FULL COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE ON VIETNAM BUSINESS & WORKING & INVESTMENT VISA FOR FOREIGN EXPATRIATES

Category

VIETNAM BUSINESS VISA

VIETNAM WORKING VISA

VIETNAM INVESTMENT VISA

Type

DN

LĐ

ĐT

Validity

Up to 90 days

Up to 1 year

Up to 1 year

Who this Vietnam visa is for?

• Foreigners entering Vietnam for short-term business activities such as business meetings, negotiations, conferences, factory visits, market surveys, contract signing, technical discussions, training, after-sales support, or other short-term commercial purposes.
• Most common visa, often obtained before other visa types.

• Foreigners working for local enterprises;
• Must prove employment with these organizations by Vietnam Work Permit.

• Foreign investors investing in Vietnamese companies.

Requirements for Vietnam Visa

• Must be sponsored by a Vietnamese company;
• Provide legal documents of the sponsoring company.
• Must have documents proving the purpose of the short-term business trip.

• Must be sponsored by a Vietnamese company;
• Provide legal documents of the sponsoring company;
• Must have a valid Work Permit or Work Permit Exemption.

• Must be sponsored by a Vietnamese company;
• Provide legal documents of the sponsoring company
• Must hold an Investment Registration Certificate, Enterprise Registration Certificate, and the Company tax report (if any).

VIETNAM BUSINESS VISA (DO BUSINESS IN VIETNAM BELOW 90 DAYS)

Step in order

Actions and Requirements for each Step of Vietnam Visa Procedure

Apply for a Vietnam Business Visa (Type DN)

📌 Sponsorship: A Vietnamese company/organization must sponsor the foreigner and submit entry approval forms to the Immigration Department.

📌  Visa stamping locations:

• ✈️ International airports in Vietnam
• 🚉 Land border checkpoints
• 🏢 Vietnamese embassies/consulates abroad

📌 Process:

• 📝  Get pre-visa approval from the Immigration Department (submitted online by A Sponsored Vietnamese company/organization)
• 📝  Collect visa at Vietnam Embassy/consulate abroad or port of entry in Vietnam (obtained by applicant)

📌 Required documents:

1. 📝 Foreigner’s information (nationality, purpose, entry date, visa type & duration, place to get visa)
2. 🛂 Passport copy
3. 🏢 Business license of sponsor company
4. 📑 Other required forms/documents depend on each specific purpose

WORKING VISA (WORKING IN VIETNAM FOR MORE THAN 90 DAYS)

In Case: Enter Vietnam Before Obtaining a Work Permit

Step in order

Actions and Requirements for each Step of Vietnam Visa Procedure

Step 1:
Apply for a Vietnam Business Visa (Type DN)

📌 Sponsorship: A Vietnamese company/organization must sponsor the foreigner and submit entry approval forms to the Immigration Department.

📌 Visa stamping locations:

• ✈️ International airports in Vietnam
• 🚉 Land border checkpoints
• 🏢 Vietnamese embassies/consulates abroad

📌 Process:

• 📝  Get pre-visa approval from the Immigration Department (submitted online by A Sponsored Vietnamese company/organization)
• 📝  Collect visa at Vietnam Embassy/consulate abroad or port of entry in Vietnam (obtained by applicant)

📌 Required documents:

1. 📝 Foreigner’s information (nationality, purpose, entry date, visa type & duration, place to get visa)
2. 🛂 Passport copy
3. 🏢 Business license of sponsor company
4. 📑 Other required forms/documents for working purpose but only enter short term

Step 2:
Apply for a Vietnam Work Permit

📌 Issued by: Department of Home Affairs where the employer is registered.

📌 Submission method: Online application

📌 Required documents:

1. 📝 Application form (Form No. 03 – Decree 219/2025/ND-CP taking effect from 07 August 2025)
2. 📜 Criminal record (Vietnamese or legalized foreign certificate) – issued within 6 months
3. 🏥 Health certificate (Vietnamese certificate) – issued within 12 months
4. 📸 2 photos (4x6 cm, white background, taken within 6 months)
5. 🛂 Valid passport
6. Document prove job position in Vietnam:

• 🎓 For expert position: Legalized Bachelor Degree, Legalized two years’ work experience
• 👔 For manager position: Business license, Company charter
• 👨‍ For Technical position:

+ Option 1: Legalized Suitable Working Experience (at least 3 years)

+ Option 2: Legalized Practicing Certificate and Legalized Working Experience (at least 2 years)

Step 3:
Apply for a Vietnam Working Visa (Type LD)

📌 Sponsorship: Vietnam company must submit application at Immigration Office at provice where employer located

📌 Submission method: 2 step required (Online and In person submission)

📌 Required documents:

1. 🛂 Passport
2. 🎫 Current Vietnam visa stick on passport or separate visa sponsored by employer
3. 📝 Entry approval letter (Result from step 1)
4. 📑 Work permit or exemption certificate (Result from step 2)
5. 📸 Photo 3x4 cm (Chinese nationals only)
6. 🏠 Temporary residence registration
7. 📄 Visa form (NA5)
8. 🖋 Seal/signature introduction (NA16)
9. 💼 Business registration certificate

In Case: Enter Vietnam After Obtaining a Work Permit

Step in order

Actions and Requirements for each Step of Vietnam Visa Procedure

Apply for a Vietnam Working Visa (Type LD)

📌 Sponsorship: A Vietnamese company/organization must sponsor the foreigner and submit entry approval forms to the Immigration Department.

📌 Visa stamping locations:

• ✈️ International airports in Vietnam
• 🚉 Land border checkpoints
• 🏢 Vietnamese embassies/consulates abroad

📌 Process:

• 📝  Get pre-visa approval from the Immigration Department (submitted online by A Sponsored Vietnamese company/organization)
• 📝  Collect visa at Vietnam Embassy/consulate abroad or port of entry in Vietnam (obtained by applicant)

📌 Required documents:

1. 📝 Foreigner’s information (nationality, purpose, entry date, visa type & duration, place to get visa)
2. 📑 Work permit or exemption certificate
3. 🛂 Passport copy
4. 🏢 Business license of sponsor company
5. 📑 Other required forms

VIETNAM INVESTMENT VISA

Step in order

Actions and Requirements for each Step of Vietnam Visa Procedure

Step 1:
Register for an Investment & Enterprise Certificates

Foreign individuals and organization investors are applying for an Investment Registration Certificate & Enterprise Registration Certificate – One of the most important documents for investment purposes in Vietnam.

• 💰  Capital below 3 billion VND
• 💰  Capital 3–50 billion VND

Step 2:
Apply for a Vietnam Investment Visa

📌 Process:

• 📝  Get pre-visa approval from the Immigration Department (submitted online by A Sponsored Vietnamese company/organization)
• 📝  Collect visa at Vietnam Embassy/consulate abroad or port of entry in Vietnam (obtained by applicant)

📌 Required documents:

• 📝 Foreigner’s information (nationality, purpose, entry date, visa type & duration, place to get visa)
• 🛂 Passport copy
• 📝 Investment Registration & Business Registration certificates listing the investor’s name
• 📂 Other supporting documents proving investor status.