HANOI: Fines for foreigners who overstay their permitted period of residence have been sharply increased, with penalties rising as high as VNĐ40 million (US$1,520), under new government regulations taking effect soon.
The tougher sanctions are set out in Decree 282, which comes into force on Monday (Dec 15), and replaces a 2021 decree governing administrative penalties related to public order and security.
Under the new rules, foreigners who remain in Vietnam beyond the validity of their temporary residence certificates, residence cards or approved extensions - without authorisation from immigration authorities - will face fines that escalate according to the length of the overstay.
Short overstays of fewer than 16 days will continue to receive fines of between VNĐ500,000 and VNĐ2 million ($19-$76).
But penalties rise steeply thereafter: overstays of 16 to under 30 days will be fined between VNĐ5 million and VNĐ10 million ($190-$380), while those exceeding 30 days may face fines of up to VNĐ15 million ($570).
More serious violations carry heavier sanctions. Overstays of 60 to under 90 days will be fined up to VNĐ20 million ($760), rising to VNĐ25 million ($950) for overstays of up to six months.
Foreigners who overstay by six months to under a year face fines of up to VNĐ30 million ($1,140), while those remaining illegally for a year or longer may be fined as much as VNĐ40 million – double the previous maximum.
The decree also allows authorities to impose deportation on foreigners who overstay by 16 days or more, depending on the nature and severity of the violation.
The new penalty framework represents a significant tightening compared with Decree 144, under which the maximum fine for overstaying was capped at VNĐ20 million.
Hanoi’s Immigration Office has urged foreign residents to monitor the validity of their residence documents closely and complete extensions on time.
They are warned that deliberate overstays could not only result in fines and deportation, but also affect future entry into Vietnam.
Authorities also reminded hotels, employers and other organisations hosting foreign nationals of their obligation to verify residence documents and report suspected overstays to the police.
Failure to do so, they said, could result in penalties for the host establishments themselves.
Vietnamese residents are encouraged to report cases of illegal residence or suspected immigration violations to local police, as part of broader efforts to maintain public order. - Vietnam News/ANN
