Extending your stay in Vietnam in 2026: what changed on 1 July, and what didn't

What changed on 1 July 2026

Law No. 118/2025/QH15, passed by the National Assembly on 10 December 2025 and in force since 1 July 2026, amends the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam. Three of its changes touch the paperwork around a longer stay, and a circular from the Ministry of Public Security adds a fourth.

• No more re-submitting what the state already holds. A new Article 6a says that if a document or piece of information is already in a national or specialised database that the immigration authority can use, nobody can be asked to provide it again.
• Visa requests by post or online, written into the law. Amended Article 16 lets the company, organisation or person inviting or sponsoring a foreigner send the visa request in person, by public post, or electronically if they meet the conditions for electronic filing.
• E-visas requested by organisations go through a digital ID. An organisation needs an electronic-identity account and a digital signature to request an e-visa for a foreigner on the National Public Service Portal or the official e-visa site. The answer comes within 3 working days of the complete request and the fee.
• No hand signature for online forms. The Ministry of Public Security's Circular 70/2026/TT-BCA, in force on the same day, updates the application forms; a form filed online through the National Public Service Portal no longer has to be signed by hand.

What did not change: a stay extension still needs a sponsor

Law 118 does not amend the rule for extending a stay. The Ministry of Public Security's official procedure "Extension of temporary residence for foreigners in Vietnam" (code 1.001146) still sets out the same conditions.

• Who files: the agency or organisation sponsoring you, or a Vietnamese close relative (grandparent, parent, spouse, child or sibling) with proof of the relationship.
• Where: a provincial police immigration office.
• Documents: your passport and the NA5 form (request for a visa or a stay extension).
• Filing online: your original passport still has to be sent to the office by public post.
• Time and fee: up to 5 working days from a complete dossier; USD 10 (about VND 260,000).
• Who cannot apply: anyone barred from entering Vietnam or under an exit ban.

No sponsor? Leave on time and come back on a new visa

The new law makes the paperwork easier for people who already have a sponsor. It does not create a way for a tourist without a sponsor to extend from inside Vietnam. If no company, organisation or Vietnamese close relative can file for you, the practical options are to leave before your stay ends and come back on a new visa, or to arrange a sponsor well before your date.

Either way, do not let your stay lapse. Overstaying is fined under Decree 282/2025/NĐ-CP, and the fine rises with the length of the overstay. Our overstay fines guide sets out every band.

How EasyVisa can help

If you are in Da Nang, Hoi An or Hue and your stay ends soon, send us your nationality and your date. We will tell you straight away whether a visa run fits, then handle the same-day Lao Bao road trip or the flight option so you come back in on a fresh visa. Contact us early: a new e-visa takes a few working days to approve.