Vietnam Visa Run at Lao Bao Land Border Crossing From Da Nang to Hoi An

Going for a visa run at the Lao Bao Land Border crossing is the cheapest and easiest way to lengthen your stay in Vietnam. This is especially convenient for foreigners who are on a tourist visa and would like to extend the validity of their visa. Foreigners who are based in Danang or Hue will find it convenient to go on a visa run at this border since it’s only less than four hours away.

Below is a list of people who should consider going for a Vietnam visa run at the Lao Bao land border crossing:

Those who wanted their visa extended – this applies to foreigners who came to Vietnam on a tourist visa and would like to extend the validity of the visa. This also applies to those who entered Vietnam on an APEC card and qualifies for the visa exemption. Foreigners holding a 5-year temporary residence visa but would like to extend their stay can also go on a visa run.

Take note that the validity for each visa type would vary:

• Visa exemption – the validity of the visa exemption will depend on the foreigner’s nationality. For instance, most citizens of Southeast Asia are allowed to stay in the country for up to 30 days while South Korean citizens are allowed for only 15 days.
• 5-year Visa exemption – this is usually valid for 5 years with multiple entries. However, the maximum stay is only 180 days for every entry.
• Tourist visa – this will depend on the type of tourist visa that the tourist has applied. Usually, most tourist visas are valid for 1 month or 3 months.
• Changing visa type – this applies to foreign nationals who wanted to change their visa type. For instance, they are currently holding a tourist visa and they need to change it to business, or vice versa.

The Lao Bao Land Border is located in a small town called Huong Hoa, at the western portion of Quang Tri. This border is pretty crowded since it’s a popular passing route for foreigners on visa runs to Laos. If you’re coming from Da Nang or Hoi An, you will find plenty of transportation options going to Lao Bao Land Border Crossing.

Here are your options:

• Take the local bus from Da Nang or Hoi An
• Rent a private car
• Book a shared car with an agency that offers visa run service
• Drive your own vehicle

Of all these options, renting a car is the fastest and most convenient way to reach the Lao Bao Land Border crossing for your visa run. However, this is quite pricey due to the distance. So if you’re on a budget, you might as well take the local bus or book a shared car through an agency that assists with visa run services.

Just like with crossing any border, you will be required to submit documents when doing a visa run at the Lao Bao Land Border. Here are the documents you need to prepare:

• Laos Visa Application form
• Laos visa fee that will cost around $35 per person
• Original copy of Visa approval letter
• An original passport copy that’s valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry
• Two passport-sized photos
• Vietnam visa stamping fee
• Vietnamese Visa Application form

Take note that for the Vietnam visa-stamping fee, they will only accept payment in cash, either in USD or VND currency. As for the Laos visa, you can pay in the LAK currency. If you don’t have any local currency with you, there’s no need to worry for you can get your money exchanged from any of the moneychangers in Huong Hoa.

Crossing the Lao Bao Land Border Crossing for your visa runs should be easy. Just make sure you come prepared. Prepare all the documents ahead, most especially your passport and visa. If you need help with this, you can always get in touch with a local agency in Danang to help with your visa run.