Temporary residence card for Foreigners in Vietnam

In the era of global economic integration, there has been an increase in the number of foreign workers in Vietnam. This has helped to further develop the economy as well as attracting more foreign investments to Vietnam. According to Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam 2014, these workers must be issued temporary residence cards for the Vietnamese Government to manage their numbers and the time they are allowed to stay in Vietnam.

Legal basis for applying a temporary residence card for foreigners in Vietnam 

• Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam (Law number 47/2014/QH13, dated June 16, 2014).
• Circular No. 04/2015 / TT-BCA, dated January 5, 2015, of the Ministry of Public Security, providing for forms of papers related to entry, exit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam.
• Circular No. 219/2016 / TT-BTC dated November 10, 2016, of the Ministry of Finance regulating the regime of collection, payment, management, and use of charges in the fields of exit, entry, transit, and immigration. residing in the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security.

Cases of issuance of temporary residence card, symbols of temporary residence card according to Vietnamese law

• Foreigners who are members of diplomatic agencies, Consular Post, agencies represent international organizations affiliated with the United Nation, intergovernmental organizations in Vietnam and their wife, husband, children under 18 years old, maids accompany each term
• Foreigners who have visa symbol LV1, LV2, LS, ĐT1, ĐT2, ĐT3, NN1, NN2, DH, PV1, LĐ1, LĐ2, TT.

Symbols of temporary residence card

• LV1- Issued to people who come to work with departments, agencies, units directly under the Central Government of the Communist Party of Vietnam; the National Assembly, Government, Central Committee of Vietnam Fatherland Front, Supreme People’s Court, Supreme People’s Procuracy, State Audit, Ministries, Ministerial-level agencies, Governmental agencies; Provincial Party Committee, City Party Committee, People’s Council, People’s Committee of province or city under central authority;
• LV2 – Issued to people come to work with socio-political organizations, social organizations, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry;
• LS – Issued to foreign lawyers practicing in Vietnam;
• ĐT1 – Issued to foreign investors in Vietnam and representatives of foreign organizations investing in Vietnam with minimum contributed capital valued at VND 100 billion or investing in industries, trades subject to investment incentives or preferential areas that are decided by the Government;
• ĐT2 – Issued to foreign investors in Vietnam and representatives of foreign organizations investing in Vietnam with contributed capital valued from VND 50 billion to VND 100 billion or investing in industries, trades subject to investment incentives or preferential area that are decided by the Government;
• ĐT3 – Issued to foreign investors in Vietnam and representatives of foreign organizations investing in Vietnam with contributed capital valued from VND 3 billion to VND 50 billion;
• NN1 – Issued to heads of representative offices, projects of foreign organizations, foreign non-governmental organizations in Vietnam;
• NN2 – Issued to heads of representative offices, branches of foreign investors, representative offices of other economic, cultural and professional in Vietnam;
• DH – Issued to people who come to study or practice;

· PV1 – Issued to reporters and press residing in Vietnam;

• LĐ1 – Issued to foreigners working in Vietnam with certification that they are not required to work with work permits unless otherwise prescribed by the international treaties to which Vietnam is a member.
• LĐ2 – Issued to foreigners working in Vietnam who are required to have work permits.

· NG3 – Issued to members of diplomatic missions, consulates, representative offices of international organizations affiliated to the United Nations, representative offices of intergovernmental organizations, and wife, husband, children under 18 years old and maids accompany each term.

• TT – Issued to foreigners who are wife, husband, children under 18 years old of foreigner issued with LV1, LV2, LS, ĐT1, ĐT2, ĐT3, NN1, NN2, DH, PV1, LĐ1, LĐ2 visas or foreigners who are father, mother, wife, husband, children of Vietnamese citizen.

Steps to apply for temporary residence cards for foreigners in Vietnam

Step 1: Prepare dossiers following the law

Step 2: Submit dossiers

Foreigners apply for temporary residence cards or representatives submit dossiers at one of the three headquarters of the Immigration Department – Ministry of Public Security:

• 44-46 Tran Phu, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi City.
• 254 Nguyen Trai, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
• 7 Tran Quy Cap, Da Nang City.
• Or Immigration Department of the Police of the province or centrally run city.

The Immigration Department receive dossiers to check the legality and content

• If the dossier is complete and valid, then the dossier-receiving officer accepts the application, print and give a receipt, appoint a date to return the results.
• If the dossier is invalid then the dossier-receiving officer shall guide the applicant to supplement the dossier for completeness.

Dates to submit the dossiers

From Monday to Saturday morning (except New Year, holidays, and Sunday)Step 3: Receive the results

In 5 working days, the person who receives the result gives a receipt, ID card, or passport for officer who returns the result to check and cross-examine, if the result of temporary residence card is issued then make a request to pay the fee and after that, he or she signs the receipt and hand over the temporary residence card for the person receiving the result (even if not solved).

