Vietnam Work Visa | How To Apply

As one of the fastest developing countries in Asia and the world, Vietnam is a favorable place to do business, attracting both foreign investment and workers. Even in the face of the global post-COVID-19 economic slump, Vietnam’s economy continues to grow, with a GDP growth of 8.02% from 2021 to 2022 alone.

As such, it’s no surprise that such a growing economy is a hot destination for skilled foreign workers. In this article, you’ll learn about the Vietnam work visa that allows you to work as a foreign professional and carry out business successfully.

Types of Work Visas in Vietnam

Per the new immigration laws that took effect on the 1st of July 2020, Vietnam visas are categorized into 21 primary types based on the purpose of the visit. The visa categories are as follows:

Tourist visa (DL)
Business visa (DN1, DN2)
Student/internship visa (DH)
Investor Visa (DT1, DT2, DT3, DT4)
Working visa (LD1 – LD2)
Diplomatic visa (NG)

You’ll need a business visa if you’re seeking to carry out business activities such as contract signing, administrative functions, and starting business partnerships in Vietnam.

Business visas in Vietnam are of two kinds, namely:

DN1 visa: This visa is granted to foreigners that work with other legally recognized organizations and businesses within Vietnam
DN2 visa: This visa is granted to foreign professionals who come to Vietnam to establish businesses or offer services within the country.

Who is Eligible for a Vietnam Work Visa?

Under Vietnam’s Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence for Foreigners, anyone can apply for a work visa provided they have an invitation from within Vietnam, plus a valid passport. Additional eligibility requirements also include not being subject to any entry restriction based on deportation or geopolitical status.

You can also be eligible for a Vietnam work visa if:

A Vietnamese company invites you
Being granted a work permit or confirmation for work permit exemption

Additionally, Vietnam has strict rules for determining who is and isn’t eligible for a work visa. The three major categories of foreign nationals who are eligible are:

Technical workers
Experts and specialists
Executives, managers, and other high-ranking company officials

Furthermore, Vietnam-based companies can only offer these job positions to skilled foreign employees if there aren’t any eligible local specialists to fill the position.

Apply for Vietnam Business Visa Today!

How Can I Get a Vietnam Work Visa?

Presently, there are two methods to get a Vietnam work visa:

Getting a visa on arrival (at the airport)
Getting a visa via the Vietnam embassy

For a visa on arrival (VOA), you’ll require a Letter of Approval upon arrival to Vietnam. Alternatively, you can directly apply to the Vietnam embassy or consulate in your home country.

Applying for a Vietnam Work Visa at an Embassy/Consulate

If you’d rather not to get a visa on arrival at the airport, you can have your visa stamped at your home country’s embassy/consulate.

When the application for visa is approved, Letter of Approval and Visa fax number will be sent to your home country’s Embassy/Consulate. Then, you shall come directly to the Embassy/Consulate to get the visa stamped on your passport. However, the time to handle will take about 2 to 3 working days or may be extended due to the workload there.

Applying for a Vietnam Work Visa on Arrival

To avoid the many procedural delays, you can apply for a visa on arrival. The application must be done via the Immigration Department. If successful, you will receive the Letter of Approval and have a visa stamped on your passport when you arrive at any of Vietnam’s international airports in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Danang, or Nha Trang.

Documents Required for a Vietnam Work Visa

Some of the documents required when applying for a Vietnam work visa include the following:

A valid and original passport with at least six months of validity remaining
A print-out of the Approval Letter from Vietnamese immigration
Passport-sized photographs
Sponsorship letter
NA5 visa application form
NA16 registration form from the sponsor

How Long Is a Vietnam Work Visa Valid?

The maximum validity period for Vietnam work visas is one year. Depending on how long you want to stay or the number of entries planned, you can choose any one of the following:

One month Vietnam business visa (single or multiple entries)
Three months Vietnam business visa (single or multiple entries)
Six months Vietnam business visa (multiple entries)
1-year Vietnam business visa (multiple entries)

How We Can Help – Company Secretarial & Taxation service

While Vietnam is a great place to do business, its stringent immigration and corporate laws can make it hard to navigate the corporate landscape. As a foreign expert looking to establish a commercial presence in a new country, you need guidance at every step of the way.

You need a specialist business consultant to apply for a visa to secure the necessary work permits. Even after getting into the country, you still need aid.

This is where Premia TNC comes in. Not only can we help provide efficient and seamless visa processing services to foreign professionals, but we also boast excellent secretarial and taxation specialties which you can translate into your business operations. Registering your organization is crucial to preparing for business in Vietnam. So is laying the groundwork for efficient personal and corporate tax taxation.

At Premia TNC, we can help you apply for business registration, maintain statutory records, change your company name, open a bank account, handle mergers and acquisitions, alter articles of association, change your registered office address, and file tax returns.

Our secretarial and taxation services are top-notch, and we have a reputation for delivering quality to all our foreign clients.

Contact Premia TNC today to help you get started commercially in Vietnam!