Need-to-knows
Everything travelers ask before a visa run from Hanoi to the Lao Bao / Dansavanh border — timing, the route, pickups, the 90-day Vietnam e-visa, costs, and the edge cases that change the plan.
Timeline & basics
A visa run is a same-day round trip from Hanoi to a land border and back, done to reset or renew your Vietnam visa. On the Hanoi to Lao Bao run you exit Vietnam, cross into Laos at Dansavanh, and re-enter Vietnam with a fresh visa — usually the 90-day e-visa arranged by our visa desk while you travel. The whole trip takes about 14 hours door-to-door.
Expect roughly 14 hours door-to-door. We collect riders between 04:00 and 05:30, drive down the Ho Chi Minh Highway and QL217, reach Lao Bao around 09:00, finish immigration by about noon, stop for a quick lunch in Thanh Hoa, and return to Hanoi between 18:00 and 20:00 depending on traffic.
Lao Bao (Vietnamese side) / Dansavanh (Laos side) is the closest practical land border for a same-day run from Hanoi — about 370 km each way — and it is quiet compared to southern crossings like Moc Bai. The border opens early, the stamping process is quick with a fixer, and you can pair the trip with the 90-day Vietnam e-visa so you return with a fresh visa the same day.
As often as your visa situation requires — many expats in Hanoi do a run every 90 days when their e-visa or visa exemption expires. There is no legal limit on border crossings, but immigration officers may question frequent same-day exits and re-entries, so it is worth keeping your stamps tidy and your paperwork consistent.
Anyone in Hanoi or nearby provinces whose Vietnam visa, e-visa, or visa exemption is about to expire and who wants a fresh 90-day entry without flying to another country. It is also popular with remote workers, teachers, and long-term travellers who want the border crossing handled by people who do it every day.
Do it before your current visa or visa exemption expires — ideally with a few days of buffer in case of delays. If you already have a valid 90-day e-visa you can travel on the run and simply use the remaining validity, but most riders time the run so a new 90-day e-visa starts the day they re-enter Vietnam.
Yes — it is designed as a same-day trip: pickups 04:00–05:30, border formalities finished by noon, and back in Hanoi by 18:00–20:00. The schedule works because the driver and fixer team run this route regularly and Lao Bao opens early, so you are stamped out of Vietnam, through Laos, and back into Vietnam in a few hours at the border.
A visa run means leaving Vietnam and re-entering to get a fresh entry stamp and visa validity, while an extension is done inside Vietnam through immigration authorities or an agency. Runs are the standard route for e-visa and visa-exemption holders who cannot extend; extensions are usually for specific visa types and are processed at the immigration office in Hanoi.
You need a valid entry document to be let back into Vietnam — either a valid visa, e-visa, or visa exemption. Our Hanoi visa desk can arrange the 90-day e-visa before or during your run, and the border team handles the Laos entry on the spot, so you do not need to prepare a Laos visa in advance.
Getting there
We take the Ho Chi Minh Highway south out of Hanoi, connecting onto QL217 for the final stretch to the border. It is a solidly paved, mostly two-lane route with light truck traffic compared to QL1, and the driver makes comfort stops along the way. The same road is used for the return leg, with a quick lunch stop in Thanh Hoa.
The drive from central Hanoi to the Lao Bao / Dansavanh border crossing is roughly 370 km each way. Door-to-door that works out to about five hours of driving each direction including stops, which is why the day starts early and finishes in the evening.
We pick up across the main expat districts: Old Quarter, Tay Ho, Ba Dinh, Hoan Kiem, Gia Lam, Long Bien, and Soc Son. With advance notice we can also meet you at Noi Bai Airport or Vinhomes Ocean Park. The exact pickup window is confirmed the day before with your driver's photo and vehicle plate.
Yes — Noi Bai meetups are a common special request. If you are flying into Hanoi for the run, or staying near the airport, tell us when you book and we will schedule the pickup accordingly. Airport pickups may shift your pickup window slightly depending on where the van is coming from.
A private van (1–4 passengers) is door-to-door, departs on your schedule, and costs about 205–218 USD per car depending on pickup zone. A shared seat puts you in a Lao Bao van that runs twice weekly (Tuesday and Saturday) from Tay Ho or Long Bien, costs 1,500,000–1,650,000 VND per seat, and is confirmed 24 hours ahead with the driver's photo and plate.
Shared Lao Bao vans depart twice weekly, on Tuesday and Saturday, with early-morning pickups from Tay Ho and Long Bien in the same 04:00–05:30 window as private cars. We confirm the exact time 24 hours ahead, and if a departure consolidates or shifts you can rebook for free.
Shared-seat riders should pack light — carry-on size, one bag per person. Space in the van is limited because every seat is sold, so large suitcases and extra bags are better handled in a private van or with our luggage trailer option. Snacks and water are provided either way.
Yes. The driver makes comfort stops on the drive down, and the schedule includes a quick lunch stop in Thanh Hoa on the return leg. Coffee, snacks, and water are included in the fare, and the bilingual driver will point out stop options if you need anything else.
