Overstayed Your Vietnam Visa? What Happens and What to Do
If you stay in Vietnam after the last day of your visa or visa-free stay, you are overstaying. It is an administrative violation: you will have to pay a fine before you can leave, and a long overstay can lead to deportation and a ban on coming back. Since 15 December 2025, the fines are set by Decree 282/2025/ND-CP and depend on how many days you overstayed. Deal with it before you go to the airport.
visa-vietnam.hk is a private visa service, not the Vietnamese government. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Check your last allowed day
- E-visa: the “valid until” date printed on the e-visa. Your stay cannot go beyond it, even if you entered late.
- Visa-free entry: the date written in the entry stamp. It is counted from your arrival day, for the number of days your nationality is allowed (for example 45 days). See the visa exemption list.
- Visa on arrival: the end date on the visa sticker in your passport.
If you can’t read the date, ask your hotel or check it with us before it passes.
Overstay fines in Vietnam (from 15 December 2025)
| Overstay | Fine (VND) | About (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Under 16 days | 500,000 – 2,000,000 | 19 – 76 |
| 16 to under 30 days | 5,000,000 – 10,000,000 | 190 – 380 |
| 30 to under 60 days | 10,000,000 – 15,000,000 | 380 – 570 |
| 60 to under 90 days | 15,000,000 – 20,000,000 | 570 – 760 |
| 90 to under 180 days | 20,000,000 – 25,000,000 | 760 – 950 |
| 180 days to under 1 year | 25,000,000 – 30,000,000 | 950 – 1,140 |
| 1 year or more | 30,000,000 – 40,000,000 | 1,140 – 1,520 |
The USD figures are approximate. The officer decides the exact amount within the range. Decree 282/2025/ND-CP replaced Decree 144/2021/ND-CP, so older articles quoting lower fines are out of date.
Deportation and entry bans
- Deportation. For a serious or long overstay, the authorities can deport you instead of, or as well as, fining you. Since 1 April 2026, deportation follows Decree 59/2026/ND-CP. If you cannot pay the fine, the deportation decision can be carried out straight away.
- Entry ban after deportation. Vietnam’s immigration law (Article 21 of Law 47/2014/QH13) allows the border to refuse entry to anyone deported in the last 3 years, and to anyone ordered to leave Vietnam in the last 6 months.
- Future visas. A recorded violation can make later e-visa or residence applications harder.
What to do if you have overstayed
- Don’t go straight to the airport. Overstays are checked at exit control, and you can miss your flight while it is sorted out.
- Contact the Immigration Department or the immigration office of the provincial police where you are staying. Bring your passport, your visa or entry stamp, and your hotel or address details (your temporary residence registration).
- Pay the fine and get the exit visa or paperwork you need to leave.
- Then book your flight for a date after the paperwork is ready.
What about paying at the airport? An overstay of only a day or two is sometimes settled at exit control at the airport. This is at the officers’ discretion, not a right, and it depends a lot on how you deal with them. Travellers who demand it have been refused exit and sent back to the Immigration Department to pay the fine and apply for an exit visa, which takes time and usually means booking a new flight. If you try it, arrive early, stay polite and be ready to pay. The safe way is still to sort it out before you fly.
If your stay is about to end, act before the last day. You cannot extend an e-visa on evisa.gov.vn, and you can only apply for a new e-visa from outside Vietnam. The usual solution is to leave before the last day (for example a short trip to a neighbouring country) and come back with a new e-visa. That is usually far cheaper than an overstay fine.
Need help with an overstay?
Our partner handles overstay cases: the fine, the exit paperwork and the timing of your flight. Email info@vietnamimmigration.org with:
- your nationality and the type of visa or visa-free entry you used,
- the last allowed day and the city you are in now,
- the date you would like to fly.
They will tell you what is needed and the cost before you decide. How long it takes depends on your case and on the immigration office, so we can’t promise a time in advance.
FAQ
What happens if I overstay my Vietnam visa by one day?
It is still an overstay. Under Decree 282/2025/ND-CP, an overstay of under 16 days is fined VND 500,000 to 2,000,000. Sort it out before your flight.
Can I pay an overstay fine at the airport?
Sometimes, for an overstay of a day or two, at the officers’ discretion. It is not guaranteed: you can be refused exit and sent to the Immigration Department to pay and get an exit visa. For anything longer, sort it out before you fly.
Can I be deported for overstaying in Vietnam?
Yes. For a serious or long overstay, the authorities can deport you, and a deportation can stop you from entering Vietnam for 3 years.
Can I extend my Vietnam e-visa?
Not on evisa.gov.vn, and a new e-visa can only be applied for from outside Vietnam. If your stay is ending, leave before the last day and come back with a new e-visa.
Does an overstay affect my next Vietnam visa?
It can. A recorded violation may lead to closer checks or a refusal of later applications.
Facts checked on 10 November 2026 against Decree 282/2025/ND-CP (in force 15 December 2025), Decree 59/2026/ND-CP (in force 1 April 2026) and Article 21 of Law 47/2014/QH13 (consolidated text 30/VBHN-VPQH 2023).
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