Visa Run from Ho Chi Minh City: Moc Bai Bus or Flight
Your visa type decides what a run gives you. Citizens of a country Vietnam exempts unilaterally get 45 days of temporary stay. An e-visa holder requests a new e-visa after leaving Vietnam. A run does not reset the 183-day tax count, which adds up days present. A VIP bus to Phnom Penh costs VND 500,000.
On this page
Check your visa type before you pick the bus or the flight, because each type gets a different result.
What a run can and cannot fix
| Your entry | What a run gives |
|---|---|
| Visa-exempt, 12 countries of Resolution 44/NQ-CP | 45 days from entry for any passport type and any purpose, if the entry conditions are met. The policy applies to entries from 15 March 2025 through 14 March 2028 |
| Visa-exempt, 12 European countries of Resolution 229/NQ-CP | 45 days from entry for tourism purposes, if the entry conditions are met. The policy applies to entries from 15 August 2025 through 14 August 2028 |
| E-visa | A new e-visa is requested after exiting Vietnam |
| Visa for one entry | A new visa is needed for the way back |
| Visa for several entries | Valid for each entry until it expires |
| Visa with a sponsor | The sponsor files an extension with the immigration authority |
If you are visa-exempt
The border stamp for a country exempted unilaterally gives 45 days.
Đối với công dân của nước được Việt Nam đơn phương miễn thị thực thì cấp tạm trú 45 ngày và được xem xét cấp thị thực, gia hạn tạm trú theo quy định của Luật này
For citizens of a country Vietnam exempts unilaterally, 45 days of temporary stay are granted, and a visa or an extension of stay may be considered under this Law. Law 23/2023/QH15, Điều 2 khoản 4
If you hold an e-visa
An e-visa is valid for a maximum of 90 days, for single or multiple entries. E-visas are issued to foreigners who wish to enter Vietnam, not to foreigners currently residing in Vietnam. After departing and exiting Vietnam, you may request one.
If a sponsor can file for you
A foreigner who wants to extend must have the inviting or sponsoring organisation or individual file the request. The fee is US$10, and the decision takes no more than 5 working days from a complete dossier. The extension guide has the steps.
Border gates that take an e-visa
E-visa holders must enter and exit Vietnam through the international border gates the Government designates. Resolution 127/NQ-CP grants e-visas to citizens of all countries and territories.
Three gates near Ho Chi Minh City are on the portal’s lists:
- Tan Son Nhat Airport, on the air list.
- Ho Chi Minh City Port, on the sea list.
- The Moc Bai international border gate in Tay Ninh province, on the land list.
An e-visa holder is not required to exit through the gate used to enter. Foreigners present valid residence documents, such as the e-visa, to immigration officers at the border.
By bus to Moc Bai, Bavet and Phnom Penh
Kumho Samco Buslines sells this run to people who do their visa at the Moc Bai gate or the Bavet gate. Treat its fares as reference prices.
| Route | 28-seat VIP bus |
|---|---|
| Ho Chi Minh City to Moc Bai, without crossing | VND 250,000 |
| Ho Chi Minh City to Bavet | VND 375,000 |
| Bavet to Phnom Penh | VND 250,000 |
| Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh | VND 500,000 |
The same page gives VND 575,000 to Phnom Penh on a 32-berth sleeper. The operator gives an average of 6–7 hours, depending on the border and the departure time, and says it helps with quick procedures at the Moc Bai gate.
It runs 7–8 trips a day to Phnom Penh, bookable online or at its office at 275C Pham Ngu Lao Street, Ben Thanh Ward. Confirm the pickup point when you book; the office is at 275C Pham Ngu Lao Street.
By air to Phnom Penh or Bangkok
Tan Son Nhat Airport is on the e-visa portal’s air gate list. Vietnam Airlines’ route pages show round-trip fares from VND 3,897,181 to Bangkok and from VND 6,282,000 to Phnom Penh.
Fares change daily, so treat these as the lowest listed fare of one carrier.
Truong Son, Tan Son Hoa, Ho Chi Minh 705000, Vietnam · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
For the airport’s arrival hall, see Tan Son Nhat arrival. The ride to the terminal is in Tan Son Nhat to the city.
Bus or flight: what the listed fares show
The VIP bus fare to Phnom Penh is one way. The flight fares are round trip. Compare like with like before you decide.
- Bus to Bavet or Phnom Penh: the listed fares are VND 375,000 and VND 500,000.
- Flight to Bangkok: round trip from VND 3,897,181.
- Flight to Phnom Penh: round trip from VND 6,282,000.
