Vietnam immigration policy

Foreigners are only allowed for immigration (entry or exit) if they have passports or passport substitute papers (hereinafter referred collectively to as passports) and visas granted by competent Vietnamese agencies, except for cases of visa exemption.  Foreigners shall carry out procedure to apply for Vietnamese visas at the exit and entry management agency of the Ministry of Public Security, the Consular Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vietnamese diplomatic missions or consulates in foreign countries. The visa application shall be replied within no more than 5 working days after the receipt of valid dossiers. Persons aged under 14 who have been declared in the visa application of their escorts shall not have to fill in separate procedure for visa application.

The invitation of foreigners by agencies and organizations must conform with the agency/organization’s functions or operation licenses granted by the competent Vietnamese agencies. Vietnamese citizens residing in the country, Vietnamese citizens currently on temporary residence in Vietnam, foreigners permanently residing in Vietnam and those temporarily residing in Vietnam for 6 months or more shall be entitled to invite foreigners into Vietnam for visits.

The immigration officer under the Ministry of Public Security will report to the representative diplomatic offices or consulates in the resident countries to grant a valid visa for foreigners within 3 working days as maximum since the receipt of applications and associated legal documents.

Any organizations or individuals who would like to apply for a visa for foreigners at the Vietnamese international border gate can send a written request to the Immigration

Department of the Ministry of Public Security. In cases of application for visas granting at border gates for urgent reasons, the written requests must be filed at least 12 hours before the invited foreigners’ arrival at the border gates.

Validity and duration of a visa

1.       Single or multiple visas, which are valid for 12 months at maximum, shall be granted to persons entering Vietnam to execute projects under investment licenses or cooperation contracts with Vietnam agencies and/or organizations, or persons entering Vietnam to work at Vietnam based foreign agencies and their accompanying next of kin and dependents.

2.       Single or multiple visas, which are valid for6 months at maximum, shall be granted to persons who have been invited by agencies, organizations and individuals into Vietnam and do not fall into the cases specified at Point A of this Clause;

3.       Single visa, which are valid for 15 days, shall be granted to persons applying for entry without any invitation by agencies, organizations and individuals in Vietnam

4.       Single visa, which are valid for 15 days, shall be granted to persons applying for entry without any invitation by agencies, organizations and individuals in Vietnam

5.       Upon the expiry of their visas, the visa bearers who wish to make other entries into and exit from Vietnam shall have to complete the procedure for applying for new visas

Procedures and application form for a visa

After receiving written replies from the Immigration Department of the Ministry of Public Security or the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the agencies, organizations and individuals that have invited foreigners into Vietnam shall notify such foreigners to file their applications and photos and receive visas at the Vietnamese diplomatic missions and consular offices in foreign countries. For foreigners to be granted visas at Vietnam’s international border gates, the inviting agencies, organizations and individuals shall notify such foreigners to file their applications and photos and receive visas at the Immigration bodies at such border gates.

The Vietnamese diplomatic missions or consular offices in foreign countries shall base themselves on notices of the Immigration Department of the Ministry of Public Security or the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to grant visas to foreigners upon receiving the latter visa applications and photos.

Foreigners applying for visas for entry into Vietnam without invitation and reception by any Vietnamese agency, organization or individual shall file their visa applications and photos to the Vietnamese diplomatic missions or Consular offices in foreign countries for consideration and granting of visas

The visa application includes the following documents:

• 01 visa application form to Vietnam (form received at the visa authorized office), stamped with a photo size 4×6 cm (not over 1 year, eyes direct contact and hatless head);

• a valid passport or a similar paper (at least valid 1 month longer than the validity of the visa request);

• a notice of invididuals, companies or agencies which invite the applicants of the complete procedures which they have done with the immigration office under the Ministry of Security (if any)

• Visa fees from 10USD to 100 USD depending on types of visas

Visa exemption

Foreigners can be granted with visa exemption if they are eligible for as stated in contents of the agreements between the VN SRV with the listed countries. Specifically, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Japan and Korea regardless of types of passports and purposes of entry to Vietnam are eligible for visa exemption if they stay in Vietnam less than 15 days since the entry date. Governmental officials, and officials from the ASEAN secretariat regardless of types of passports are eligible for visa exemption to Vietnam within 30 days. Citizens from Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Laos holding a normal passport are eligible for a visa exemption to Vietnam if they stay within 30 days. Citizens from China, Bulgaria, Kyrgyzstan, Cuba and the People Democratic Republic of Korea holding a normal passport come to Vietnam for official work and citizens from 46 countries holding diplomatic or official passports are eligible for a visa exemption to Vietnam.

Foreigners who are regularly or temporarily resident in Vietnam for more than 1 year are granted with a time valid regular or temporary residency card by an authorized agency under the Ministry of Security, and are free to arrive to or depart from Vietnam within the timeline stated in the residency card (ID card).

Vietnamese overseas and foreigners who are husbands or wives of Vietnamese overseas or Vietnamese are eligible for the visa exemption if they hold a foreign passport or a similar paper valid for at least 6 months since the entry date and the visa exemption certificate granted by an authorized agency. Details can be consulted directly at a Vietnamese diplomatic representative office or a consulate in the foreign countries.

Tags: Living in Vietnam, Vietnam immigration policy