Legal basis

• Law Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of foreigners in Vietnam 2014
• Law amendments to a number of articles of law on entry, exit, transit and residence of foreigners in Vietnam 2019.
• Circular No. 04/2015/TT-BCA dated 5/01/2015 regulations on specimen papers concerning foreigners entering, leaving and residing in Vietnam

1. Definition of visa, entry approval letter

According to Article 3.11 of the Law Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of foreigners in Vietnam 2014, amended  2019, Visa means a document issued by a competent authority of Vietnam to a foreigner to grant entry into Vietnam.

2. Uses and formats of visa

According to Article 7 of the Law Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of foreigners in Vietnam 2014 amended by Article 2.1 of the Law amendments to a number of articles of law on entry, exit, transit and residence of foreigners in Vietnam 2019:

• Visa shall be issued and attached to passport, issued separately or issued via electronic transaction. Visas issued via electronic transaction are called electronic visas.
• Visas shall be issued individually for each person, except for cases bellow:
  • Visas for children under 14 years of age travelling on passports of their parents or guardians shall be issued together with visas thereof;
  • Visas shall be issued according to lists issued by immigration authorities with respect to foreigners visiting and travelling or transiting by sea who have the need to enter inland for visiting and tourism purposes according to programs organized by international tourism enterprises in Vietnam; members of foreign military ships travelling under official programs of tours outside of central-affiliated cities and provinces where their ships anchor.

• Visas can be used once or multiple times; electronic visas and visas issued under circumstances specified in Point b Clause 2 of this Article can be used once.
• A visa of an individual cannot be repurposed, except for cases below:
  • He/she presents document proving to be an investor or a representative for foreign organization investing in Vietnam as per the law of Vietnam;
  • He/she presents document proving his/her relationship with person inviting or sponsoring in terms of parents, spouse, children;
  • He/she is invited or sponsoring by agencies or organizations and presents work permit or confirmation of eligibility for work permit exemption according to labor laws;
  • He/she makes entry by electronic visa and presents work permit or confirmation of eligibility for work permit exemption according to labor laws.
• In case a person repurposes visa as specified in Clause 4 of this Article, he/she shall be issued with a new visa with number and time limit suitable with the new purpose. Procedures for issuance of new visas shall comply with Article 19 of this Law.

3. Visa duration

According to Article 9 of the Law Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of foreigners in Vietnam 2014 amended by Article 1.4a,b,c,d,dd,e of the Law amendments to a number of articles of law on entry, exit, transit and residence of foreigners in Vietnam 2019 regulated that:

• The duration of a SQ, EV visa is not longer than 30 days.
• The duration of a HN or DL visa is not longer than 03 months.
• The duration of a VR visa is not longer than 06 months.
• Time limits of NG1, NG2, NG3, NG4, LV1, LV2, DT4, DN1, DN2, NN1, NN1, NN3, DH, PV1, PV2 and TT visas do not exceed 12 months
• Time limits of LD1 and LD2 visas do not exceed 2 years
• Time limit of DT3 visa does not exceed 3 years
• Time limits of LS, DT1 and DT2 visas do not exceed 5 years.
• When a visa is expired, its reissuance shall be considered.
• The duration of a visa shall be at least 30 days shorter than that of a passport or international laissez-passer.
• International agreements to which Vietnam is a signatory shall prevail in case such international agreements specify otherwise.

4. Conditions for visa issuance, entry approval letter

According to Article 9 of the Law Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of foreigners in Vietnam 2014 amended by Article 1.4a,b,c,d,dd,e of the Law amendments to a number of articles of law on entry, exit, transit and residence of foreigners in Vietnam 2019 regulated that:

• Has a passport or laissez-passer.
• Invited or sponsored by agencies, organizations or individuals in Vietnam, except for cases specified in Article 16a, Article 16b and Clause 3 Article 17 of this Law.
• Not suspended from entry in the cases mentioned in Article 21 of this Law.
• Proof of entry purposes must be provided when applying for a visa in the following cases:
  • Any foreigner who comes to make investment must have papers proving the investment in Vietnam in accordance with the Law on Investment;
  • Any foreigner who works as a lawyer in Vietnam must have a practice license in accordance with the Law of Lawyers;
  • Any foreigner who comes to work in Vietnam must have work permits in accordance with the Labor Code;
  • Any foreigner who comes to study in Vietnam must have written acceptance of a school or an education institution in Vietnam.
• Electronic visas shall be issued to foreigners possessing passports and not falling into categories specified in Clauses 1, 2, 3 and 4 Article 8 of this Law