- Bus run with a new e-visa: VND 500,000 one way to Phnom Penh plus US$25 for a single-entry e-visa. Add the entry fees you pay at the Cambodian border.
Waiting abroad for a new e-visa
A new e-visa is requested from outside Vietnam. Plan the days abroad around the decision time.
| Step | Rule |
|---|---|
| Earliest request | Up to 1 year before the planned entry |
| Where you are | Outside Vietnam |
| Fee | US$25 for a single entry, US$50 for multiple entries |
| Decision time | No more than 3 working days from a complete application and the fee |
| Validity | At most 90 days, ending at least 30 days before the passport expires |
Apply only at evisa.gov.vn or thithucdientu.gov.vn, because unofficial pages may charge unauthorised fees. The e-visa guide covers the application.
Before you cross
Cash and papers
Cash above US$5,000, or its equivalent in other foreign currencies, or above VND 15,000,000, must be declared to border-gate customs. The currency rules are in the currency exchange guide.
Entry can be refused
The entry conditions for a foreigner include a passport or travel document and a visa, unless visa-exempt, and not falling into a case of refused entry. Entry can be refused when the entry conditions are not met. The head of the immigration control unit decides to refuse entry in the cases of Article 21 clauses 1 to 6.
A foreigner deported from Vietnam is refused entry for 3 years from the date the decision took effect. A forced exit carries a refusal of 6 months.
If your stay has already run out
Fines for an individual under Decree 282/2025/NĐ-CP rise with the days overstayed.
| Days past the permitted stay | Fine (VND) |
|---|---|
| Under 16 days | 500,000 to 2,000,000 |
| 16 to under 30 days | 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 |
| 30 to under 60 days | 10,000,000 to 15,000,000 |
| 60 to under 90 days | 15,000,000 to 20,000,000 |
| 90 to under 180 days | 20,000,000 to 25,000,000 |
| 180 days to under 1 year | 25,000,000 to 30,000,000 |
| 1 year or more | 30,000,000 to 40,000,000 |
Deportation can be added for an overstay of 16 days or more, as a discretionary decision. A foreigner with a penalty decision still to fulfil can be temporarily barred from exiting Vietnam. The bar cannot exceed 3 years, though it can be extended. The overstay fines guide has the payment steps.
When an extension is the better route
If a sponsor is available, the sponsor files the extension and you stay in Vietnam. The fee is US$10.
Other pages in the visa group cover the next questions:
- Visa exemption by country, for the country lists.
- Vietnam immigration fees for the fee schedule.
- Remote work on a tourist visa, if the stay includes laptop work.
- Tax residency and the 183-day test, which counts days present in Vietnam.
Not confirmed: Entry can be refused when the entry conditions are not met, so ask the Ho Chi Minh City immigration office before you book several runs in a row. Cambodian, Thai and Malaysian entry fees and rules: read them on those countries' official e-visa sites.
Common questions
Does leaving and coming back give me a new stay?
It depends on the visa. A visa is valid for one entry or for several, so a single-entry visa needs a new visa for the way back. Citizens of a country Vietnam exempts unilaterally get a new 45 days of temporary stay at the border. An e-visa holder requests a new e-visa after leaving.
Can I apply for an e-visa while I am in Vietnam?
E-visas are issued to foreigners who wish to enter Vietnam, not to foreigners currently residing in Vietnam. After departing and exiting Vietnam, you may request one.
How long does a new e-visa take and what does it cost?
Decisions take no more than 3 working days from a complete application and the visa fee. The fee is US$25 for a single entry and US$50 for multiple entries.
Which border gates near Ho Chi Minh City take an e-visa?
The e-visa portal's lists include Tan Son Nhat Airport, Ho Chi Minh City Port and the Moc Bai land gate in Tay Ninh province.
How much is the bus to Phnom Penh and how long does it take?
One operator lists VND 500,000 for a 28-seat VIP bus and VND 575,000 for a 32-berth sleeper. It gives an average of 6–7 hours, depending on the border and the departure time.
How much cash can I carry across the border?
Declare cash to border-gate customs above US$5,000 or its equivalent in other foreign currencies, or above VND 15,000,000.
What if my stay runs out before I leave?
An overstay under 16 days is fined VND 500,000 to 2,000,000. An overstay of 16 to under 30 days is fined VND 5,000,000 to 10,000,000.
Does a trip abroad reset my tax residency days?
No. The test adds up the days you are physically present, so days abroad do not count and the count does not restart. The arrival and departure days each count as one, and a same-day entry and exit counts as one, taken from your passport stamps. A rented home with leases adding up to 183 days or more also makes you resident.
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General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.
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