A Vietnam Visa Overstay Story – MaryJun’s 22.5 Million VND Lesson
If you are planning to travel or stay in Vietnam for an extended period, please take a few minutes to carefully check your visa.
This is not a dry legal article. It is a real-life lesson that cost MaryJun 22.5 million VND.
Why Do So Many Travelers Accidentally Overstay Their Visa?
Many foreign visitors in Vietnam unknowingly overstay their visas.
One reason is that Vietnam’s visa system can be quite different from that of many other countries.
In many countries, your visa or entry stamp clearly states the maximum number of days you are allowed to stay after entering the country.
In contrast, a Vietnam visa usually only shows:
- Visa start date
- Visa expiration date
The most important date is the expiration date.
You must leave Vietnam before that date, not after it.
Example
If your visa is valid from May 1st to June 30th, it means you must leave Vietnam on or before June 30th.
If you remain in Vietnam after the visa has expired, you are considered to be overstaying your visa.
Is It Easy to Extend a Visa in Vietnam?
This is one of the most common misunderstandings among travelers.
Many people assume that when their visa is about to expire, they can simply visit an immigration office and extend it for a few more weeks or months.
In reality, visa extensions in Vietnam have become very limited and are generally only granted in special circumstances.
In most cases, travelers must leave Vietnam, travel to another country, obtain a new visa or complete the appropriate procedures, and then re-enter Vietnam legally.
For this reason, do not wait until the last minute to check your visa status.
What Happens If You Overstay?
Overstaying a visa may result in penalties under Article 21 of Decree 282/2025/ND-CP regarding administrative violations related to immigration, public order, and security.
Reference:
In addition to fines, an overstay may also create difficulties when leaving Vietnam or when applying for a future visa.
MaryJun’s Expensive Lesson
What Happened?
- One guest accidentally overstayed their visa by nearly two weeks.
- MaryJun failed to notice because the visa was not carefully checked during the registration process.
- The guest was registered for temporary residence as usual.
- The issue was only discovered when the guest wanted to extend their stay, at which point MaryJun reported the situation to the immigration authorities.
The Result
- 💸 The guest received an administrative fine.
- 💸 MaryJun was fined 22.5 million VND.
- 😱 It was the largest penalty the homestay had ever faced.
From Now On, MaryJun Will Check Every Visa Very Carefully 😅
Since that incident, I have promised myself never to make the same mistake again.
Before completing any temporary residence registration, I now ask every guest to provide:
- 🛂 Passport information page
- 🛬 Most recent Vietnam entry stamp page
- 📄 Current visa or e-Visa
- 📅 Confirmation of the visa expiration date
Only after verifying all documents do I proceed with the official temporary residence registration.
A Song Written After the 22.5 Million VND Shock 😭
After receiving the penalty notice, MaryJun was honestly heartbroken.
To help myself remember this lesson forever—and to laugh a little instead of crying—I asked AI to help write a fun song about checking visas.
🎵 Listen to the song here:
https://suno.com/song/de94a22b-7798-48e1-971d-3121b230c2b8?sh=KUbAFsHkRg8qFYzw
A Final Reminder
Before coming to Vietnam, please remember:
- ✅ Check your visa expiration date carefully.
- ✅ Set a reminder on your phone before the visa expires.
- ✅ Ask your accommodation provider if you are unsure about your permitted stay.
- ✅ Do not wait until the last day to think about visa extensions or departure plans.
It takes only 30 seconds to check your visa.
But it may save you from unnecessary stress, fines, travel disruptions, and legal complications.
MaryJun sincerely hopes this will be the first and last visa overstay incident ever experienced at the homestay.
Please check your visa carefully!😊
