Summary of "Don't Do a Vietnam Visa Run Without Knowing This"

Summary of the video (Vietnam visa runs)

The video explains how to do a Vietnam tourist visa “run” (leaving Vietnam to get a new tourist visa), based on the hosts’ experience after living on long-term visas elsewhere and now being in Vietnam long-term.

Vietnam tourist visa basics for US citizens

Vietnam offers single-entry and multiple-entry tourist visas.
Both are valid for 90 days at a time.
Single-entry costs $25, multiple-entry costs $50.
Key rule: you cannot apply for a Vietnam tourist visa while you are physically inside Vietnam.

How the hosts handled timing and flexibility

To avoid being forced to leave on a fixed date, the host applied before entering Vietnam for three successive Vietnam visas with overlapping coverage.
The visas were requested one at a time. After one was approved, the next application was submitted.
This approach was planned because they:
- needed time flexibility during a busy period (holidays/anniversary), and
- knew the e-visa processing time is about 3–5 business days.

Land border crossing vs. flying out (and why it matters)

If you leave via a land border, the immigration system may take a couple of days to record your exit information (“leaving stamp”).
Many travelers use visa agents/services to speed up processing of the exit/stamp for a fee.
If you fly out, the exit stamp is registered immediately through the airport/centralized system, so there’s typically less lag.

Planning your timeline for the next visa

Since the e-visa takes 3–5 business days, the hosts advise planning for at least 5 business days to get the new visa processed.
They recommend keeping about a week out of Vietnam as a safety buffer, so you return only after your next visa is ready.

Where they chose to go on their visa run

Their criteria weren’t just “go somewhere to get a visa.” They prioritized:

going to a place they genuinely wanted to visit,
going somewhere they hadn’t been before, and
temperate weather (it was winter for them, and they didn’t want cold because they didn’t bring winter clothes).

The video ends by inviting questions in the comments and noting a vlog about where they went next.