How does a border run work in Nha Trang now for getting a new 45-day visa-free entry stamp in Vietnam?

For a new 45-day visa-free entry, Vietnamese immigration normally does not ask for an onward ticket. It may instead be checked before departure, such as during airline check-in.

Travelers recommend paying for and booking a border run in advance—around two weeks before the current stay ends, or up to a month ahead when possible.

Clarification on the 90-day visa: it must be arranged while you are already abroad — you can't get it after you've returned to Vietnam. Essentially, this visa serves as an alternative to the standard 45-day visa-free entry.

For the new arrival registration, travelers advise generating the QR code no earlier than 72 hours before arrival. If the form glitches over e-visa dates, reports suggest entering the current date; in practice, officers may only check the passport and not request the QR code.

On documents: in theory an arrival card is required, but in practice it's usually not checked. If your trip is under 45 days, you don't need to arrange any visa in advance.

Border-run buses come in two types: a faster one for a new 45-day stamp, crossing the border quickly, running often but not daily; and a second type for getting a fresh visa, which involves waiting about 3-4 hours in a cafe near the border in Laos while the visa is processed, with these buses running less often, roughly twice a week.

From Nha Trang, a trip for the 45-day stamp takes about 21-24 hours and costs around $45; a trip for the 90-day visa takes the same 21-24 hours but costs around $125.

The 90-day visa can only be arranged in advance via the official website, paid with a foreign card for about $25. At the airport only the free 45-day stamp is issued, not the 90-day visa.

For urgent visa processing, some travelers use intermediaries to speed things up.

Recent comments distinguish the terms: in Nha Trang, a border run usually means exiting Vietnam and re-entering for a fresh 45-day visa-free stamp. If you leave and come back on a pre-arranged 90-day visa instead, people describe that as a visa run rather than a border run.

According to the latest comments, the current standard is 45 days visa-free rather than the old 15-day stay. Because of that, the practical way to reset your stay is to leave Vietnam and re-enter.

A border run is described as a trip to get a fresh 45-day entry stamp: people usually go with an organized group, spend around 2–4 hours at the border, and then come back into Vietnam.

References to small US dollar bills and 'fast visa' processing come from the older 15-day system, when travelers tried to speed things up at the border. Under the current setup, that sounds more like an old habit than a standard requirement.