Yes — direct drop-offs in Ninh Binh or Thanh Hoa are a standard special request, and returning to a different Hanoi district (for example, drop in Tay Ho when you were picked up in the Old Quarter) is usually fine. Mention it on the booking form so the route is planned around it.
Immigration
At Lao Bao you first get your Vietnamese exit stamp, then walk across to the Laos side at Dansavanh for the Laos entry stamp, and then immediately turn around and re-enter Vietnam with a fresh entry stamp. Our Thanh Hoa fixer escorts you through every counter so the sequencing is done correctly and nothing is missed.
Yes. Our fixer handles the Laos visa-on-arrival paperwork and fees at Dansavanh and escorts you between the Vietnamese and Lao counters. Travellers from visa-exempt countries still follow the fixer so their stamp sequencing is correct — the Laos side is the part people usually find confusing.
The Laos visa-on-arrival fee is roughly 30–40 USD depending on your nationality and entry type, paid directly at Dansavanh in cash. It is not included in the run fare — the border team helps you through the process, but the Laos government fee is paid separately at the counter.
Bring your passport valid for at least 6 months, your current Vietnam visa, e-visa, or TRC (plus a printout of your e-visa if you have one), two spare 4x6 passport photos, and USD cash for the Laos visa fee. Shared-seat riders should keep everything in a small day bag — you will need it at every counter.
Two spare 4x6 photos are recommended — the Laos visa-on-arrival form asks for a photo, and having spares avoids a delay or a last-minute photo fee at the border. Our fixer carries a small supply for emergencies, but bringing your own is faster.
Bring about 40–50 USD in clean, undamaged notes for the Laos visa fee and any small border costs, plus some VND if you want snacks or drinks on the road. The run fare itself is paid separately to us — the cash at the border is only for government fees and incidentals.
Several ASEAN neighbours — including Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Laos's other immediate neighbours, and a few others — get Laos visa exemption for short stays. If you are unsure, tell us your nationality when booking and we will confirm whether you need the Laos visa-on-arrival or can go straight through with your passport.
Yes — the Vietnam e-visa is valid for entry at Lao Bao, one of the official land border gates for e-visa holders. Print your e-visa approval letter and bring your passport; the border officers scan the QR code on the letter and stamp you in. Our visa desk can arrange the e-visa as an add-on to the run.
TRC holders do not need a visa run for visa purposes, but many still travel with us for border errands, companion runs, or to reset a dependent's visa. If you hold a TRC you can exit and re-enter with the card itself — just bring your passport as well, and mention it when booking so we plan the right stamping sequence.
E-visa desk
You upload your passport data page and a portrait photo before departure. The moment Laos stamps you out at Dansavanh, our Hanoi visa desk submits your e-visa application through the official portal and you get updates by email and WhatsApp until the approval PDF arrives. You re-enter Vietnam the same day with a fresh 90-day e-visa.
Single-entry e-visa prices run from 65 USD (4 days) up to 165 USD (1-hour rush); multiple-entry starts at 85 USD for 4 days and tops out at 180 USD for the 1-hour rush. Mid tiers: 4 hours 95 USD single / 120 USD multiple, 1 day 85/110 USD, 2 days 75/100 USD, 3 days 70/90 USD. Rush tiers (4h/2h/1h) run Monday to Friday.
Yes — the Vietnam e-visa is available in both single-entry and multiple-entry versions, and multiple entry costs a bit more at every processing tier (for example 180 USD vs 165 USD for the 1-hour rush). If you travel out of Vietnam often, the multiple-entry e-visa usually saves money over repeated single entries.
Push-only is for people who already applied for their e-visa themselves but are stuck in the queue. We escalate the existing application through the official portal — 1-hour push 125 USD, 4-day push 25 USD — and push fees are only charged if we successfully accelerate your application. It is the cheapest way to rescue a slow e-visa before your run.
We submit the moment your passport is stamped out of Vietnam at Lao Bao, because the system requires you to be outside the country for a clean new entry. That is why the add-on is timed to your exit stamp — you get the freshest possible 90 days starting from your re-entry the same day.
If your application is still processing when the van gets back to Hanoi, you simply wait for the approval PDF — it arrives by email and WhatsApp, usually within your chosen window. In the meantime the driver team can arrange a hotel night near the border or a return trip for the next day if you prefer to wait it out there.
A clear photo of your passport bio page and a recent portrait photo (white background, no glasses) — ideally sent before departure so our desk can pre-check them. Blurry or wrongly sized photos are the most common reason e-visa applications get rejected, so we review them before submitting.
Yes — the 1-hour rush (165 USD single entry) is designed for same-day runs: we submit after your exit stamp and the approval often lands before you reach Hanoi. Rush tiers are processed Monday to Friday, so weekend runs use the 1-day or longer tiers instead.
Your approval letter arrives as a PDF by email and WhatsApp the moment it is issued. Print it out (or keep it on your phone for the QR scan) and present it with your passport when you re-enter Vietnam at Lao Bao. We keep tracking your status until you confirm the entry stamp is in your passport.
