How to do visa run at Moc Bai Viet Nam and Cambodia
Border run is a way to renew visa in case you want to stay longer than what visa you got before. In stead of paying much more money for visa extension or fly out and fly in Vietnam, you can exit via border and re-enter at this border right after exiting.
Pros and Cons of Visa Border Run VietNam
Pros:
Cheap price: Renewal visa by border run is cheaper than the other ways.
Variety options: It is visa renewal, so you can choose a new type of visa to apply. For example, you can apply one month single entry, one month multiple entry, three months single entry or three month multiple entry.
Cons:
Check out and check in Vietnam: You cannot renew visa without leaving Vietnam, so you need to exit at the border and re-enter this border to get the new visa. This process takes time and effort.
Fee
You need to check the full expenses of each options to compare them correctly. The fee for border run is usually cheaper than the other ones, because you do not need to pay air ticket in visa on arrival, or you do not need to pay a big amount of money for extension.
The expenses will depend on where you are in Vietnam, your nationality, type of visa you want to apply. Take the example below (the fee for USA citizen):
Come out and re-enter Vietnam via Moc Bai border check point: If you are in Ho Chi Minh city or the south of Vietnam, you can transfer to Moc Bai check point (Tay Ninh province) by our car, then come to Cambodia, and then re-enter Vietnam via this border again. The fee will be:
– Roundtrip private car from Ho Chi Minh City to Moc Bai: Around 30 USD per pax at your place.
– Visa to Cambodia for your nationality: Please check by yourself
– Vietnam Visa three month single entry approval letter at land border: 25 USD for approval letter + 25 USD stamp fee
– Vietnam Visa three month multiple entries approval letter at land border: 30 USD for approval letter + 50 USD stamp fee
Processing time
It takes about 5 working days (not counting Saturday, Sunday and Holidays) to get the visa approval letter
It takes a day to leave and re-enter Vietnam via Moc Bai border.
5/ Documents
No documents are required. You just need to provide the personal information, such as: Full name, Date of Birth, Passport number, date of expire.
6/ Procedure
You need the original approval letter to get visa stamp at the border check point, so you have to apply this letter in advance. You must apply the approval letter at least 5 working days prior to the arrival date.
Step 1: Apply approval letter
Send to us information of:
– personal information (or send passport copy)
– entry date
– port of entry: If you indicate Moc Bai, you can only get it in Moc Bai
Step 2: Get the original approval letter
Please note that it takes 5 working days to process (excluded Saturday, Sunday & holiday), and it is required to get the original, not the copy. Therefore, you need to come to our office to get it.
Step 3: Renew visa by border run
At the beginning of the date, we drive you from Ho Chi Minh to Moc Bai. You get Moc Bai around 9:00 AM. After getting Moc Bai, you exit Vietnam, then enter Cambodia (please prepare Cambodia visa by yourself). At that time, your current Vietnam visa is invalid.
After enter Cambodia, you can take a rest (about 30 minutes or 1 hour), then do the process to exit Cambodia gate. Then come back to Vietnam and re-enter with the approval letter you apply before. At this step, you are required to pay stamp fee at the border. Please prepare it in cash (one month and three months single entry: 25 USD; one month and three months multiple entry: 50 USD)
When finishing this process, your passport will be stamped with the new visa, and we will drive you back to Ho Chi Minh city. You are allowed to stay in Vietnam with the new period of time!
How to do visa run at Moc Bai Viet Nam
If you are on budget permits visa run through land border is the best option.
Mộc Bài is an international border gate between Vietnam and Cambodia located in Tây Ninh Province, Vietnam. It is 70 km from Ho Chi Minh City and 170 km from Phnom Penh.
On the Cambodia’s side, Bavet is the counterpart across the border, which belongs to Svay Rieng Province of Cambodia.
The border gate is open from 8:00am to 8:00pm every day. Daily buses can be access quickly and easily from Ho Chi Minh City to Moc Bai. Almost all of the bus stations and offices in Ho Chi Minh City are located in the Pham Ngu Lao area, so it is easier to depart or arrive.
