My recent Visa run at VN/CAM border Moc Bai (unvaccinated guys)

I've done my Visa border run at Moc Bai two days ago, the process was smooth and easy unlike whatever I've been told & read here and there. I'm unvaccinated and that added to my worrisome.

• I applied for my [link under review]- Aug/22 and received email notification of approval on August 25 plaid $25 USD online.
• Hired a van / driver for a round trip from HCM to Moc bay and back to HCMC $60 USD
• Arrived at the VN border @ 9:45AM and got the exit stamp after showing my old evisa. Note: nobody asked about my vaccination status (obviously)
• At the Bavet checkpoint Cambodian side they'll ask you if you have proof of vacation, if not they'll ask if you have negative test results... I didn't either have the test results nor vaccinated so they got the quick COVID test right there which took only 5min and the charge was 200k VND... after that I got my Cambodia Visa on arrival VOA after I paid $35 USD
• I did just a quick U-turn walking around the Cambodia check point's building by the exit checkpoint kiosk...got my passport exit stamp after I show my VN evisa....note; no questions about vaccine status or test results.
• Entered Vietnam checkpoint got my Visa stamp by showing the evisa and again no questions about vaccine or test results.
• I walked to my driver's parking spot that was very close to the checkpoint for driving back to HCMC

The entire process at the border took almost 2 hours due to hug lineup.

You have the option to pay all your fees either with VND or USD.

Also if you want to take negative test results with you it cost about $40 USD in HCMC hospital for antigen rapid test make sure it has QR code and valid for 24h..I had my test at the border for 200k VN about $8.6 USD and as I said just took 5 minutes.

I just wanted to share my "experience" with you guys and give you the most "recent" update as I've read a lot of outdated info here in this forum. And BTW thanks to @Aidan in HCMC for the heads up info.

- @SpeedyBuddha

many thanks for those details.

@johnross23 👍 that's so true

I think the main reason people hate visa runs is because this border run approach causes a lot of stress.

- @johnross23

@franckgeyer wow. I hope it changes. That's a lot of visa runs if not. Don't think I could do it.  I'm hoping for resumption of the 3 month visa but it would be nice to get the 6 month one with a US passport Then there is one visa run at 90 days. For me a single 30 days will be fine for a visit from Cambodia and then go back. Then in a few months I want to go back but visit da nang, hoi an and hue. Good luck with the 2 year thing. You should get to know all the land borders really well 😀

Depending who is on the counter at the Vietnamese entry booth you may have to pay 100,000 vnd coffee money. The rest is fine. You'll need vaccination certificate showing number of vaccines (for Cambodia entry booth) and also print out of your current Evisa to hand in when exiting Vietnam.

- @panda7

Thank you all for those informations.

Could someone answer to this ? :

- can the evisa be refused afther several mounts ? Same kind of question at the border : if I always go to the same border check point (Lao Bao), can they refuse the visa at arrival for Laos or refuse to accept my evisa for Vietnam, because they see that I've done to many time this think ?

Thanks for your help

- @Dantès

@panda7 Not in my case though.. I don't have vaccine certificate cuz I'm not vaxed so I had to pay 200K VND for a rapid test at the Cambodian border... and for re-entering to Vietnam no vaccine nor test... even for the evisa I had no printout, I just showed my smartphone pdf file .... BTW no coffee money either side.

@Aidan in HCMC At the Cambodia Bavet entry booth they were asking for vaccine certificates when I was there last Thursday...if you don't have it sounds like you have to pay 200,000 vnd for a rapid test ?

@panda7

Precisely.

I'm glad everything about your run worked out well.

@OceanBeach92107 yes when I went there were elevated stress levels amongst the group especially in the people who had been 5 times already...

@OceanBeach92107 yes when I went there were elevated stress levels amongst the group especially in the people who had been 5 times already...
-@panda7

People should be looking into the fabulous "one-way visa run" option.

A change of scene can be a great stress reliever 😌

Move to Cambodia or another SEA country and avoid this hideous visa system.

@OceanBeach92107 yes when I went there were elevated stress levels amongst the group especially in the people who had been 5 times already...
-@panda7

I just completed my second (hopefully, last) Mộc Bài run on this past Sunday, 28 August.

My only stress was because I was getting a new Cambodia VOA before the expiration date of my previous Cambodia VOA tourist visa.

My upstairs neighbor had told me he couldn't do that through the visa agent whose been helping him in HCMC.

She told him it wasn't allowed.

Granted, this was anecdotal info from a very new guy in Vietnam working through a third party, but it had me worrying that I might be told I couldn't get another Cambodia tourist visa yet.

I never did find out if that was true.

I simply paid $5.00 USD more and applied for the 30 day ordinary visa.

The Cambodian official didn't hesitate.

