In order to curb the spread of Covid-19, Vietnam has decided to shut down its borders in March. The government also suspended all International flights and halted the issuance of new visas to foreign nationals.
As a foreigner in Vietnam, your stay in the country is only limited to the validity period of your visa. For instance, if you’re holding a tourist visa with a 30-day validity period, this means your stay in the country cannot go beyond 30 days. But if you wanted to stay longer, you can either extend or renew your visa, depending on what suits you best.
Here’s a guide when it comes to extending your visa validity in Vietnam.
When requesting for an extension of your visa in Vietnam, you are required to submit an original copy of your passport. The passport should be valid for at least six months from the date of extension. Also, the passport should have two extra blank pages for the new visa to be attached.
You are able to extend the validity of your Vietnam visa depending on the length of your existing visa. For instance, if the tourist visa that you currently have is only good for 3 months, you can possibly extend it for another 3 months. You cannot have it extended for more than 3 months.
The extension is only good for single entry and up to a maximum period of 3 months. When your visa extension is approved, your passport will receive an extension stamp that indicates the new validity period. Furthermore, you are only allowed to extend your visa up to two times.
Another option for extending the length of your stay in the country is to opt for a visa renewal. Visa renewal is a good option for tourists who wanted to receive a new visa without having to exit Vietnam.
Unlike visa extension where you can only get a single-entry extension, the visa renewal will let you apply for both single entry and multiple entries. Also, instead of an extension stamp, a new visa will be attached to your passport.
It is possible to apply for a visa extension on your own. But if you want a more convenient and hassle-free way of getting your visa extended, you can do it through a local agency. Here are the steps on how to extend your Vietnam visa:
When the Covid-19 pandemic started in March, Vietnam decided to close its borders in an effort to protect its citizens. International flights were also banned, making it difficult for some foreigners to get out of the country. This has posed problems to many tourists whose Vietnam visas are about to expire. Thankfully, the Vietnam government has given them an exemption and has decided to grant them an automatic visa extension.
Under the automatic visa extension, tourists who were stuck in Vietnam due to the Covid-19 pandemic can stay in Vietnam for one more month beyond the validity of their visa. This applies to tourists who entered the country under the visa waiver program, as well as those holding the e-visa and the standard Vietnam visa.
According to this new rule, their visas will be automatically extended so there is no longer a need for them to request for an extension or a renewal. They are able to stay legally in the country without submitting any paperwork.
All foreigners who came to Vietnam before March 1st will also be eligible for the automatic visa extension, but they have to provide proof that they were not able to leave the country due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In cases like these, they can ask for a certification from their country’s diplomatic mission in Vietnam. This can come in the form of a diplomatic note, which must be translated in the Vietnamese language.
They can also request for certifications from Vietnamese authorities as proof that they have undergone treatment or quarantine due to Covid-19. These certifications must prove that they were stuck in the country beyond their control so they must be eligible for the automatic visa extension.
As of now, Vietnam’s borders are still closed to all foreign tourists. Only Vietnamese nationals, residents and those on diplomatic missions and official business will be allowed to visit.
In order to curb the spread of Covid-19, Vietnam has decided to shut down its borders in March. The government also suspended all International flights and halted the issuance of new visas to foreign nationals.
Depending on the type of visa that you currently have, you will need to have a sponsoring entity for the extension of your visa. The NA5 form that you will submit must be signed and stamped by the direction of the entity before you submit the form to the immigration office.
You can extend the validity of your visa depending on the type of visa that you have. Usually, this can be extended for up to six months.
If you will choose to process the extension of your visa by yourself, you need to first prepare the required documents. Here are the documents needed: Form NA5 – you can download this form online.
If you are holding a Vietnam visa, one of the most important things you need to keep in mind is the validity of the visa. These visas will only allow you to stay in the country for a certain number of days.
If you want to extend your Vietnam tourist visa, please see price below Your current visa Ext. 15 days Ext.
It is usually takes 5-7 business days to get your e-visa extended and please note that your e-visa and passport will be kept by the Immigration Department of Vietnam during this period. Your e-visa can be extended faster if you are stay in Hanoi city because Hanoi is the only place for e-visa extension.