Dates to receive the result

From Monday to Friday morning (except New Year, holidays, Saturday and Sunday)

Requirements and conditions for foreigners to apply for temporary residence cards

The passport’s remaining validity is at least 1 year or more.

Proof of eligibility for temporary residence card issued for foreigners is still valid for at least 1 year (ex: Work permit,…).

Dossiers required to apply for a temporary residence card

Dossiers required for foreigners who have work permits in Vietnam

• Request documents of agencies, organizations, or individuals that carry out the invitation or guarantee;
• An application form for temporary residence card with photo;
• Passport of the foreigner apply for temporary residence card;
• Certificate of operation of the enterprise employing foreign worker (Business Registration License, Investment License, Operation License of representative offices, branches…. Depend on businesses and types of businesses, there will be different types of documents);
• Seal Registration Certificate or written notice of posting information about the enterprise’s seal sample on the national enterprise registration portal;
• Notarized copy of work permit or certification to work without a work permit;
• Seal Registration and the first Signature at Immigration Agency (form NA16);
• Official document and application for temporary residence card for foreigners (Form NA6);
• Application form for temporary residence card for foreigners (Form NA8);
• Letter of introduction for Vietnamese representatives submit dossiers to the Immigration Agency on behalf of foreigners;
• Original passport (Note that the passport has a visa for the same work-related purpose unless the foreigner already acquired a temporary residence card before then this card is required)
• Temporary Residence Registration Certificate or foreigner’s temporary residence registration book that is confirmed by the police of the ward or commune in which foreigners are residing (if any). In certain cases, the Immigration Agency will request these documents.;
• 02 personal photos 2 cm x 3 cm.

Dossiers required for foreigners who married to Vietnamese citizens

• Request documents of agencies, organizations, or individuals that carry out the invitation or guarantee;
• An application form for temporary residence card with photo;
• Passport of the foreigner apply for temporary residence card;
• Notarized copy of Certificate of Marriage Registration in Vietnam or notarized copy of Consular Legalized Marriage Noted in Vietnam if the marriage was registered overseas;
• Application for Guarantee and temporary residence card for foreigners (Form NA7);
• Application form for temporary residence card for foreigners (Form NA8);
• Original passport and visa card (passport’s validity is at least 13 months, as well as passport and visa, has the same purpose);
• 02 personal photos 2 cm x 3 cm;
• Notarized copy of Registration book of wife or husband who is a Vietnamese citizen;
• Notarized copy of ID card of wife or husband who is a Vietnamese citizen.

Dossiers required for foreign investors in Vietnam

• Request documents of agencies, organizations, or individuals that carry out the invitation or guarantee;
• An application form for temporary residence card with photo;
• Passport of the foreigner apply for temporary residence card;
• Notarized copy of Business Registration License, Investment License that demonstrates clearly and specifically the capital that the foreign investor contributed;
• Seal Registration Certificate or written notice of posting information about the enterprise’s seal sample on the national enterprise registration portal;
• Seal Registration and the first Signature at Immigration Agency (form NA16);
• Official document and application for temporary residence card for foreigners (Form NA6);
• Application form for temporary residence card for foreigners (Form NA8);
• Letter of introduction for Vietnamese representatives submit dossiers to the Immigration Agency on behalf of foreigners;
• Original passport and visa card (passport’s validity is at least 13 months, as well as passport and visa, has the same purpose);
• Temporary Residence Registration Certificate or foreigner’s temporary residence registration book that is confirmed by the police of the ward or commune in which foreigners are residing.
• 02 personal photos 2 cm x 3 cm.

Competence to issue temporary residence card for foreigners

1. Representative agencies of diplomatic missions, consular or other foreign agencies authorized in Vietnam that send a request for temporary resident cards that have NG3 symbol to competence agencies directly under Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
2. Enterprises, organizations, individuals that carry out the invitation or guarantee submit a request for temporary residence cards for foreigners who have LV1, LV2, LS, ĐT1, ĐT2, ĐT3, NN1, NN2, DH, PV1, LĐ1, LĐ2, TT visa symbols to Immigration Agency where these enterprises, organizations are located or where the individuals reside.
3. In 5 working days starting from when the agency receives the complete dossiers, the Immigration Agency or other competence agencies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs consider issuing temporary residence cards.

Terms of temporary residence cards

• Temporary residence card’s validity is at least 30 days shorter than passport’s remaining validity.
• The Đ T1 card symbol is valid for no more than 10 years;
• The NG3, LV1, LV2, LS, ĐT2, and DH card symbols are valid for no more than 5 years;
• The NN1, NN2, ĐT3, TT card symbols are valid for no more than 3 years;
• The LĐ1, LĐ2 và PV1 card symbols are valid for no more than 2 years;
• Expired temporary residence cards may be considered to renew.

Besides the work permit in Vietnam, we also offer the foreigners in Vietnam other legal services related to Vietnam intellectual property such as copyright registration, renewals, and trademark registration in Vietnam.