Gave me $5 change for my two $20 bills and sent me on my way through the final immigration officer checkpoint (booth).

IF anyone does this, you'll receive an additional small detached immigration document (from the final official) to keep with your passport to be presented with it as you leave Cambodia.

(and yes, he did ask to see my COVID vaccination record)

Next step for me (us) is Immigration in Hanoi on Monday, September 5th to apply for my 3-year TRC (my marriage became official today)

Yeah, I know, "off topic"...

😁

@johnross23 doing my visa run tomorrow, but decided to spend 2 weeks in Cambodia as I have  never been there before.....  Thanks for the info on the "border run

"

@Aidan in HCMC I paid for my e-visa on July 16th and never received the visa.

I arrived today on a 15-day visa.

Anyone else has paid and not received the e-visa?

@Aidan in HCMC I paid for my e-visa on July 16th and never received the visa.
I arrived today on a 15-day visa.
Anyone else has paid and not received the e-visa?
-@RealPommy

You've asked that question in three different threads so far and three different times I've answered you that your status as having had a previous overstay is probably causing you unique complications.

why don't you just take a walk to immigration and ask them in person?

@Aidan in HCMC I paid for my e-visa on July 16th and never received the visa.
I arrived today on a 15-day visa.
Anyone else has paid and not received the e-visa?
-@RealPommy

No, RealPommy, no reports of not receiving that I recall, though there have been a couple of instances where the turn around was greater than the 3 days stated on the immigration website. None as overdue as yours.

Best to listen to OB's advice and simply walk in to the nearest office to find out why there has been no response.

Just as an afterthought, I would think that if you had been black-listed that you would not have qualified for the 15 day visa, no?

Thoughts? Anyone?

@Aidan in HCMC  Just as an afterthought, I would think that if you had been black-listed that you would not have qualified for the 15 day visa, no?

the 15 days entry to Vietnam is not a Visa its a Visa exemption to stay in Vietnam for 15 days without having to apply. So how would they know you are black listed until you get to immigration?

@Aidan in HCMC Just as an afterthought, I would think that if you had been black-listed that you would not have qualified for the 15 day visa, no?
the 15 days entry to Vietnam is not a Visa its a Visa exemption to stay in Vietnam for 15 days without having to apply. So how would they know you are black listed until you get to immigration?
-@goodolboy

I was thinking it would show when they scan your passport at iimigration entry point(?).

The last time I made a visa run to Mộc Bài was more than 3 years ago :

- if you live in Sài Gòn, ít was possible to get a cambodgian visa at cambodgian consulate : it may be loss of time, but less stressful for some of us the day of the visa run ;

- every time, I took a bus from Phạm Ngũ Lão bus station : only 60.000 vnd fare (decent AC, old but comfortable seats) : if you do this visa run every month, it may be important  for some of us to save money.

@johnross23 doing my visa run tomorrow, but decided to spend 2 weeks in Cambodia as I have never been there before..... Thanks for the info on the "border run
"
-@alanktan

That sounds like a great idea!   Have an awesome trip!

Hope you have a chance to share some info about your experience here when you get back.

As predicted, the brains trust of VN immigration is now waking up to the fact that their shitty 30-day and investor visa system are hindering growth in VN.

Need to make a new post just to post a link.

https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/society/202 … 69029.html

I was told by the young lady that does the visa runs here in DaNang to bao Lao ( we have had people from Hoi Ahn and Hue) that in October the visa runs go back to every three (3) months.  I am apprehensive about the bus again, I met other three (3) passengers on the bus and stayed in contact with them out of us four (4,); three (3) of us contracted COVID. Thank you Speedy for being thoughtful and hiring a van although you were virus free.

Need to make a new post just to post a link.
https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/society/202 … 69029.html
-@colinoscapee

My wife and I had dinner last night with my longtime visa agent here in Hanoi.

She believes that the grand compromise will be to fully implement the new law passed in December 2019 and activated on July 1st, 2020, without COVID era additional restrictions.

So at least 3 month tourist visas will probably become available again for citizens of some (not all) foreign nations.

However, the "permission to remain" stamp will be limited to 30 days at a time.

Anyone wanting to remain in country beyond that initial 30 days will need to report to Immigration to pay approximately $10 USD to receive a new 30 day permission to remain stamp, without needing to leave the country.

She also agrees that there will be some type of interview or questionnaire to determine the source of income while remaining in the country on TOURIST status.

She also agrees with me that the current situation is not simply a matter of controlling tourism, but chiefly a matter of national security.

Alot of people don't care about that, but according to her, the government does.

She's also resigned to the fact that visa agency sponsored business visas are a thing of the past.

However, she's getting so much business from people who don't use the eVisa system in a timely manner that she's hardly mourning the loss of that business.