Simply said, the temporary residence card in Vietnam is a multiple entry visa with around 2 to 5 years validity for foreigners who want to stay in Vietnam for a long time. The validity and required documents of these cards differ, depending on the applicant.

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What is a temporary residence card (TRC)?

Many expats are looking to secure a temporary residence card in Vietnam because it is one of the best ways to secure their long time stay in the country.

In comparison with other visa options in Vietnam, the temporary residence card’s validity is longer, often ranging from two to five years. Since temporary residence card holders do not need to apply for visas when entering the country, the temporary residence card in Vietnam can save you money and time.

Moreover, the family members of temporary residence card holders can also register for temporary residence cards to live in the country with the same terms and conditions.

What are the latest rules and regulations regarding the temporary residence card?

The rules and regulations change quite frequently regarding the visa and temporary residence card in Vietnam. Now many investors and business owners can only apply for a 1 – year investor visa. This is because in order to obtain a temporary residence card based on investment you must have a large amount of investment capital in your business or investment in Vietnam.

3 – 5 billion VND = 3 year TRC
50 – 100 billion VND = 5 years TRC

To whom is the temporary residence card issued?

Foreigners working in Vietnam as members of joint-stock enterprises’ board of directors with investment capital over VND 3 billion.
Foreigners working in Vietnam as members of multiple-member limited liability companies with investment capital over VND 3 billion.
Spouse, parents, and children of a temporary residence card holder.
Foreigners who are authorized to practice as a lawyer in the country by the Vietnamese Ministry of Justice.
Foreigners who are licensed to work in foreign enterprises’ representative offices.
Foreigners who own one-member limited liability companies.
Foreigners who study or work in Vietnam as students, experts, trainees for different national programs contracted between ministries were approved by the Vietnamese Government.

How long is the temporary residence card valid for?

The duration of the cards with code LĐ, PV1 is a maximum of 2 years.
The validity of the cards with codes NN1, NN2, TT is a maximum of 3 years.
The temporary residence cards with the codes NG3, LV1, LV2, ĐT, as well as DH are valid for a maximum of 5 years.
You will be considered for granting a new temporary residence card if your card is no longer valid.
Compared to the passport’s duration, the time limit of a temporary residence card is at least one month shorter.

What do the temporary residence card symbols mean?

LV1: Foreigners who are members of units, departments, and agencies of Vietnam Parliament, Government; the Central Committee of Vietnamese Communist Party, or Vietnamese Fatherland Front; the Vietnamese Audit; the People’s Supreme Court, or Procuracy; People’s Council and People’s Committee of provinces, cities under the central government, as well as ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government agencies.
LV2: Foreigners who work with social or social-political organizations and the Chamber of Commerce, and Industry of Vietnam.
LS: Foreigners licensed to practice as a lawyer in the country.
DT1: Foreigners as investors or foreign organizations’ representatives investing in the country with the amount of invested capital at least VND 100 billion; investing in Vietnamese business lines or administrative divisions receiving investment incentives, granted by the Vietnamese Government.
DT2: Foreigners as investors or foreign organizations’ representatives investing in the country with the amount of invested capital reaching VND 50 to 100 billion; investing in Vietnamese business lines or administrative divisions receiving investment incentives, granted by the Vietnamese Government.
DT3: Foreigners as investors or foreign organizations’ representatives investing in the country with the amount of invested capital reaching VND 3 to 50 billion;
NN1: Foreigners who are the heads of international or nongovernmental organizations’ projects; representative offices in the country
NN2: Foreigners who are the heads of branches or representative offices of foreign businesses; cultural, economic, or professional organizations in the country.
DH: Foreigners who are students or trainees in Vietnam.
PV1: Foreign journalists or reporters having Vietnam permanent resident status.
LD1: Foreign employees in the country confirmed to be exempt from work permits unless otherwise agreed between Vietnam and international conventions.
LD2: Foreign employees are required to acquire a work permit.
NG3: Foreigners who are the members of consular offices, diplomatic missions, international organizations’ representative offices belong to the Vietnam intergovernmental organizations and United Nations and their relatives including their spouses, children under 18 years old, and housemaids are staying with them during their term of office.
TT: foreigners who are the relatives (including their parents, spouses, children under 18 years) of the temporary residence card holders with the visa symbols LV1, LV2, ĐT, NN1, NN2, DH, PV1, LĐ, or Vietnamese citizens.

Preparations for TRC application dossier

For foreign workers who are work permit holders:

A written request of the guaranteeing or inviting individual, agency, or organization.
A declaration for temporary residence card granting is attached to the card image of the applicant.
The foreigner’s passport,
An Operation Registration Certificate of the enterprise using foreign employees (Business Registration Certificate, Investment Certificate, Representative Offices Registration Certificate, Registration Certificate of Branches, and many other documents depending on businesses and types of businesses).
Registration Certificate of the seal or documents related to posting the company’s seal information on the National Enterprise Registration Portal.
A notarized copy of work permit or certificate of foreign employees in Vietnam.
The first seal and signature register at Immigration Agencies (NA16).
Application and a written request for granting of temporary Resident card (NA6).
Application form for foreigner temporary residence card granting. (NA8).
Letter of introduction to Vietnamese workers for carrying out procedures’ temporary residence application at Immigration Agencies.
The passport (with the legal purpose visa of Vietnam entry, in the case that foreign employees were issued a temporary residence card before, foreigners must produce that TRC).
The temporary residence certification or temporary residence book is ratified by local public security agencies where the card is issued for foreigners. Foreign employees are required to provide these papers for Immigration Policy in some cases.
02 photos in 2×3 size.

