Vietnam visa types by purpose of visit
According to the new immigration regulations that took effect in July 1, 2020 (Law No. 51/2019/QH14), Vietnam visa is classified into about 21 main types by the purpose of visit, namely DL, DN1, DN2, NG, DT1, DT2, DT3, DT4, LS, DH, LV, LD1, LD2, HN, PV1, TT, SQ, etc.
1. Tourist visa (DL)
According to the new regulations taking effect since July 1, 2020, holders of tourist visas for Vietnam which are valid for more than 30 days are only given a 30-day temporary residence stamp, and they may extend visas in Vietnam if wishes to remain in the country.
Besides, the US travelers to Vietnam have 01 more option for a tourist visa to Vietnam: Vietnam 1 year multiple entry visa.
At the moment, there are up to 3 ways to get a tourist visa to Vietnam, namely:
- Getting a Vietnam visa on arrival (VOA – highly recommended for those traveling to Vietnam by air;
- Getting a Vietnam embassy visa; and
- Getting a Vietnam e-visa (available for 1-month single entry, and for nationals of 80 countries only).
2. Business visa (DN1, DN2)
The second most popular type of Vietnam visa is business visa which is now categorized into:
- DN1 visa – to be granted to foreigners who work with other businesses and organizations with legal status in accordance with the laws of Vietnam.
- DN2 visa – to be granted to foreigners who come to Vietnam to offer services, establish a commercial presence, or perform other activities under international treaties to which Vietnam is a member.
Like tourist visa for Vietnam, depending on validity and number of entries, a Vietnam business visa also can be divided into:
- 1-month single-entry visa;
- 1-month multiple entry visa;
- 3 months single entry visa; and
- 3 months multiple entry visa.
In addition, the US travelers to Vietnam have 01 more option for a tourist visa to Vietnam: Vietnam 1 year multiple entry visa.
At the moment, there are 02 ways to get a business visa to Vietnam, namely:
- Getting a Vietnam visa on arrival (VOA – highly recommended as no sponsor letter from a Vietnam company is not required to application); and
- Getting a Vietnam embassy visa.
3. Student/internship visa (DH)
A Vietnam student visa is granted to those who are attending a university course in Vietnam.
Normally this Vietnam visa type is arranged after arrival in Vietnam. You can enter Vietnam with a tourist visa, and then apply for a change in visa status at the Immigration Office after enrolling in the course. The easiest way to get this type of visa for Vietnam is to have an agency do it for you
4. Investor Visa (DT1, DT2, DT3, DT4)
An Investor visa for Vietnam is a type of visa granted to foreign investors in Vietnam. It is categorized as:
- DT1 – to be granted to foreign investors in Vietnam and representatives of foreign organizations investing in Vietnam with a capital contribution of at least VND100 billion, or investing in the business fields and areas of investment incentives decided by the Vietnam Government. Valid for up to 5 years.
- DT2 – to be granted to foreign investors in Vietnam and representatives of foreign organizations investing in Vietnam with a capital contribution of VND50 – under VND100 billion, or investing in the business fields of investment encouragement decided by the Vietnam Government. Valid for up to 5 years.
- DT3 – to be granted to foreign investors in Vietnam and representatives of foreign organizations investing in Vietnam with a capital contribution of VND3 – under VND50 billion. Valid for up to 3 years.
- DT4 – to be granted to foreign investors in Vietnam and representatives of foreign organizations investing in Vietnam with a capital contribution of less than VND3 billion. Valid for up to 12 months.
5. Working visa (LD1 – LD2)
Vietnam working visa is issued to foreigners who come to work in Vietnam, like teaching, etc. It is categorized into:
- LD1 – to be granted to foreigners who come to work in Vietnam with work permit exemption certificate, unless otherwise provided for in international treaties to which Vietnam is a member.
- LD2 – to be granted to foreigners who must have work permit Vietnam to work.
This type of visa for Vietnam is valid for 2 years at maximum. In case you wish to stay in Vietnam for longer, you need to apply for an LD temporary residence card which is valid for up to 02 years.
How to get Vietnam work visa?
To get a visa for doing a job in Vietnam,
- You need to request the company in Vietnam for which you will work to apply for an LD visa approval letter at Vietnam Immigration Department; and then
- You will then get visa stamped at the Vietnam mission in foreign countries or at your port of entry upon your arrival there, depending on the type of visa approval letter you are issued.
Note:
- The most important document for the Vietnam work visa application is a work permit or work-permit-free written confirmation. If you wish to obtain this type of visa but have no work permit or work-permit-free written confirmation, you apply for a business visa first with the determined company you will work for. After you have your work permit, you will easily apply for a working visa for Vietnam.
- Normally, an application for a Vietnam work visa does not require a criminal record or health check.
- Vietnam work visa cost consists of two kinds of fee: working visa approval letter fee and stamping fee at Vietnam embassy or Vietnam port.
6. Diplomatic visa (NG)
A Vietnam Diplomatic visa is granted to:
- members of a delegation visiting Vietnam at the invitation of the Vietnamese ministries or other high ranked government officials;
- consulate personnel in Vietnam;
- those who go for the work with consulate members or visit them for a short period.
There is no fee for a diplomatic visa to Vietnam unless it has been decided by the Vietnamese embassy and the applicant’s home country.
To apply for the Vietnam diplomatic visa, the applicant has to submit an official letter from the local government agency, consulates, or foreign embassies, to the concerned agencies in the applicant’s home country.
A Diplomatic visa for Vietnam is valid for up to 12 months.
Vietnam visa types by length of stay and validity
By this criterion, Vietnam visa is normally categorized into:
- 1 month single entry visa
- 1 month multiple entry visa
- 3 months single entry visa
- 3 months multiple entry visa
- 6 months multiple entry visa
- 1 year multiple entry visa