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I've got three days left on my tourist visa in Vietnam and really wouldn't mind staying.

When I was in Ho Chi Minh City I went to the immigration office and was told it's currently only possible to do a visa extension through an agent. At my hotel there I was told it costs $60 and takes one week. I'd already been in HCMC over a week and didn't want to sacrifice another there.

But now I'm in Dalat and could easily spend a week here. But there's so few days left on my visa, which I assume will be sent to HCMC anyway.

Is it too late to get an extension through an agent here in Dalat before my current visa expires in three days?

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The travel desk at my hotel has made some calls so I'll share the information.

  • Three days left is no problem.
  • It will be ready tomorrow afternoon much faster than my hotel in MCMC!
  • It will cost USD $40 $20 cheaper than both my initial visa and the price I was quoted by my hotel in HCMC.

Actually there was a misunderstanding about when I should pay so my hotel actually took my passport one day later, when I had only two days left on my visa! And I did get it back the same afternoon. And it did cost only USD $40.

I haven't checked any other hotels or travel agents but my hotel was Hotel Tulip Xanh, which has a travel agent on the ground floor. So if you have trouble finding the same or lower place anywhere, this is a place to come. Their address is: 80 Hải Thượng, tp. Đà Lạt.

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  • Hippietrail, can you tell me more about your extension. I have the C1 1 month visa and my HCMC hostel told me it would be $80 to extend 1 month. I asked in the tour places and they said more. I met someone who extended for $30 in either Dalat or Danang, I can't remember which place. He had a British passport however, and I have an Irish passport which apparently is the issue. Any advice would be appreciated.
    – user28636
    Apr 18, 2015 at 10:56
  • @Marie: I updated my answer with everything I can think of. I have an Australian passport. I overhead the hotel owner and a Korean guess discussing that the price is also different between Koreans and Australians. I don't know why.
    – hippietrail
    Apr 19, 2015 at 4:11
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I don't think there is a legal XX number of days in advance that you are restricted to. It is more the legality of being in the country without proper documentation.

Agencies advertise rush three day service, so less than a week is possible. But you don't want your current visa to expire before a new visa is issued. As one must assume a day to get the paperwork to the Immigration folks, a day for processing and then a day to courier it back, you best get your ... in gear.

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  • Yes some places may have a rule about the number of days, but in other places the answer will be pragmatic, based on efficiencies of agents, officials, and transporting the passport. Vietnam seems more officious than Cambodia where I also extended a visa recently.
    – hippietrail
    Apr 14, 2015 at 3:37

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