents issued by the Vietnamese authorities certifying that you have undergone quarantine or treatment for COVID-19 or are stuck here due to reasons beyond your control.
During the “automatic stay extension” period, the eligible foreigners are required to complete a temporary residence registration and health status declaration.
Those foreign nationals who are not eligible for “automatic stay extension” or violate Vietnamese laws will be treated as prescribed by the applicable laws of Vietnam.

2. How to Extend Visa in Vietnam

2.1. Where to extend Vietnam visa?

Vietnam visa extension can be carried out at the Immigration Management Department in the cities/provinces where the foreigners are living and working. In the three biggest city of Vietnam, these are the specific address:

  • Extend Vietnam visa in Hanoi: 44 – 46 Tran Phu Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
  • Extend Vietnam visa in Danang: 78 Le Loi Street, Thach Thang Ward, Hai Chau District Da Nang.
  • Extend Vietnam visa in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City): 333 – 335 – 337 Nguyen Trai Street, Nguyen Cu Trinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

2.2. Required documents to extend Vietnam visa

Obligatory documents:

  • Declaration form for issuance, supplement, amendment of visa and extension of temporary residence (form NA5).
  • Passport or valuable papers of international travel of foreigners.

Besides, depending on the type of visa, the Vietnamese visa agency will ask you to prepare additional documents. To be specific:

For tourist visa:

  • With this visa, foreigners only need to prepare two main documents as mentioned above.

For work/business visa:

  • Legal documents of the guarantee company
  • Confirmation letter of temporary residence from the local police where the foreigner temporarily resides in Vietnam.
  • Letter of introduction to the employee who submits the document at the immigration department.

For investment visa:

  • Legal documents of the company:
  • The Enterprise Registration Certificate which includes the name of the shareholders.
  • Confirmation letter of temporary residence from the local police where the foreigner temporarily resides in Vietnam.
  • Letter of introduction to the employee who submits the document at the immigration department.

For visa to visit relatives:

  • Documents proving personal relationships.
  • Confirmation letter of temporary residence from the local police where the foreigner temporarily resides in Vietnam.
  • Identity card of the family member who guarantees for foreigners.

2.3. How to extend Vietnam visa

Step 1: Prepare the documents as prescribed by law:

Step 2: Submit the document directly at the office of the Immigration Department – Ministry of Public Security

  • Vietnamese agencies, organizations, Vietnamese citizens and foreigners legally residing in Vietnam submit the documents to one of the working offices of the Immigration Department – Ministry of Public Security.
  • Officers will receive documents examining the legality and content:
    • If the document is complete and valid, the officer will receive the document, print and give a receipt, an appointment to return results.
    • If the application document is not yet valid, the officer will instruct the applicant to complete the document.

Application time: from Monday to Saturday morning (except on New Year, holidays and Sundays). 

Step 3: Receive the result

Individuals who come to receive the results have to show the receipt to the officer for comparing, if there is a result of visa extension, individuals will receive the result, pay the fee and sign the receipt.

2.4. Processing time for visa extension in Vietnam

Time for processing Vietnam visa extension is from 7 to 10 working days from the day when all the documents are completed.

3. Vietnam Visa Extension Cost and Validity

3.1. How much to extend Vietnam visa

How much to extend your Vietnam visa? Well, it depends on both your original visa and the duration that you want to extend, and whether you do it yourself or have an agency do it for you.

You can see the cost to extend Vietnam visa by Vietnam-visa.com, a reliable address to get your visa extended by a service provider.

3.2. Validity of Vietnam visa extension

A Vietnam visa validity can be extended for 15 days, 1 months, 3 months or 6 months depending on its original validity.

However, the extension duration is subject to change from time to time. As such, before applying for visa extension, you should contact a visa agent like Vietnam-visa.com for checking.

This is all the detailed information about visa extension in Vietnam. While we are making an effort to update the latest information, there are possible changes that we are unaware of. To receive the latest details about how to extend Vietnam visa in 2020, you can contact Vietnam-visa.com [email protected] or +84.946.583.583.