Payments & policies
A private van for 1–4 passengers is about 205 USD (4,800,000 VND) for pickups in the Old Quarter, Tay Ho, or Ba Dinh, and about 218 USD (5,100,000 VND) for Long Bien, Gia Lam, or Soc Son — including Vinhomes Ocean Park. The price is per car, not per person, so splitting between four riders makes it very economical.
Shared seats on the Tuesday/Saturday Lao Bao vans cost 1,500,000 VND for Tay Ho pickups (main route) and 1,650,000 VND for Long Bien or Gia Lam pickups. You get the same driver and fixer team as private bookings, plus free rebooking if the departure consolidates.
The fare covers your private SUV or shared van seat, a bilingual driver, tolls and fuel, the Lao Bao fixer team, snacks, water, and WhatsApp updates through the day. The Laos visa fee (if required) is paid directly at Dansavanh, and the Vietnam e-visa add-on is priced separately.
Budget for the Laos visa-on-arrival fee (roughly 30–40 USD, paid in cash at Dansavanh), the Vietnam e-visa if you order it through us (from 65 USD single entry), and optional extras like an extra luggage trailer or a hotel night if you choose to wait for a slower e-visa. Lunch on the road is quick and cheap in Thanh Hoa.
Private cars are paid in cash (VND or USD) or by bank transfer when you return to Hanoi — after the run is done. Shared seats are paid before departure. E-visa and push services are paid separately and accept VND, Wise, or Revolut transfers.
Cash in VND or USD for the ride, bank transfer for private cars, and VND, Wise, or Revolut for e-visa and push services. If you need to pay by company bank transfer or want a receipt for accounting, just ask — we handle company invoices for businesses.
Cancellations are free up to 24 hours before pickup. Same-day cancellations incur 50% of the fare because the driver and fixers are already deployed. Shared-seat bookings can be rolled to the next departure with 12 hours' notice — and if your departure consolidates, rebooking is free.
Yes — multi-van groups are a standard special request, and groups of 8+ often work out cheaper per person in private vans than buying individual shared seats. Tell us the group size when booking and we will quote the best combination of vehicles and seats.
Yes — company invoices (hoa don) are available for businesses that need formal documentation for accounting or reimbursement. Note it on the booking form or mention it on WhatsApp, and we will prepare the invoice with your company details before the run.
Special situations
Do not just show up at the border — overstays are fined by Vietnamese immigration at the exit gate (roughly 500,000 VND per day of overstay, capped), and serious overstays can mean a ban or detention. Contact us on WhatsApp before booking so we can plan the correct exit procedure and expected fine for your exact overstay period.
Vietnam requires passports valid for at least 6 months beyond your entry date, and Laos has the same rule — a short-validity passport risks being refused at either counter. Check your expiry before booking; if you have under 6 months, renew your passport first, because no amount of fixer help can override the validity rule.
Severely damaged passports — water damage, torn pages, or unreadable chips — can be refused by immigration officers on either side of the border. Minor wear is usually fine. If you are unsure, send us a photo of the damaged page on WhatsApp and we will give you an honest answer before you book.
Yes — families do this run with newborns and toddlers, and children need their own passports and visas (babies cannot be added to a parent's e-visa). Plan for a longer border stop since counters move more slowly with kids, and mention it when booking so we seat you comfortably and brief the fixer team.
Tell us when you book and we will plan for it — whether that is extra comfort stops, a private van instead of a shared seat so you can stretch out, or the nearest hospital route in an emergency. The van team carries basic first aid, and dispatch stays in contact throughout the day.
The Ho Chi Minh Highway through the mountains can flood or be blocked during heavy storms. If conditions look risky on the day, we rebook you free of charge — and if you are already on the road, the driver will divert to a safe alternative or turn back with no penalty. Your safety comes before the schedule.
Lao Bao and Dansavanh open daily, but on Tet and major national holidays immigration staffing can be thinner, queues longer, and the Laos visa office hours shorter. Rush e-visa tiers are Monday–Friday only, so holiday runs should use slower tiers. Check with us before booking a run around Tet or National Day.
Private vans can often be arranged with 12–24 hours' notice if a vehicle is available; shared seats depend on the Tuesday/Saturday departure schedule. For e-visa add-ons, the sooner you send your passport photos the better, but the 1-hour and 2-hour rush tiers exist precisely for tight timelines on weekdays.
Call or message dispatch immediately on WhatsApp +84 369 308 237 — if the van has not left your area the driver can often circle back. If you miss the window entirely, the run is treated as a same-day cancellation (50% fee) or we can roll a shared seat to the next departure. Set two alarms; the 04:00–05:30 window is early.
A few nationalities are not eligible for the e-visa and need a visa approval letter or an embassy visa instead. Tell us your nationality when booking and we will confirm which path applies to you before you commit — the border team can also advise on Laos-side entry for visa-exempt travellers.
Dispatch responds 05:00–23:00 daily via WhatsApp or email. Special nationalities, overstays, or group bookings — ask us before you book.