Visa Extension Guide?

What sort of visa do you have ?

Hey Jlgarbutt,
it's a 3-months tourist visa for multiple entries, which I received before coming to Vietnam. Entry date was before March, so I'm not part of the free extension until the end of June  

I have extended it for 2-months already and hope I can extend it once more, not to exceed the 6 months and finally get a plane!

I am a little confused about the dates but if the window between now and expiration of your current extension is large enough, why not try applying yourself?  If you are turned down or they come back with requests for documents that you don't have or can't obtain, then go with an agent.  If your current extension expires on 30 Jun, you might want to dig into your pocketbook and go directly with the agent.

I live in HCM and I have a spousal visa (5-year visa exception). My current visa will expire in about a month. Needless to say, I am not thrilled about the prospect of doing a visa run... Is it true that I can get a visa extension at the Immigration office (196 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, HCM) for $10?

Matt_2 wrote:

I live in HCM and I have a spousal visa (5-year visa exception). My current visa will expire in about a month. Needless to say, I am not thrilled about the prospect of doing a visa run... Is it true that I can get a visa extension at the Immigration office (196 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, HCM) for $10?

First, a visa run is off the table at the moment because you can leave but you can't get back in.

Second, yes you can.  Better yet, you can have your wife do it all for you.  You don't even need to be present.  Mine got my original VEC for me.  I'll have her extend it for me in September.

flothus wrote:

Is there a guide somewhere for extending my tourist visa by myself, without one of those pesky agencies?

I already have paid more than 300USD for the first two-month extension during the Covid shutdown, but my airline is still not operating and it looks like I have to extend another month so I can get back.

The whole visa thing is still a big mess to me.
Anybody with some experience or a guide on that matter?

I'd be super thankful.

For a tourist visa extension, if you go to immigration and if they approve your extension the maximum length is 1 month.

If you go to an agent, the maximum length is 3 months

SteinNebraska wrote:

Second, yes you can.  Better yet, you can have your wife do it all for you.  You don't even need to be present.  Mine got my original VEC for me.  I'll have her extend it for me in September.

Awesome! Do they do it on the spot?

Matt_2 wrote:

SteinNebraska wrote:

Second, yes you can.  Better yet, you can have your wife do it all for you.  You don't even need to be present.  Mine got my original VEC for me.  I'll have her extend it for me in September.

Awesome! Do they do it on the spot?

It sounds like the new temporary process is a lot like the old 3 month VEC stay extension process before it was changed to 6 months and having to leave and reenter.  If that's the case you may have to leave your passport there and return in 10 days to pick it up with the stamp inside.

Matt_2 wrote:

SteinNebraska wrote:

Second, yes you can.  Better yet, you can have your wife do it all for you.  You don't even need to be present.  Mine got my original VEC for me.  I'll have her extend it for me in September.

Awesome! Do they do it on the spot?

No, you leave it and come back.

Thanks for all your answers, there is a lot of contradicting information on the internet so I was not sure we still can do it by ourselves.

I guess there is a good chance I still won't manage to do it though, as I only have time until the 27th. Couldn't take care of it earlier because my airline postponed the flight again just recently.

I miss Cuba for that matter. Walk-in. Pay 30$ on the spot. Walk out with a  3-months visa extension in less than 20 minutes...

Btw are there any options to stay longer than 6 months? In case I will keep having problems with the flight?
It's just easier, nicer and safer to stay here and wait until international travel normalizes than to end up in a Corona Odyssey.

flothus wrote:

Thanks for all your answers, there is a lot of contradicting information on the internet so I was not sure we still can do it by ourselves.

I guess there is a good chance I still won't manage to do it though, as I only have time until the 27th. Couldn't take care of it earlier because my airline postponed the flight again just recently.

I miss Cuba for that matter. Walk-in. Pay 30$ on the spot. Walk out with a  3-months visa extension in less than 20 minutes :-D 

Btw are there any options to stay longer than 6 months? In case I will keep having problems with the flight?
It's just easier, nicer and safer to stay here and wait until international travel normalizes than to end up in a Corona Odyssey.

Yeah, thats the way it should operate, but officials have turned it into a very lucrative business for themselves.