Visa Extension Agent vs DIY in Vietnam: What Each Route Costs
Say you entered on an e-visa and no employer or school is sponsoring you. Law 47/2014/QH13 still requires the inviting or sponsoring party to file your extension, not you personally. Without a qualifying sponsor of your own, expect an agency's charge on top of the US$10 government fee — agencies I checked advertise one-month extensions from US$30 to about US$100.
Two routes, one legal requirement
The law requires a sponsor to file either way — a foreigner cannot apply alone. Law 47/2014/QH13, Article 35(1) puts the request in the hands of the inviting or sponsoring organisation or individual, not the applicant. That party is either your own eligible sponsor (an employer or other inviting organisation, or a Vietnamese grandparent, parent, spouse, child or sibling), or an agency that advertises filing the paperwork on your behalf for a charge on top of the government fee.
The comparison at a glance
| Decision point | Route A — an agency files | Route B — your own sponsor files |
|---|---|---|
| Government fee | US$10 per application | US$10 per application |
| Who files | The agency, which advertises submitting the extension paperwork to the immigration authority on your behalf | Your employer or other inviting organisation, or a Vietnamese grandparent, parent, spouse, child or sibling |
| What you hand over | Your original passport — one agency’s advertised process has you send it to their office, which holds it while handling the extension | Not stated by any source checked for this article — Article 35(1) requires only that your sponsor file the request |
| Processing time as stated | 5–7 working days (3 urgent), 7 working days, or 7 to 10 working days, depending on the agency | Up to 5 working days once immigration receives a complete file |
| Total cost | US$10 plus the agency’s own charge — advertised one-month prices on four agency websites run from US$30 to about US$100 | US$10 only |
Legal rows: Law 47/2014/QH13, Article 35; Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC. Agency figures: four agency websites checked in September 2026 — advertised prices, not quotes obtained for this article.
What agencies advertise
Visumvietnamonline.com lists 95 USD for extending a one-month tourist visa by one month; its separate 115 USD one-month rate applies only to travellers from France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK who entered visa-free.
Vietnam-immigration.org.vn takes a different, two-row approach: it lists what extending a visa costs against what renewing it — getting an entirely new visa — costs, for a 1-month or a 3-month visa.
Two more agency websites checked for this article publish extension prices without a screenshot here. Visainfo.vn lists a 1-month extension at VND 1,980,000, about US$75, with fees included. Visa.seniworld.com quotes a reference range of US$30–US$50 for the same one-month extension. Across all four, the advertised one-month price runs from US$30 to about US$100, against a US$10 government fee.
Agencies describe their own charge as variable rather than fixed: one states its service charge differs by workload, records and customer requirements; another says its fee depends on nationality, port of entry and the extension period chosen.
Where the US$10 ends
Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC sets the government fee for a stay extension at US$10 per application — the same figure whether an agency or your own sponsor files. That fee is not refunded if the application does not qualify or if the applicant declines to accept the result. Getting back anything an agency itself charged you is a matter of that agency’s own terms, not this rule.
How long it takes
By law, immigration must decide within 5 working days of receiving a complete file, under Article 35(3) of Law 47/2014/QH13. The agencies quote longer: Visumvietnamonline.com says 5 – 7 working days, or 3 for urgent service; Vietnam-immigration.org.vn says 7 working days; Visa.seniworld.com says 7 to 10 working days. Visumvietnamonline.com also says the Immigration Department holds your passport while the extension is processed.
Filing in Da Nang
Whichever route you use, an extension for the Da Nang area is filed at the Immigration Management Division.
78 Lê Lợi, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng · Open in Google Maps
For the filing steps themselves, see extending a stay in Da Nang and the Da Nang immigration office guide. For the full fee schedule, see Vietnam immigration fees.
If the deadline slips
Missing the deadline while deciding between routes turns a paperwork question into an overstay. Decree 282/2025/NĐ-CP fines an individual 500,000–2,000,000 VND for overstaying under 16 days, rising to 30,000,000–40,000,000 VND for over a year.
Which route fits
- You have an employer or other inviting organisation, or a Vietnamese grandparent, parent, spouse, child or sibling who can file for you: Route B, US$10 only.
- You have none of these: Route A — get a written quote that separates the US$10 government fee from the agency’s own charge, plus its own cancellation terms.
More visa and residence guides are on the Visas & residence hub.
Common questions
Can I extend my Vietnam visa without going through an agency?
Yes, if you have your own eligible sponsor — the law never lets you file alone either way. Law 47/2014/QH13, Article 35(1) puts the request in the hands of the organisation or individual who invited or sponsors you; an agency is only needed when you have none of these to call on.
How much does a Vietnam visa extension cost through your own sponsor?
US$10, the government fee under Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC, and nothing else that any official source lists. It is not refunded if the application is refused or you decline to collect the result.
How much do agencies advertise for a Vietnam visa extension?
Roughly US$30 to US$100 for one month, across four agency websites: US$30–50 as a reference range (Visa.seniworld.com), VND 1,980,000 or about US$75 with fees included (Visainfo.vn), US$95 (Visumvietnamonline.com) and from US$100 (Vietnam-immigration.org.vn). The government fee is US$10.
Is the US$10 government fee included in an agency's advertised price?
Only Visainfo.vn's page says its price includes fees; none of the other three agency pages checked for this article states whether the government fee is itemised separately or folded into its quote.
How long does a visa extension take?
By law, up to 5 working days once immigration receives a complete file, under Law 47/2014/QH13, Article 35(3). Three of the four agency pages checked quote longer times: 5–7 working days, 7 working days, and 7 to 10 working days.
Who is allowed to be an individual sponsor for a visa extension?
Only a grandparent, parent, spouse, child or sibling, under procedure 1.001146. An employer or other inviting organisation can also sponsor; anyone else needs an agency to arrange things instead.
General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. How these guides are checked: about Da Nang Oi.