Vietnam visa overstay fine: one day, a delayed flight, and what to do
Under 16 days over costs 500,000 to 2,000,000 VND under Article 21 of Decree 282/2025, in force since 15 December 2025. (Decree 282/2025, English translation) That is a range set by law, not a fixed 500,000 VND airport price, and we found no exception in the text for delayed flights. Longer overstays jump to 5,000,000 VND and up, and expulsion can be considered from 16 days.
The fines by length of overstay
These come from an English translation of Article 21. We did not read the Vietnamese gazette original. Press reports from December 2025 give the same figures. (Viet Nam News, 12 Dec 2025)
| Overstay | Fine (VND) | Expulsion may be considered |
|---|---|---|
| Under 16 days | 500,000 to 2,000,000 | No |
| 16 to under 30 days | 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 | Yes |
| 30 to under 60 days | 10,000,000 to 15,000,000 | Yes |
| 60 to under 90 days | 15,000,000 to 20,000,000 | Yes |
| 90 to under 180 days | 20,000,000 to 25,000,000 | Yes |
| 180 days to under 1 year | 25,000,000 to 30,000,000 | Yes |
| 1 year or more | 30,000,000 to 40,000,000 | Yes |
Your stamp date is the one that counts
The decree speaks of the temporary resident certificate, which is the permitted stay stamped when you enter, not the end date printed on the visa. The two can differ, as Smartraveler warns, so read the stamp at the desk. Arrival day counts as day one, according to posters on Expat.com, and that is a common way to end up a day over.
Your flight was delayed past midnight
We found no exception for delays in the decree, and no first-hand report of someone paying under the new decree. Older reports are not a price guide. One poster paid 1,250,000 VND in cash at the airport for 9 days in June 2023 and saw someone with 2 days pay the same. (Expat.com thread) Another reports no fine at all for 10 days at Saigon airport in July 2021. (Expat.com thread) One relays people at Da Nang being refused payment and sent to Hanoi. (Expat.com thread)
So our practical advice is this. Ask the airline for written proof of the delay. Get to the airport early with Vietnamese dong in cash, enough to cover the top of the range. If you are still in the city and can reach it, call the immigration hotline on the portal, 024 3825 7941. Canada warns that you may be held from onward travel until the fine is paid, (travel.gc.ca) so leave yourself time.
How to avoid it next time
Leave buffer days. When you apply, set Grant e-Visa valid to a few days past your flight home. It costs nothing, and the portal allows up to 90 days. Do not plan a late-night departure on the last valid day.
An eVisa cannot be used to fix an overstay, because the portal is for people outside Vietnam. It says you may apply after you leave. If you are in Vietnam and your stay is running out, talk to an immigration office or a licensed sponsor before the date, not after it.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the fine for overstaying one day in Vietnam?
Between 500,000 and 2,000,000 VND under Article 21 of Decree 282/2025. That range covers everything under 16 days. It is not a fixed 500,000 VND.
Does a delayed flight excuse an overstay in Vietnam?
We found no exception for delays in the decree. Carry written proof from the airline anyway, because it explains what happened, and do not count on it to waive the fine.
Will I be banned from Vietnam for a one-day overstay?
Expulsion can be considered from 16 days under the decree. The article we read does not mention it for under 16 days. We found nothing in it on future entry bans for short overstays.
Which decree sets overstay fines now?
Decree 282/2025/ND-CP, dated 30 October 2025 and in force from 15 December 2025.
Applying for your next trip?
We set your dates with room to spare. InTimeVisa is a private agent, not the government, and cannot settle fines or waive them.