COMPLETE GUIDE TO VIETNAM WORKING VISA & WORK PERMIT PROCESS 2026

Step by step

Procedure of Vietnam Working Visa & Work Permit

Important notes

Step 1

Apply for the Vietnam Pre-Approval Letter

• Sponsored by a Vietnamese company
• Visa validity: 1–3 months
• Approval depends on the Immigration Department’s assessment

Step 2

Apply for Vietnam Work Permit

• Required for legal employment
• Validity: up to 2 years

Step 3

Apply for Working Visa or Temporary Residence Card type working

• Validity: up to 2 years
• TRC type working/Working Visa must be at least one month shorter than passport validity;
• TRC type working’s duration depends on work permit validity.

Procedure

Required documents

Vietnam Pre-Approval Letter

The required documents need to be provided to both the applicant and Vietnam’s sponsor company:

1. Scanned copy of the sponsor company’s business or investment or representative license in Vietnam, tax and stamp registration certificate;
2. Application forms must be signed by a legal representative of the company and sealed by the company;
3. Bio page of the applicant’s passport;
4. Provide the proposed date of arrival and place of picking up the visa;
5. Other related documents

Vietnam Work Permit

General documents:

1. Application Form No. 03 (per Decree 219/2025/ND-CP)
2. Vietnamese health examination certificate (issued within last 12 months)
3. 02 color photos (4cm x 6cm, .JPG, white background, straight face, bare head, no glasses), taken within 6 months
4. Scanned copy of original passport (full pages, including blank and non-blank pages)
5. The valid work permit that has been previously issued
6. Scanned copy of the Business Registration Certificate.
7. Other documents (if any)

Documents to prove for the position:

📌FOR MANAGER: Company Charter OR Appointment letter

📌FOR EXPERT: University Degree with Consular Legalization & Working Experience Certificate with Consular Legalization

⚠ All foreign-issued documents must be consular legalized and translated into Vietnamese.

Working Visa or Temporary Residence Card

Prepare documents as required by the Immigration Office:

1. Application form of Temporary residence card or working visa;
2. Applicant’s original passport;
3. A valid and suitable Vietnam visa/TRC (result of Step 1);
4. Two (2) passport-sized photographs (2cm x3cm);
5. A notarized true copy of work permit;
6. Residential registration certificate issued online or confirmed by the local police department;
7. A notarized true copy of the company’s business registration.

Procedure

Detailed Procedures

Processing time

Step 1: Pre-Approval Letter

1.1 Apply for Approval Letter

• Authority: The Immigration Department in Ho Chi Minh or in Ha Noi city
• Submission: Online + offline (if required)
• Applicant must be outside Vietnam when applying for the Approval Letter.

5–7 working days

1.2 Vietnam Visa Stamping

• Locations: Vietnam Embassy/Consulate abroad OR Vietnam International Airport/Border Gate
• Documents:
  1. Original passport
  2. photos 4x6cm
  3. Visa approval letter
  4. Entry/exit form
  5. Stamping fee

Airport: within hours

Embassy: 1 day – 1 week

Step 2: Vietnam Work Permit

2.1 Labor Recruitment (Decree 219/2025/NĐ-CP)

Before applying for a work permit, businesses may need to post a recruitment notice for Vietnamese candidates, but only in specific cases.

✅ Required for:

• Positions under labor contracts,
• Foreigners joining projects or contracts in Vietnam,
• Those working for foreign diplomatic missions or organizations in Vietnam.

The job posting (if required) must appear on official employment platforms such as the local Employment Service Center or recognized job websites, and remain public for at least 5 days before submitting the work permit application.

At least 5 days

2.2 Work Permit Application

• Submitted after recruitment step (if required).
• Submit ≥10 working days before start date
• Authority: Department of Home Affairs
• Method Submission: Online

10 working days

Step 3: Working Visa or Temporary Residence Card

3.1 Submit TRC/Visa Application

• Submit online on the Public Security Service portal's website: https://dichvucong.bocongan.gov.vn, and then pay the government fee online.
• Submit originals at Immigration Office in the city/ province where the sponsored company is located.
• Method Submission: Online + offline

7–10 working days

3.2 Receive TRC/Visa

• Once your Temporary Residence Card/ Working Visa is approved, you will receive a notification on the online system or from the Immigration Office.
• Go to the same Immigration Department where you submitted your dossier in Step 3.1 to collect the result