Some regulations on Visa in Vietnam

Some regulations on Visa in Vietnam

Legal basis

Law on Entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam No. 47/2014/QH13 dated June 16th 2014 amended and supplemented by Law No. 51/2019/QH14 dated November 25, 2019 and Law No. 23/2023/QH15 dated June 24, 2023.

Some regulations on Visa

2.1. What is visa?

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

2.2. Forms and uses of visa

Visa shall be issued and attached to passport, issued separately or issued via electronic transaction. The visa issued via electronic transaction is called as electronic visa.
Visas shall be issued individually for each person, except for cases bellow:

+ Visas for children under 14 years of age travelling on passports of their parents or guardians shall be issued together with visas thereof;

+ Visas shall be issued according to lists issued by immigration authorities with respect to foreigners visiting and travelling or transiting by sea who wish to enter inland for visiting and tourism purposes according to programs organized by international tourism enterprises in Vietnam; members of foreign military ships travelling under official programs of tours outside of central-affiliated cities and provinces where their ships anchor.

Visas can be used once or multiple times.
A visa of an individual cannot be repurposed, except for cases below:

+ He/she presents document proving to be an investor or a representative for foreign organization investing in Vietnam as per the law of Vietnam;+ Có giấy tờ chứng minh quan hệ là cha, mẹ, vợ, chồng, con với cá nhân mời, bảo lãnh;

+ He/she is invited or sponsored by an agency or organization to work and have a work permit or confirmation that they are not subject to a work permit according to the provisions of labor law;

+ He/she is invited or sponsored by agencies or organizations and presents work permit or confirmation of eligibility for work permit exemption according to the labor law;

+ He/she makes entry by electronic visa and presents work permit or confirmation of eligibility for work permit exemption according to the labor law.

In case a person repurposes visa as specified in Clause 4 of this Article, he/she shall be issued with a new visa with number and time limit suitable with the new purpose. Procedures for issuance of new visas shall comply with Article 19 of this Law.

2.3. Time limit of visa

Time limit of visa is specified as follows:

Time limit of SQ visa does not exceed 30 days.
Time limits of HN, DL and EV visas do not exceed 90 days.
Time limit of VR visa does not exceed 180 days.
Time limits of NG1, NG2, NG3, NG4, LV1, LV2, DT4, DN1, DN2, NN1, NN2, NN3, DH, PV1, PV2 and TT visas do not exceed one year.
Time limits of LD1 and LD2 visas do not exceed 2 years.
Time limit of DT3 visa does not exceed 3 years.
Time limits of LS, DT1 and DT2 visas do not exceed 5 years.
When the visa expires, a new visa will be considered.
The time limit of a visa shall be at least 30 days shorter than that of a passport or international laissez-passer.

International agreements to which Vietnam is a signatory shall prevail in case such international agreements specify otherwise.

2.4. Conditions for visa issuance

A person shall be issued with a visa when he/she:

has a passport or international laissez-passer.
is invited or sponsored by agencies, organizations or individuals in Vietnam, except for cases specified in Article 16a, Article 16b and Clause 3 Article 17 of this Law.
is not suspended from entry in the cases mentioned in Article 21 of this Law.
Proof of entry purposes shall be provided upon application for a visa in the following cases:

+ Any foreigner who comes to make investment shall have papers proving the investment in Vietnam in accordance with the Law on Investment;

+ Foreigners practicing law in Vietnam must have a practice license according to the provisions of the Law on Lawyers;

+ Any foreigner who comes to work in Vietnam shall have a work permit in accordance with the Labor Code;

+ Any foreigner who comes to study shall have written acceptance of a school or an Education Institution in Vietnam

2.5. Visa exemption cases

Cases are prescribed in international agreements to which Vietnam is a signatory.
Permanent residence cards and temporary residence cards are used in accordance this Law.
Entering checkpoint economic zones, special administrative – economic units.
Entering coastal economic zones decided by the Government if fully satisfying following conditions: having international airports; having private space; having geographical border defined and separate from inland; in conformity with socio-economic development policies and not harming national defense and security, social safety and order of Vietnam.
Under regulations in Article 13 of this Law.
Vietnamese people residing overseas who have passports or international laissez-passers issued by foreign authorities, foreigners who are their spouses or children; foreigners who are spouses and children of Vietnamese citizens shall be granted visa-free entry as prescribed by the government.

Reference

Vietnam immigration information portal: https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/vi_VN/trang-chu-ttdt