A visa is a common residence document certifying that a foreigner is allowed to enter or exit Vietnam. There are 21-types of visas that a foreigner can choose from for his/her purpose of entry or exit.  For instance, DL visas are used for travel, LĐ/LD visas are used by labor, or TT visas are used when foreigners visit their relatives in Vietnam.

Each type of visa has its own validity and document requirements. For example, the DL visa is valid for less than 3-months, the LĐ visa is valid for less than 2-years, and the TT visa is valid for less than 12-months.

After the visa has been obtained, the recipient/holder may request the competent authority to issue a temporary residence card or permanent residence card.

Foreigners will be issued a visa if they are sponsored by a person or an organization. They can receive their visas from the Vietnam Embassy or Vietnam Consulate in their countries or at border gates.

Another type of residence document that the Vietnam Immigration Agency grants to foreigners is a visa exemption certificate that is known is also known as a replacement or substitute for a visa. Its validity is for less than 5-years and it is only granted in the following cases:

• A Vietnamese residing abroad has a passport or a valid international travel document issued by the competent authorities and their spouse and children are foreigners;
• A foreigner whose spouse or parent(s) is (are) Vietnamese.

The term for this kind of residence document is shorter than those of passport and international travel documents, but it’s validity is longer than that of regular visas.

Upon entry, however, people are entitled to stay temporarily for 6-months for each entry. If the visa exemption certificate is valid for less than 6-months, a temporary residence certificate with a validity equal to the existing validity on the visa exemption certificate will be issued.

Entry with a residence document, which is a visa-free document, with the desire to stay for more than 6-months, guaranteed by an agency, organization, or individual in Vietnam and have a acceptable reason, it will be considered for an extended stay of no more than 6-months.

The temporary residence card (TRC) replaces a visa and is issued to those who wish to live in Vietnam long term. Because a temporary residence card holder my exit Vietnam multiple times, there is no limit to the length of stay within the validity of the card.

TRC holders are usually laborers working in Vietnam, foreigners doing business in Vietnam, or foreigners having families in Vietnam, etc. Therefore, the duration of the temporary residence card may carry a validity of 1 to 5 years depending on the type of temporary residence card issued.

Additionally, temporary residence card holders may also invite their relatives to come to Vietnam with the consent of the individual and/or organization who is their guarantor.

The permanent residence card (PRC) is a type of residence document that is issued by a competent authority to foreigners allowing them to reside indefinitely in Vietnam.

However, obtaining this type of residency document is not easy. In addition to being subject to specific cases, foreigners must also meet certain conditions such as having a lawful place of residence, a stable income, having temporarily resided in Vietnam for 3 consecutive years or more, and being sponsored by their parents, spouse or children who are Vietnamese and are permanently residing in Vietnam.

New permanent residence cards are issued every 10-years. Foreigners will have to carry out this procedure based on the provisions of the law.

The information provided above is rather simple and straightforward information about the four types of residence documents that are issued by the Vietnamese competent authorities to ensure that foreigners have the legal right to reside in Vietnam. It is our sincere hope this information will help foreigners in the process of living in Vietnam.