renewing visa

    What is the steps for a border run? I assume it is to the Cambodian border, and is a visa required to cross and do you pay each time, both ways ?       -@vernonwjones

There is no eVisa renewal or extension at this point in time.

To do a border run, two visas will be required, i.e. one to enter the border run destination country, the other an eVisa permitting reentry to Vietnam.

Since you will be in the Saigon region, the quickest and most economical run for you would be to the Moc Bai, Vietnam - Bavet, Cambodia land border crossing. If you apply for and if you are issued a new eVisa while you are in VN on your current eVisa, your border run will simply be to...

1) present yourself and exit at the Moc Bai, VN checkpoint,

2) enter Cambodia at the adjacent Bavet, CAM checkpoint after either presenting your Cambodia eVisa, or by purchasing your VOA (Cambodia visa-on-arrival) at the immigration desk there

wherein you can immediately then

3) exit Bavet, CAM and finally

4) walk back to the Moc Bai, VN checkpoint, present your new eVisa and reenter Vietnam. Reports are (if memory serves) that the total time elapsed is somewhere around 8 - 10 hours, from Saigon and return.

There are now reports from members of having their eVisa application denied due to their already being in VN at the time of their submitting the application. In these cases, members have exited VN and resubmitted/amended their application from abroad, waiting for VN immigration to process/approve the application. Many have viewed this as a nice ~6 - 9 day mini-holiday in a neighbouring country. The steps involved will be the same as above, with the addition of your little getaway/holiday inserted between steps #2 and 3 above.

Note to readers of this post. There is lag reported between the time of one's exit from VN via a land border crossing, and VN immigration becoming aware of your having exited. This is due to the fact that all VN land border crossings are manned by military personnel, with the reporting systems of the military and immigration not being directly shared (conversely, int'l airport crossings are manned by VN immigration officers). Consequently, do not expect immigration's reported application turnaround time of 3 days to apply.

There are agents available (used and trusted by long-time members of the forum) who can assist you in a "border run" procedure, everything from bus transportation to/from the border, express eVisa application/approval to shorten your time away (if need be), and could even (figuratively) hold your hand through the whole process.

note: no member of expat.com's Vietnam forum has any financial interest in referring members to a local visa agent. We do so only in an effort to help fellow members receive their eVisa approval.

I am starting to wonder the same thing.

I wonder,  if rather than just crossing the closest border, perhaps fly to Singapore or a similar country for a few days and reentering at the airport in HCMC.

Any thoughts on that?

    I am starting to wonder the same thing.
I wonder,  if rather than just crossing the closest border, perhaps fly to Singapore or a similar country for a few days and reentering at the airport in HCMC.
Any thoughts on that?
   

    -@Dannyroc3

I personally think that's a better idea than simply running to the border and coming back.

A person could plan a little vacation every 3 months and not spend a lot of money flying to the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia (KL), Cambodia or Thailand (Laos is fairly cheap when flying out of Hanoi and Thailand is very popular with foreigners staying in Đà Nẵng).

if you plan to be away for about a week then it should be no problem arranging an evisa as soon as you exit Vietnam and land in the other country, as long as you aren't traveling during one of the periods where immigration is closed for a significant period of time.

    I am starting to wonder the same thing.
I wonder,  if rather than just crossing the closest border, perhaps fly to Singapore or a similar country for a few days and reentering at the airport in HCMC.
Any thoughts on that?
        -@Dannyroc3

Agreed.

I'll link this thread for readers of the forum. It details the trouble experienced by member Perseus  when doing his land border crossing run.