For foreign workers who do not require the Vietnam work permit:

01 notarized copy of tax registration certificate.
01 notarized copy of documents to demonstrate that you do not require the Vietnam work permit.
01 notarized copy of Business License (6 months minimum remaining validity).
01 notarized copy of Certificate of a legal seal (6 months minimum remaining validity).
01 notarized copy of temporary residence book/letter in the country with attached the local police officers’ stamp.
Photo in 3×4 size (the images are taken less than six months with white background and looking straight and not allowed to wear eyeglasses).
Original business visa and passport granted by current enterprise client working for and the current minimum duration of passport is required to be equivalent to the time-limit of temporary residence card is desired to extend.

For foreign workers’ family members:

Copied documents evidencing temporary residence confirmation.
01 valid copy of temporary residence book/letter in the country attached to the local police officers’ stamp.
Papers as evidence of relationships concluding Household Registration Book, Marriage Certificate, and Birth Certificate.
Photos in 3×4 size (the images are taken less than six months with white background and looking straight and not allowed to wear eyeglasses).
Original business visa and passport granted by the current enterprise that the applicant is working for, and the current minimum duration of passport is required to be equivalent to the time-limit of temporary residence card is desired to extend.

For foreigners married to Vietnamese citizens:

A written request of the guaranteeing or inviting individual.
A declaration for temporary residence card granting is attached to the card image of the applicant.
Applicant’s passport.
A notarized copy of the Vietnam Marriage Certificate or a copy of Consular Legalization for getting married in the country in the case of foreign marriage registration.
Application form for granting of temporary Resident card (NA7).
Application form for granting of the Temporary Resident card for foreigners (NA8).
Passport and visa (the passport’s minimum validity is 13 months and the visa with legal Vietnam entry purpose).
02 photos in 2×3 size.
A notarized copy of the Vietnamese spouse’s Family Record Book.
A notarized copy of the Vietnamese spouse’s Identity card.

For foreign investors in Vietnam:

A written request of the guaranteeing or inviting individual, agency, or organization.
A declaration for temporary residence card granting is attached to the card image of the applicant.
Applicant’s passport.
A notarized copy of Business Registration Certificate, Investment License involving foreign investors’ capital contribution
Registration Certificate of the seal or documents related to posting the company’s seal information on the National Enterprise Registration Portal.
The first seal and signature register at Immigration Agencies (NA16).
Application form and written request for granting of temporary Resident card (NA6).
Application form for issuance of the Temporary Resident card for foreigners (NA8).
Letter of introduction to Vietnamese workers for carrying out procedures’ temporary residence application at Immigration Agencies.
Passport and visa (the passport’s minimum validity is 13 months and the visa with legal Vietnam entry purpose).
The temporary residence certification or temporary residence book is ratified by local public security agencies where the card is issued for foreigners. Foreign employees are required to provide these papers for Immigration Policy in some cases.
02 photos in 2×3 size.

Basic steps for foreigners to obtain a temporary residence card

Step 1: Preparing documents related to granting temporary residence cards in accordance with the law.

See a detailed description in the previous section. Please note that in practice, foreign applicants often work with a visa agent or a law firm to apply. So a big part of these steps is taken out of their hands.

Step 2: Handing in dossiers

Dossiers of TRC reception places:

One of the headquarters of Immigration Administration – The Ministry of Public Security below take responsibility for receiving as well as examining the legal produce and information content of these documents:

No. 44-46, Tran Phu street, Ba Dinh district, Hanoi city

No. 254, Nguyen Trai street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh city

No. 7, Tran Quy Cap street, Danang city

Immigration Office – Public Security of the central-affiliated provinces and cities.

All dossiers of applying for temporary residence cards will be settled on a case-by-case basis. Complete information content and valid dossiers will be received, printed, and then reception officers will give the quittance back to applicants and make an appointment to return these documents. On the contrary, in case of invalid dossiers, foreigners will be instructed to complete additional documents for adequacy.

Dossiers of TRC reception time:

The applicants can submit their documents at these reception places from Monday to Saturday morning every week (apart from Sunday, Tet holiday, and national festivals)

Step 3: Receiving results

The applicants are required to provide their passport or identity card, and to examine information. Besides, they must pay, sign, and require to receive the result of granting TRC (even when they are not allowed to obtain the TRC). The applicants will acquire a temporary residence card if all procedures are met.

Results returning time:

The results of granting a temporary residence card will be returned to applicants from Monday to Saturday morning every week (apart from Sunday, Tet holiday, and national festivals).

Vietnam competent authorities to issue temporary residence cards for foreigners

Dossiers of NG3 temporary residence cards application will be sent by Consular officers, Diplomatic Missions, and other authorized foreign agencies in the country to competent authorities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Guaranteeing or Inviting individuals, organizations, and agencies hand in the dossiers of temporary residence cards for expats who acquire the visa symbols NN1, NN2, LV1, LV2, ĐT, DH, PV1, TT, or LĐ to local immigration management agencies where guaranteeing or inviting individuals, organizations, agencies are located, or where invited or guaranteed people live.
From the date the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ immigration authorities or competent authorities receive the dossiers for adequacy, these documents will be carefully examined to grant temporary residence cards.

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