Vietnam Visa Types

Plan Your Path: Essential Insights into Different Visa Types for Vietnam Travel

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Before your travel to Vietnam, it is essential to be well-informed about your legal requirements. If a visa is necessary for entry into Vietnam, understanding which visa type aligns with your trip's purpose and itinerary is crucial to prevent any unexpected issues and to save time and costs. Here, we will guide you through the various Vietnam visa types to ensure you make an informed decision.

Advise me on Vietnam Visa Types

There are two criteria to categorize the Vietnam visa.

• Purpose of visit, and
• Validity

Visa Type	Description	Validity
LV1-LV2	Working with Vietnam authorities/parties	Maximum of 12 months
LS	Lawyer visa	Maximum of 5 years
NN1	Members of delegations invited by the Secretary-General of Vietnam’s Communist Party, the President of Vietnam, the President of the National Assembly, and the Prime Minister.	Maximum of 12 months
NN2	Members of delegations invited by standing members of the Secretariat of Vietnam’s Communist Party, Deputy President of Vietnam, Deputy President of the National Assembly, Deputy Prime Minister, President of Vietnamese Fatherland Front, Executive Judge of the People’s Supreme Court, Chief Procurator of the People’s Supreme Procuracy, State Auditor General; members of delegations at the same levels of Ministers, Secretary Generals of Provincial Communist Authorities, Presidents of the People’s Councils, Presidents of the People’s Committees of provinces.	Maximum of 12 months
NN3	Members of diplomatic missions, consular offices, representative offices of international organizations affiliated with the UN, representative offices of intergovernmental organizations and their spouses, children under 18 years of age, and housemaids during their term of office.	Maximum of 12 months
NN4	Those coming to work with diplomatic missions, consular offices, and representative offices of international organizations affiliated to the UN, representative offices of intergovernmental organizations and their accompanying spouses/children under 18 years old, visitors of members of diplomatic missions, consular offices, representative offices of international organizations affiliated to the UN, and representative offices of intergovernmental organizations.	Maximum of 12 months
HN	Meetings/Conferences	Maximum of 3 months
DH	Student/Internship	Maximum of 12 months
PV1	Journalists with permanent residence in Vietnam	Maximum of 12 months
PV2	Journalists with short-term residence in Vietnam	Maximum of 12 months
TT	Dependents of LV1, LV2, LS, DT1, DT2, DT3, NN1, NN2, DH, PV1, LD1-LD2 visa holders, or foreigners that are parents, spouses, and children of Vietnamese citizens.	Maximum of 12 months
VR	Family visits, other purposes	Maximum of 6 months
SQ	In the cases mentioned in Clause 3 Article 17 of Law No. 47/2014/QH13.	Maximum of 6 months
EV	Electronic visa	Maximum 30 days

1. Tourist visa

The Vietnam Tourist visa, classified as DL, is the most prevalent visa type for travelers. With this visa, you can typically stay in Vietnam for up to 90 days with single & multiple entry, and it is extendable beyond the initial duration.

There are four ways to apply for a Tourist visa:

Visa on arrival

For the most convenient option, if you are flying to Vietnam, you can apply for a Visa on Arrival. Follow these steps:

• Apply online for an approval letter at least 3-5 days before your flight through https://urgentvisatovietnam.com/step-1.
• Print the approval letter.
• Upon arrival at the airport in Vietnam, present the approval letter along with two passport-sized photos and your valid passport to get your visa stamped.
• The stamping fee ranges from USD 25 to USD 50, depending on the number of entries, and must be paid in cash.

Visa at embassy

You can submit your visa application directly to the Embassy if you are near their office. The fee and documents required may vary.

E-visa

For single and multiple entry visit lasting up to 90 days, you can apply for an E-visa online. This option is available to citizens of 80 nationalities. Follow these steps:

• Visit Vietnam's National Portal on Immigration at https://immigration.gov.vn/ to begin the application process.
• Upload your scanned passport and passport photo separately, and fill in the required information.
• Pay the application fee to submit your application.
• Save the registration code provided for future reference and to check the status of your application at https://immigration.gov.vn/web/guest/tra-cuu-thi-thuc later.
• Once approved, you can print your E-visa for your travel to Vietnam.

If you want to save time, let a travel agency process the visa application for you and pay the additional service fee. Apply online for an evisa at https://urgentvisatovietnam.com/step-1

2. Business visa

If you are visiting Vietnam for business purposes, the ideal visa type is the business visa, categorized as DN1 and DN2. The DN1 visa is issued when you visit Vietnam to work with a company or organization that has legal status in Vietnam. On the other hand, the DN2 visa is issued if you provide services or goods in Vietnam with your own commercial presence.

Regarding validity and number of entries, there are several types of Vietnam Business visas available, including:

• Single entry in 1 month
• Multiple entries in 1 month
• Single entry in 3 months
• Multiple entries in 3 months

The duration of your stay in Vietnam plays a role in the ease of obtaining your Business visa. For shorter stays, it is generally easier to obtain the visa.

There are three common ways to apply for this type of visa:

Visa on arrival

Just like the Tourist visa, the Business visa can also be obtained upon arrival at an international airport in Vietnam. Follow these steps:

• Apply online for an approval letter at least 3-5 days in advance, contact to [email protected].
• Receive & Print the approval letter.
• Upon your arrival at the airport in Vietnam, present the approval letter along with two passport-sized photos and your valid passport to get your visa stamped.
• The stamping fee, to be paid in cash, may vary from USD 25 to USD 50 depending on the validity and number of entries granted in your visa.

Visa at embassy

You can also go to an Embassy/Consulate and follow their instructions to submit your application. The fee may vary.

