Vietnam

Vietnam visa guide

  • 11 visa types
  • checked 25 October 2026

How visas for Vietnam work

Vietnam issues visas under the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners (Law 47/2014, amended in 2019, 2023 and by Law 118/2025 from 1 July 2026). Every visa carries a symbol that fixes its purpose: DL for tourism, VR for visiting relatives, DN for working with a company, LĐ for employment, ĐT for investors, DH for study, TT for dependants, EV for the electronic visa. You must use the visa that matches what you actually do in Vietnam.

Since 15 August 2023 citizens of every country and territory can apply online for an e-visa on the Immigration Department portal (evisa.gov.vn). It is valid for up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, and costs USD 25 or USD 50. Vietnam grants unilateral visa exemption for tourism to 24 countries; ordinary passport holders of other countries need a visa unless a bilateral agreement exempts them.

Apart from the e-visa, almost every Vietnamese visa needs a sponsor in Vietnam: a company, school, organisation or relative who files the request with the Immigration Department (or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for official guests). After approval the visa is issued by a Vietnamese embassy or consulate, or at an international border gate. Long-term residents switch to a temporary residence card, valid up to 2, 3, 5 or 10 years depending on the symbol.

Fees are set by Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC, in force since 1 April 2026: USD 25 for a single-entry visa, USD 50 to 165 for multiple-entry visas depending on validity, USD 145 to 165 for a temporary residence card and USD 100 for a permanent residence card.

Which visa do I need?

Holiday, short business trip or family visit up to 90 days: e-visa (EV), applied for online in about three working days. A tour or sponsor-arranged trip can also use a DL tourist visa or a visa collected at the border gate if a sponsor has obtained approval in advance.

Longer family visits up to 180 days: VR visa sponsored by your relative. Working with a Vietnamese company: DN visa (up to 1 year). Employment with a work permit: LĐ visa (up to 2 years) and an LĐ residence card. Investing: ĐT visa and card (up to 10 years for ĐT1). Studying or interning: DH. Spouse or child of a worker, investor, student or Vietnamese citizen: TT visa and card. Long-term settlement: temporary residence card first, permanent residence only in the narrow cases set by law.

Visa types for Vietnam

Visits and short stays

  • Tourist visa Tourist visa (DL) and e-visa for tourism

    Tourists who are not visa-exempt travel to Vietnam either on the online e-visa (EV) or on a DL tourist visa.

    Maximum stay: Up to 90 days (DL and EV visas)
  • Family and friends visit visa Visa for visiting relatives (VR)

    The VR visa is issued to people who visit relatives in Vietnam or come for other purposes not covered by another symbol.

    Maximum stay: Up to the visa validity, at most 180 days; extendable through the sponsor

Business and self-employment

  • Business visa Business visa for working with an enterprise (DN1, DN2)

    The DN visa (now issued as DN1 or DN2) is for foreigners who come to work with an enterprise in Vietnam, for example for meetings, negotiations or contract work that does not require employment.

    Maximum stay: Up to the visa validity, at most 1 year
  • Investor visa Investor visa and residence card (ĐT1, ĐT2, ĐT3, ĐT4)

    Foreign investors in Vietnam and foreign lawyers practising there receive ĐT visas, graded ĐT1 to ĐT4 by the size of the investment.

    Maximum stay: Up to 12 months stamped on entry, then a residence card (ĐT1 up to 10 years from 1 July 2026)

Study and training

  • Student visa Study and internship visa (DH) and DH residence card

    The DH visa is for foreigners who come to Vietnam to study or to do an internship.

    Maximum stay: DH residence card up to 5 years, at least 30 days shorter than the passport

Work

  • Work visa Labour visa (LĐ1, LĐ2) and LĐ temporary residence card

    Foreigners who come to Vietnam for employment need an LĐ visa (LĐ1 or LĐ2) sponsored by their employer and a work permit, or a certificate that they are exempt from one, under the Labour Code.

    Maximum stay: Temporary residence of up to 12 months on entry; then a residence card of up to 2 years

Family

  • Spouse and partner visa Dependant visa and residence card (TT)

    The TT visa covers two groups: the spouse and children under 18 of foreigners holding LV1, LV2, ĐT, NN1, NN2, DH, PV1 or LĐ visas, and the parents, spouse and children of Vietnamese citizens.

    Maximum stay: TT temporary residence card up to 3 years

Residence

  • Residence permit Temporary residence card (thẻ tạm trú)

    Foreigners who live in Vietnam on certain visas switch to a temporary residence card (TRC), which replaces the visa for the card's term.

    Validity: ĐT1, UĐ1, UĐ2: up to 10 years; NG3, LV1, LV2, DH and other ĐT: up to 5 years; NN1, NN2, TT: up to 3 years; LĐ, PV1: up to 2 years
  • Permanent residence Permanent residence card (thẻ thường trú)

    Permanent residence in Vietnam is limited to four groups set by law, the largest being foreigners sponsored by a Vietnamese parent, spouse or child after three years of continuous temporary residence.

    Validity: Card exchanged every 10 years

Online travel permits

  • e-Visa Electronic visa (EV)

    The Vietnam e-visa (symbol EV) is issued online by the Immigration Department of the Ministry of Public Security to foreigners who are outside Vietnam.

    Maximum stay: Up to 90 days, matching the validity printed on the e-visa
  • Visa on arrival Visa issued at an international border gate

    Vietnam does not offer a walk-in visa on arrival for tourists.

    Maximum stay: According to the visa issued, for example up to 90 days for a DL tourist visa

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa for Vietnam?

Unless your country is on Vietnam's unilateral visa-exemption list, which covers 24 mainly European and East Asian countries, or has a bilateral exemption agreement, yes. Every nationality can apply online for an e-visa valid for up to 90 days.

Which is the official Vietnam e-visa website?

The Immigration Department portal at evisa.gov.vn (also reachable as thithucdientu.gov.vn since 11 November 2024). Many look-alike private sites charge extra service fees; the official fee is USD 25 for single entry and USD 50 for multiple entry.

Where do I collect a Vietnamese visa other than the e-visa?

At the Vietnamese embassy or consulate named in the approval, or at the international border gate named there. Embassy visas other than the e-visa are issued only after a sponsor in Vietnam has obtained approval from the Immigration Department.

Can I extend my stay in Vietnam?

Yes, through the person or organisation that sponsored you. The sponsor applies to the immigration authority, which decides within five working days; an extension of temporary residence costs USD 10. E-visa holders who are invited by a Vietnamese organisation or relative may be considered for a new visa inside Vietnam.

Do I have to register my address in Vietnam?

Yes. Every foreigner must declare temporary residence with the local police through the accommodation provider; hotels do this within 12 hours of arrival (24 hours in remote areas). If you stay in a private home, the host makes the declaration.

Does Vietnam have an asylum procedure?

Vietnamese immigration law, as published by the government, does not set out a national procedure for asylum claims, and the Immigration Department does not publish one.

Embassies and consulates

Last checked 25 October 2026. Each visa page lists the official sources it is based on.