The cheapest way to get to the border is by public bus number 703 that you can board at Saigon Bus Station in Park 23/9 (at the corner of Pham Ngu Lao and Cong Quynh street, opposite to Thai Binh Market). You can find these buses parked near the entrance facing the Cong Quynh Street roundabout. The buses, run by SAPACO Tourist are usually blue or silver with Moc Bai written on the front display. The 3-hour journey will cost you only VND 40,000 each way.
Alternatively you can book any bus at any office at Pham Ngu Lao street (Mekong Express, Sapaco, Kumho…). You can buy it yourself. Be noted that these bus goes to Phnom Penh. Bus tickets cost around 10-12 US$/way.
The Cambodian visa on arrival is available at Bavet border. You can buy the Cambodian Visa at Visa on arrival counter without applying in advance.
VISA FOR CAMBODIA
Cambodian Visa Exemption:
Citizens of the following 10 countries can visit Cambodia without a visa:
– 14 days: Thailand, Myanmar, Brunei, Seychelles.
– 21 days: Philippines.
– 30 days : Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Laos and Vietnam.
Cambodian visa on arrival:
Visitors of other nationalities can obtain a visa on arrival for a maximum stay of 30 days (extendable once) at Bavet border. Cambodian Visa can be issued at Visa on arrival counter without applying in advance.
Visa on arrival fee: The 30-day tourist visa costs 30 US$, 30-day business visa costs 35 US$.
* Visa fees are payable in cash only (US dollars, Cambodian riel)
Requirements:
– Your original passport with at least 6 months of remaining validity and a blank page for a visa sticker.
– A Visa Application Form, filled out and signed by the applicant (available at visa window at Cambodian ports of entry or given before landing if you are arriving by plane).
– Two (2) recent passport-type photographs (If you are unprepared (cannot provide the photo) there will be an extra fee (few dollars) for scanning your photograph from your passport, and placing it onto your visa application form).
– Visa fee (in cash).
WHO CAN’T GET CAMBODIA VISA-ON-ARRIVAL?
• Afghanistan
• Algeria
• Bangladesh
• Iran
• Iraq
• Pakistan
• Saudi Arabia
• Sri Lanka
• Sudan
• Syria
Cambodian e-visa
Nationals of any country other than Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Syria may apply for an eVisa online for US$36 before arrival. It allows a single entry and a maximum stay of 30 days for tourism purposes. The processing time is 3 business days.
The official government website for Cambodian e-visa: https://www.evisa.gov.kh/
IMPORTANT NOTE:
REMEMBER to check the expiry date of your current visa. If you’ve accidentally overstayed your visa, the immigration officer will point it out to you and you will be required to pay a fine depending on how long you have overstayed. You will also be required to sign some documents as part of the paperwork process. Once again, an inconvenience that could easily be avoided. Also ensure your passport has a minimum validity of six months or you might not be allowed to enter Cambodia, effectively wasting your time and effort getting there.
TOP TIPS:
Beside US$ cash to pay for visa fee, you should take some VND with you, occasionally the officials will ask for an extra tip around 100k (no more), so make sure you have this on you just in case. Plus there are lots of drink and food stalls where the bus waits so you can grab some food here.
Take some snacks in case you do not want to buy at the border.
Have the right denominations of dollars so that you don’t get caught out needing change, usually they will give you change but it does depend on the official that day.
Take some extra clothes because the air-con on the bus can be pretty chilly when you’re on it for 3 hours!
If you need more information, feel free to reach out to visa agents who are mostly bilingual.
Some notes at Moc Bai International border gate
Admission fee : free
Opening hours : from 7am to 6pm
Travelling time for Ho Chi Minh to Moc Bai : 120-150 minutes depending on the traffic jam.
We offer transportation service for a private group of your people at your specific time. Book us now ! Your time is more important than other transportation methods.
We provide Moc Bai Visa Run, Moc Bai Evisa, Moc Bai Private Car, Moc Bai Visa Transportation Service from Ho Chi Minh/ Saigon. Pick up at your own place. Fast, convenient time with 4 seater car/ 7 seater car for a small group of your people. Do not hesitate to contact me now to book a car.
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