3. Work visa

The Labor visa is designed for foreigners working in Vietnam for a company. It offers a validity of up to 1 year and can be extended for up to 10 years after obtaining an LD temporary residence card.

There are two types of Labor visas, represented by LD1 and LD2. If you possess a certificate of work permit exemption, you can apply for LD1. Otherwise, you must provide a work permit to apply for LD2.

To obtain a Labor visa, you need the employer company in Vietnam to acquire an LD visa approval letter on your behalf. Depending on the type of approval letter obtained, you can either apply for your Labor visa at the nearest Vietnam Embassy/Consulate or receive it upon your arrival. There will be visa approval application and visa stamping fees to be paid.

Eligibility for the Labor visa requires you to have a minimum of 3 years of working experience in an executive or senior position, a valid work contract, and evidence that the employer has advertised the recruitment in a newspaper or online platform but was unable to find a suitable candidate locally.

If you don’t have both a work permit and a work permit exemption certificate, consider getting a Business visa first. Once your work permit is issued, you can apply for a Labor visa.

4. Investor Visa

Categorized as DT, Vietnam Investor visa is issued to foreigners who go to Vietnam to invest in a business in Vietnam. Depending on the length of validity and capital contribution, there are 4 types of Investor visa:

• The DT1 visa is granted to investors who contribute at least VND 100 billion (~ USD4,253,510) and is valid for 10 years.
• The DT2 visa is granted to investors who contribute VND 50 billion - VND 100 billion (~ USD 2,126,755 - USD 4,253,510) and is valid for 5 years.
• The DT3 is granted to investors who contribute VND 03 billion - VND 50 billion (~ USD 127,605.3 - USD 2,126,755) and is valid for 3 years.
• The DT4 visa is granted to investors who contribute up to VND 03 billion (~ USD 127,605.3) and is valid for 1 year.

DT1, DT2 and DT3 are extendable with a temporary residence card.

In order to apply for an Investor visa, before you fly to Vietnam, prepare your valid passport and acquire a Visa Approval Letter with these required documents:

• (1) Enterprise or Investment Registration Certificate (certified copy) for the Vietnam-based company you plan to invest in.
• (2) Temporary residence form
• (3) Form NA16,
• (4) Form NA5 and
• (5) Form NA2 with Barcode.

The process for obtaining the Investor visa may take approximately 5 working days. Once you receive the approval letter, you can proceed with the following options:

Option 1: If you plan to apply for the visa at a Vietnam Embassy/Consulate, bring the approval letter, two 4x6cm photos, your passport, and Form NA5. Submit these documents on the scheduled date to receive your Investor visa.

Option 2: Alternatively, if you prefer Visa on Arrival, present the approval letter, photos, passport, and Form N1 at the airport upon your arrival. The visa stamping fee will vary from USD 25 to USD 50, depending on the number of entries and the validity period.

5. Visa for Visiting Family (Dependant visa)

The Vietnam Dependent visa, represented as TT, is designed for foreigners who wish to visit their relatives and stay in Vietnam for a duration of up to 12 months. You are eligible for this visa if your husband/wife/parent/child is a Vietnamese citizen. If your relative is a foreigner holding a LV2, LS, DT1, DT2, DT3, NN1, NN2, DH, PV1, LD1, or LD2 visa, the validity of your TT visa will be at least 30 days shorter than their passport validity.

For applicants who are over 18 years old and have a foreign guarantor, the TT visa is valid for no more than 6 months. If you wish to continue staying in Vietnam after your TT visa expires, you can apply for a Dependent residence card.

To obtain your TT visa, your Vietnamese relative will be responsible for most of the process. The required documents for them to prepare include:

• Form NA3 (to request your entry permit as a dependent, if you have not arrived in Vietnam yet) or Form NA5 (to apply for your visa/visa extension, if you are already in Vietnam).
• A certified copy of their ID card and household registration book.
• Relevant certificates to demonstrate the legal relationship between you and your relative (such as marriage certificate, birth certificate, etc.).

Otherwise, he/she is to prepare:

• Form NA2 (to apply for your dependent visa, if you have not arrived in Vietnam yet) or Form NA5 (to apply for your visa/visa extension, if you are already staying in Vietnam).
• Your original passport (in case you are already staying in Vietnam).
• His/her passport and visa/residence card.
• Relevant certificates to prove the legal relationship between you and your relative (such as marriage certificate, birth certificate, etc.).
• An introduction letter requesting him/her to process your visa application on your behalf at the Vietnam Immigration Department.

Once your Vietnamese relative submits these documents to the Immigration office in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, they can expect to receive the result within 5 business days.

6. Student visa

The Vietnam Student visa, represented as DH, is intended for foreigners who come to Vietnam for studying purposes. Its validity is usually at least 30 days less than your passport's validity, typically not exceeding 12 months, but it can be extended for up to 1 year.

Student visas are commonly applied for after arriving in Vietnam. You can initially obtain a Tourist visa to enter Vietnam and then enroll in your desired course. Afterward, you can apply for a visa status change at the Vietnam Immigration Department. Along with a valid passport, you will need to provide a written acceptance letter from the school, and there must be an organization in Vietnam to serve as your guarantor. The visa cost may range from USD 35 to USD 145, depending on the duration of validity and number of entries. If you plan to return to your home country and come back to Vietnam frequently, it is advisable to choose a multiple entry visa. However, using an agency to apply for this type of visa on your behalf may be more straightforward than doing it independently. The service fee and processing time may vary accordingly.

In conclusion, Vietnam offers various types of visas to suit different purposes. Hopefully, the information above assists you in determining your ideal visa type and makes the process of obtaining it more manageable.