Types of VISA for foreigners

1. What is a Visa?

Visa means a document issued by a competent authority of Vietnam to a foreigner to grant entry into Vietnam.

Visa is issued into the passport, issued separately or through electronic transactions. Visas issued through electronic transactions are electronic visas.

Visa is issued separately for each person, except for the following cases:

• Case 1: Issuing visas according to parents or guardians for children under 14 who will be issued with visas in the same passports of their parents or guardians.

• Case 2: Issuing visas according to the personnel review list of the immigration management agency for foreigners visiting, traveling by sea or transiting by sea want to enter the country for sightseeing or tourism according to the program organized by international travel agencies in Vietnam; members of foreign military ships following the official operation program of the visit outside the province or city directly under the Central Government where the ship or boat is anchored.

The visa is valid for a single or multiple entry; The e-visa and visa issued for case 2 are valid for one time only.

2. Types of VISA for foreigners

Foreigners living, studying and working in Vietnam are granted one of the following types of visas with the symbols as follow:

• NG1 - Issued to members of delegations invited by the Secretary General of Vietnam’s Communist Party of, the President of Vietnam, the President of the National Assembly, the Prime Minister.

• NG2 - issued to members of delegations invited by standing members of the Secretariat of the Vietnam’s Communist Party, Deputy President of Vietnam, Deputy President of the National Assembly, Deputy Prime Minister, President of Vietnamese Fatherland Front, Executive Judge of The Supreme Court, Chief Procurator of the Supreme Procuracy, State Auditor General; members of delegations at the same levels of Ministers, Secretary Generals of Provincial Communist Authorities, President of the People’s Committees of provinces.

• NG3 - Issued to members of diplomatic missions, consular offices, representative offices of international organizations affiliated to the UN, representative offices of intergovernmental organizations and their spouses, children under 18 years of age, and housemaids during their term of office.

• NG4 - Issued to people who come to work with diplomatic missions, consular offices, representative offices of international organizations affiliated to the UN, representative offices of intergovernmental organizations, visitors of members of diplomatic missions, consular offices, representative offices of international organizations affiliated to the UN, and representative offices of intergovernmental organizations.

• LV1 - Issued to people who come to work with units affiliated to Vietnam’s Communist Party; the National Assembly, the government, Central Committee of Vietnamese Fatherland Front, the People’s Supreme Court, the People’s Supreme Procuracy, State Audit Agency, Ministries, ministerial agencies, Governmental agencies, the People’s Councils, the People’s Committees of provinces.

• LV2 - Issued to people who come to work with socio-political organizations, social organizations, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

• ĐT - Issued to foreign investors in Vietnam and foreign lawyers practicing in Vietnam.

• DN - Issued to people who come to work with companies in Vietnam.

• NN1 - Issued to Managers of representative offices or projects of international organizations and foreign non-governmental organizations in Vietnam.

• NN2 - Issued to heads of representative offices, branches of foreign traders, representative offices of other foreign economic, cultural, professional organizations in Vietnam.

• NN3 - Issued to people who come to work with foreign non-governmental organizations, representative offices, branches of foreign traders, representative offices of other foreign economic, cultural, professional organizations in Vietnam.

• DH - Issued to people who come to study or serve internships.

• HN - Issued to people who come to attend conventions or conferences.

• PV1 - Issued to journalists who have permanent residences in Vietnam.

• PV2 - Issued to journalists who come to work for a short period of time in Vietnam.

• LD - Issued to people who come to work.

• DL - Issued to tourists.

• TT - Issued to foreigners that are parents, spouse, children under 18 years of age of the foreigners issued with LV1, LV2, ĐT, NN1, NN2, UNIVERSITY, PV1, LĐ visas, or foreigners that are parents, spouse, children of Vietnamese citizens.

• VR - Issued to people who come to visit their relatives or for other purposes.

• SQ - Issued to the people following cases: The head of the overseas visa-issuing authority of Vietnam shall issue a visa that is valid for not more than 30 days to the following foreigners who comes to Vietnam for the purpose of market survey, tourism, visiting relatives, or medical treatment:

  • Person who has work to do with an overseas visa-issuing authority of Vietnam, his/her spouse and children; any person that presents a written request by a competent agency of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the host country.

  • Person who presents a diplomatic note of sponsorship by a foreign diplomatic mission or consular office at the host country.

• EV: Electronic visa.

Visas may not be converted for purposes, except in the following cases:

• Having documents proving that they are investors or representatives of foreign organizations investing in Vietnam in accordance with Vietnamese law.

• Having documents proving the relationship as father, mother, wife, husband, child with the inviting or guarantor.

• Being invited or guaranteed to work by an agency or organization and having a work permit or certification that is not eligible for a work permit in accordance with the labor law.

• Enter with an electronic visa and have a work permit or confirmation that you are not eligible for a work permit in accordance with the labor law.

3. Legal basis

• Law on entry, exit, transit and residence of foreigners in Vietnam 2014.

• Law on entry, exit, transit and residence of foreigners in Vietnam revised 2019.