Vietnam overstay fine: the Decree 282/2025 table, band by band

The Vietnam overstay fine runs from VND 500,000 to VND 2 million for less than 16 days and climbs in bands to VND 30 to 40 million for a year or more, under Decree 282/2025/ND-CP, in force since 15 December 2025. From 16 days of overstay, the authorities may also deport you. The old ceiling under Decree 144/2021 was VND 20 million, so the top of the scale has doubled.

Here we set out the bands, what happens after day 16, and how you pay the fine in practice. We summarise public information; this is not legal advice.

How much is the overstay fine in Vietnam?

The fine depends on how long you overstayed, in seven bands, and it is not charged per day. The Hung Yen provincial police published the new bands next to the old Decree 144/2021 figures in January 2026. The under 16 day band was set out in provincial state media on 17 January 2026.

State media gave the same maximums on 12 December 2025, three days before the decree took effect, along with the old cap of VND 20 million. Some visa agency pages print wider bands above 30 days (for example VND 10 to 20 million for 30 to 60 days). Trust the table above, which matches the official police summary.

To see what a band costs in your own currency, run the amount through Currency Check.

Two things stand out to us. The step at day 16 is steep: the minimum goes from VND 500,000 to VND 5 million, ten times more, on the same day that deportation becomes possible. And every band above 16 days now has a minimum, not only a maximum, so you can no longer settle a long overstay at the bottom of a wide range.

What happens if you overstay your visa in Vietnam?

You pay a fine in every case, and from 16 days of overstay you can also be deported. The authorities may order deportation for overstays of 16 days or more "depending on the nature and severity" of the violation, in the words of the state daily Viet Nam News. It comes as an additional penalty on top of the fine, not as a replacement for it.

A deportation or a serious overstay can also bring an entry ban. Blacklists usually last 1 to 10 years depending on the severity of the offence. That range comes from press reporting, not from a figure we found in the decree summaries, so treat it as an order of magnitude. Our reading is simple: day 16 is the line you never cross.

What changed for deportation on 1 April 2026?

Decree 59/2026/ND-CP now governs how deportation is carried out, and it allows immediate removal when you cannot pay the fine. It was issued on 13 February 2026, took effect on 1 April 2026, replaces Decree 142/2021, has 6 chapters and 44 articles, and repeals Article 66 of Decree 282/2025.

In practice, as described on 3 April 2026, four things changed:

1. The person must be told the reasons and receive the decision at least 48 hours before enforcement.
2. Someone who cannot pay an administrative fine can be deported immediately, with enforcement of the fine suspended.
3. Case handling, detention and escort procedures are conducted electronically.
4. Minors awaiting deportation are held separately from adults.

The second point is the one to remember. An overstay you cannot pay for is no longer a slow paperwork problem: it can end in removal. Keep enough dong within reach to cover your band.

How and where do you pay the fine?

You pay in cash, in dong, to immigration, and there is no online payment. You pay at the Immigration Office or a designated treasury bank. Once the fine is paid you receive an exit visa, usually valid 7 to 15 days, which lets you leave legally (practice as described on 15 December 2025). This is how agencies describe the practice, not text from the decree, and airport handling of very short overstays varies. We would not count on settling it at the airport.

Office hours shape the count. The immigration offices open 08:00 to 11:30 and 13:30 to 16:00, Monday to Friday, plus Saturday mornings. A problem that surfaces on Saturday afternoon waits until Monday, and those days still count.

Does Decree 282/2025 also fine landlords?

Yes: a host that fails to declare a foreign guest's temporary residence is fined by the number of foreigners concerned. The Hung Yen police list VND 3 to 5 million for 1 to 3 foreigners, VND 10 to 15 million for 4 to 8, and VND 15 to 20 million for 9 or more. This is why a long let in Da Nang asks for your passport on the first day. Hand it over: the declaration protects you too.

How do you avoid an overstay in Vietnam?

Count your days from the entry stamp and leave before the last one, because neither the e-visa nor the visa exemption can be extended inside Vietnam. The rules as of 26 September 2026, from our Vietnam visa data:

1. The e-visa has lasted up to 90 days for every nationality since 15 August 2023. The official e-visa portal of the Vietnam Immigration Department charges USD 25 for single entry and USD 50 for multiple entry.
2. The 45 day exemption covers 12 countries for any purpose under Resolution 44/NQ-CP (15 March 2025 to 14 March 2028) and 12 more for tourism only under Resolution 229/NQ-CP (15 August 2025 to 14 August 2028).
3. To stay longer, apply for a new e-visa before the current stay ends, or leave and come back. The e-visa itself cannot be extended.
4. Book the exit flight with a buffer of a few days, so one cancellation does not push you into the next band.
5. If something goes wrong, go to the immigration office before day 16, while the fine is still in the lowest band and deportation is not yet on the table.

Visa Check tells you which entry route your passport gets and for how long. If you are thinking about Vietnam as a longer base, read is there a Vietnam digital nomad visa yet and our comparison of the Thai DTV and the Vietnam e-visa.

Updated on 26 September 2026. Rules and prices change: confirm with the official source linked above before you act.