What actually happens during a visa run
When you leave Vietnam, the previous stay effectively ends with your exit. Returning is a new entry. Border officers check your passport, visa or visa-free eligibility, and the rules in force on that date. There is no separate status called 'visa run approved'.
Re-entering visa-free
Russian citizens currently have visa-free access for stays of up to 45 days when the applicable conditions are met. If you leave and want to return under visa-free entry, you must meet the rules for that new entry. Do not turn this into a promise that you can reset your stay forever every 45 days: admission is assessed at the border and policy can change.
Single-entry e-Visa
A single-entry e-Visa is intended for one entry. After you leave Vietnam, do not plan to return on the same single-entry visa simply because the calendar expiry date has not yet passed. You will need another valid basis for the next entry.
Multiple-entry e-Visa
A multiple-entry e-Visa is designed for repeat entries during its validity. If you already know you want to visit Thailand, Cambodia, or another country and return to Vietnam, multiple entry is generally more practical than applying for a new single-entry document every time.
Flying or using a land border
Choose the most reliable route rather than the absolute cheapest ticket. Flying is often simpler logistically and includes an airline document check. A land border can be cheaper from the right region, but you need to verify in advance that the specific international checkpoint is open for your type of entry and accepts e-Visa travellers where relevant.
What to check a few days in advance
- Passport validity.
- The final date of your current permitted stay.
- Your legal basis for the next entry.
- Whether your e-Visa is single- or multiple-entry.
- Whether the chosen checkpoint accepts e-Visa travellers.
- Whether you have a buffer for transport delays or changes.
- Whether the new visa is saved offline if you need one.
When a visa run is a poor long-term strategy
If you are effectively living in Vietnam long term, working, running a business, or using another ongoing status, repeated short exits should not replace a proper review of the immigration basis that fits your situation. A visa run only addresses a new entry; it does not legalise every activity you carry out inside Vietnam.
Questions and answers
Does a visa run extend my visa?
No. It is an exit and a new entry; the previous period of stay is not formally extended by the trip itself.
Can I return on the same e-Visa?
If it is multiple-entry and still valid, possibly within its conditions. A single-entry e-Visa is not intended for re-entry.
Do I need a new e-Visa in advance?
Yes if you do not have another valid legal basis for the next entry.
Can I do a visa run by bus?
Yes, if the chosen border checkpoint supports your legal basis for entry and the route is operating on your travel date.