The working visa for foreigners in Vietnam is symbolized as LD1 and LD2.
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 to work in Vietnam.
This work Vietnam visa is valid for up to 02 years and can be extended. But in case the work permit is valid for less than 1 year, the validity of the corresponding work visa is equal to that of the work permit.
Legal Grounds for Vietnam Work Visa
If you are interested in a work visa for Vietnam and its legality, you should refer to the following laws:
Law No. 47/2014/QH13 on entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam
Law No. 51/2019/QH14 amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law No. 47/2014/QH13.
Circular No. 04/2015/TT-BCA providing regulations on specimen papers concerning foreigners entering, leaving and residing in Vietnam
Decree No. 11/2016/ND-CP governing the implementation of the Labor Code on issuance of work permits to foreign workers in Vietnam and expulsion of foreign workers in Vietnam without work permits.
How to Get a Vietnam Work Visa
To get a work visa for Vietnam, both the entity where the foreigner works and the foreigner himself/herself should follow 5 steps below:
Step 1: The Vietnam-based company shall prepare the following documents:
The Vietnam based company will act as a guarantor and shall prepare the following documents to apply for a work permit for its foreign employee:
- Operation license of the company of the company/office where the foreigner is working for (it can be the Business registration certificate, or investment license, or operation license of a branch or representative office);
- Certificate of seal specimen or Statement of Seal Use by the Company
- Form NA16 – Registration form for the seal and signature of the legal representative of the enterprise operating in Vietnam;
- Form NA5 – Application for visa, visa extension, extension of stay for foreigners in Vietnam. You can download it here.
- 01 3*4cm photo
- Work permit or work permit exemption certificate.
- Copy of valid passport
Step 2: Submit the documents
Representative of the entity where the foreigner is working for will submit the documents mentioned above at the Vietnam Immigration Department or the Immigration Office under the Department of Public Security in city or province where its head office is based.
After submitting the documents and paying the visa fee, the submitter will receive an appointment note stating the expected date to receive the visa processing result.
In case of getting the working visa stamped at the Vietnam embassy/consulate in foreign country, a Fax charge must be paid.
Submission time: Monday to Friday, Saturday morning.
Step 3: Receive the work visa letter for Vietnam
The company’s representative, on the appointed date, will visit the Immigration department/office to receive the visa letter (if issued).
Step 4: Inform the foreign worker
After getting the letter, the entity shall notify the foreigner via email, fax or express courier so that he/she can complete the visa procedure.
Step 5: Receive the visa and pay fee
The foreigner will, at the office of Vietnam embassy/consulate in his/her host country, submit:
Form NA1 – Vietnamese Visa Application attached with 3x4cm photo
Original valid passport
Copy of the visa letter issued by the Immigration Department/Office of Vietnam
and pay for the visa fee applied by the embassy/consulate to get the work visa stamped onto passport.
The processing time of a request for work visa by the Vietnam Immigration Department/Office is normally 05 working days since receipt of full required documents.
Difference between Vietnam Work Visa and Vietnam Business Visa
Many foreigners might think a business visa and a work visa for Vietnam is the same. But in fact, they are completely different. Vietnam work visa is not a business visa.
While a business visa (DN visa) is granted to those who come to work with Vietnam-based enterprises, a work visa (LD visa) is granted to those who come to work for Vietnam-based company or office.
The DN visa is applied online or directly at the Vietnam embassy/consulate in foreign country by the foreigners themselves but the work visa is applied in Vietnam by the company where the foreigner works for and then stamped in the embassy in foreign country by the foreigners themselves.
Applying for a business visa does not requires a work permit, but applying for a work visa does.
A work visa might have longer validity than a business visa.
With a work visa, one can apply for a temporary residence card while he/she cannot do so with a business visa.