How to do a Visa Run from Hanoi (2026 step-by-step guide)
Published 3 September 2026 · Reviewed 2026-09-08 · 10 min read
A Visa Run from Hanoi is a round trip to a Laos or China land border where you exit Vietnam and re-enter on a new visa or exemption. Done right it takes one to two days and costs the service fee plus USD 25–50 in Vietnam visa fees and, for Laos routes, USD 30–50 for a Laos visa. This guide covers the decisions in the order you need to make them.
1. Do you actually need a Visa Run?
You probably do if: you are on a single-entry e-visa or a visa exemption that is about to end, and you want to keep living in Vietnam without a long-term status yet. You probably do not if: you hold a multiple-entry e-visa with time left (just travel and come back), a TRC (renew it), or a work visa (your employer or agent handles renewal). If you are unsure, ask; we do extensions and TRCs too and will tell you which is right.
2. Choose the border by passport, not by distance
From Hanoi there are two families of routes:
| China routes | Laos routes | |
|---|---|---|
| Gates | Huu Nghi (Lang Son), Mong Cai (Quang Ninh) | Cau Treo, Nam Can, Tay Trang, Na Meo, Lao Bao |
| Distance | 170–300 km | 250–600 km |
| Duration | Same day | Long day to 2 days |
| Who can use it | China visa-free passports (UK, most EU, Australia, NZ, Japan, Korea and others) or holders of a Chinese visa | Almost everyone |
| Third-country visa | None if visa-free; otherwise Chinese visa in advance | Laos visa in advance (embassy in Hanoi), or on arrival at Lao Bao only; ASEAN passports visa-free |
Rule of thumb: British, Canadian, European, Australian, Japanese, Korean → Huu Nghi (see the full China visa-free list). American, Indian, Filipino, South African → Na Meo (Laos visa arranged in advance) or Lao Bao (visa on arrival). Full comparison on the routes page.
3. Get the new Vietnam e-visa right
Apply on the official portal (evisa.gov.vn) or with help. Three fields cause most failures:
- Entry port. Must be the exact land border you will use ("Huu Nghi Landport", "Cau Treo Landport", etc.). An e-visa for Noi Bai Airport is useless at Huu Nghi.
- Entry date. Should be your return date (or a day earlier). The visa is not valid before it.
- Passport details. Name spelling, passport number and expiry exactly as printed. One typo = refusal at the counter.
Fees since 1 April 2026 (Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC): USD 25 single entry, USD 50 multiple entry up to 90 days. Standard processing 5 working days. Choose multiple entry if there is any chance you will travel again in the next 90 days.
4. Laos or China visa
China: if your passport is on China's unilateral visa-free list you need nothing. Otherwise you need a Chinese visa from the visa centre in Hanoi, which takes days and is not something to start with a week left. The list and the policy's end date change; we check on the day you book.
Laos: as of our last review, Laos visa on arrival is issued at Lao Bao only, and Laos eVisas are not accepted for overland entry from Vietnam. For Cau Treo, Nam Can, Tay Trang and Na Meo you need a Laos visa arranged in advance through the Lao Embassy in Hanoi (we handle this; typically USD 30–50 depending on nationality, 2–4 working days). ASEAN citizens do not need one.
5. Transport: do it yourself or book an organised trip?
| DIY (public bus) | Organised Visa Run | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Lowest cash outlay | Service fee on top |
| Time | Longer: bus stations, connections, waiting at the gate | Door to door, timed to gate hours |
| Risk | You carry all the paperwork risk yourself | Documents checked before departure; coordinator at the gate |
| Language | Vietnamese needed at stations and small gates | English throughout |
| Best for | Experienced travellers, flexible schedule, done it before | First timers, tight deadlines, families, anyone who values certainty |
6. On the day
- Leave early. Gates open around 07:00 and queues build by mid-morning.
- Vietnamese exit counter: passport, exit stamp. Officers may ask where you are going; "Laos, one day" or "Pingxiang, day trip" is fine.
- Cross the neutral zone (walk or shuttle).
- Neighbouring country: entry stamp (visa on arrival at Lao Bao: form, photo, USD cash), short stay, exit stamp.
- Vietnamese entry counter: passport plus printed e-visa. Officer checks port and dates, stamps you in and writes your new permitted stay date.
- Check the stamp before you leave the counter. Then go home.
More detail: What happens at the Vietnam border.
7. What it costs
- Vietnam e-visa: USD 25 (single) / USD 50 (multiple entry)
- Laos visa (Laos routes, non-ASEAN): USD 30–50 by nationality, plus a small digital border fee at Lao Bao
- Chinese visa (if needed): varies
- Transport: public sleeper bus VND 300,000–500,000 each way, or an organised trip quoted per person, round trip, including the coordinator
- Food, hotel for 2-day options
Full breakdown on our Hanoi Visa Run prices page.
8. Mistakes to avoid
- Wrong entry port on the e-visa (the number one problem).
- Arriving at Na Meo or Cau Treo expecting Laos visa on arrival (only Lao Bao issues it).
- Taking a US or Indian passport to Huu Nghi without a Chinese visa.
- Bringing old or torn USD notes; they are refused.
- Leaving on the last day with no margin for a delayed e-visa approval.
- Doing back-to-back exemption runs three, four, five times. The 30-day gap rule is gone, but officers notice patterns; switch to an e-visa.
Need to do a Visa Run from Hanoi?
Send your nationality and visa expiry date and we will tell you the right route, the price and the next departure.
General information, not individual legal advice. Border rules, visa-free lists and fees are set by the Vietnamese, Lao and Chinese authorities and change; verify before travel.