A practical breakdown of the most common Vietnam visa types for travelers, workers, business owners, and investors. (This article was originally published on 30 March 2026 on our Substack)
Vietnam is one of Southeast Asia’s most exciting places to be right now. Whether you are here to travel, build a business, land a job, or put your money to work, one of the first things you need to get right is your visa. Get it wrong, and the headache is real. Get it right from the start, and the rest of your stay flows a lot more smoothly.
As a small business with a foreign team member based here in Ho Chi Minh City, we have been through this process firsthand. So here is our honest, practical guide to the main types of Vietnam visas available for foreigners in 2026.
How Many Visa Types Does Vietnam Have?
Officially, Vietnam has around 21 visa categories under the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam (Law No. 51/2019/QH14), each identified by a letter code tied to the purpose of entry. That might sound like a lot, but in practice, most foreigners and expats will only deal with a handful of them.
The six most commonly talked about are: DL (tourist), DN (business), LD (work), DT (investment), DH (student), and TT (dependent/family). Your purpose of visit, length of stay, and personal profile will determine which one is the right fit for you. Here is a breakdown of each.
DL Visa: Tourist Visa (For Travelers and Short-Stay Visitors)
If you are coming to Vietnam to travel, explore, or simply get a feel for the country before committing to anything longer-term, the DL visa is your starting point, and honestly the easiest one to get.
The most convenient option today is the e-visa, available to citizens of all countries and territories. It allows stays of up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, and can be applied for entirely online through evisa.gov.vn. Processing typically takes 3 to 5 business days and the fee is $25 USD. Visa on Arrival is another route for air travelers, though it requires a pre-arranged approval letter and a stamping fee of $25 to $50 at the airport.
Some nationalities also enjoy visa-free entry. As of early 2026, citizens of countries including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, Japan, South Korea, and several Nordic nations can enter Vietnam without a visa for up to 45 days.
One thing worth knowing: the tourist visa does not permit you to work or conduct business in Vietnam. It is purely for travel and leisure. If you arrive on a DL visa but your actual purpose is professional, you will want to upgrade to the right visa type before things get complicated.
DN Visa: Business Visa (For Business Travelers and Representatives)
The DN visa is for foreigners who are in Vietnam for professional purposes but are not formally employed here locally. Think attending meetings, signing contracts, market research, or representing a foreign organization with a presence in Vietnam.
There are two subcategories:
- DN1: For those working with companies or organizations that have legal status under Vietnamese law.
- DN2: For those offering services, establishing a commercial presence, or engaging in activities covered under international treaties Vietnam is a party to.
Both are valid from 1 month up to 1 year with single or multiple entry options, and require a sponsoring company in Vietnam to arrange an Entry Approval Letter. Processing typically takes 5 to 7 business days.
A note that many people overlook: conducting business activities in Vietnam on a tourist visa is technically not permitted. It is a common shortcut, but it carries real risk. If your trip involves meeting clients professionally, representing a company, or any form of commercial activity, the DN visa is the right and legally safer choice.
LD Visa: Work Visa (For Employees and Expat Workers)
If you are coming to Vietnam to work, whether short-term or long-term, you will need a work visa coded LD. There are two subcategories:
- LD1: For foreigners who qualify for a work permit exemption, for example, those transferred within a multinational company, or individuals falling under specific expert categories recognized by the Vietnamese government.
- LD2: For foreigners who are required to obtain a standard work permit. This is the most common route for expat employees.
The LD visa is valid for up to 2 years, and its duration corresponds with the duration of your work permit. Importantly, your employer in Vietnam is responsible for initiating the work permit application on your behalf. Your contribution on the documentation side is significant though, as proof of qualifications, professional experience, a health certificate, and passport photos are among the essentials.
Once you hold an LD visa with a work permit valid for at least 12 months, you can apply for a Temporary Residence Card (TRC). The TRC is generally the end goal for anyone planning to build a proper life here in Vietnam.
DT Visa: Investment Visa (For Foreign Investors)
Vietnam is increasingly on the radar of foreign investors, and the government has built a tiered investor visa system to reflect the scale of commitment. The DT visa has four levels based on capital contributed:
- DT1: Capital of VND 100 billion or more, or investment in government-prioritized sectors. Valid for up to 5 years.
- DT2: Capital of VND 50 to under 100 billion, or in government-encouraged industries. Valid for up to 5 years.
- DT3: Capital of VND 3 to under 50 billion. Valid for up to 3 years.
- DT4: Capital of less than VND 3 billion. Valid for up to 12 months. This is the most accessible tier and most common among smaller-scale foreign investors and startup founders.
Holders of DT1, DT2, and DT3 are eligible to apply for a TRC, which can be valid for up to 10 years for the highest investment tiers. DT4 holders are not TRC-eligible and will need to manage visa renewals instead.
DN Visa vs DT Visa: A Quick Clarification
These two are often confused. The DN visa is for business activities, including meetings, deals, and commercial representation, without a direct capital investment in Vietnam. The DT visa is for those who have made or plan to make a registered capital contribution into a Vietnamese entity. If you are setting up a company in Vietnam and contributing capital, DT is your category. If you are simply visiting to do business or close deals, DN is the one.
DH Visa: Student Visa (For Those Studying in Vietnam)
Less talked about but worth knowing, especially with Vietnam growing as a destination for language study, professional training, and university programs. The DH visa is for foreigners enrolled at a recognized educational institution in Vietnam.
The common approach is to enter Vietnam first on a tourist visa (DL), enroll in your course, and then convert to a student visa with the school acting as your sponsor. Validity is typically 6 to 12 months and it is renewable. Many language schools and universities in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi are well-practiced at handling this conversion process for foreign students.
TT Visa: Dependent or Family Visa (For Families of Expats)
If you are already in Vietnam on a work or investment visa and your spouse or children want to join you long-term, the TT visa is the one to look into. It covers spouses and children under 18 of foreigners holding valid LD, DT, LV, NN, DH, or PV1 visas, as well as parents, spouses, and children of Vietnamese citizens.
The TT visa is valid for up to 12 months. For longer stays, TT holders can apply for a Temporary Residence Card valid for 2 to 3 years depending on the sponsor’s visa type. Importantly, if your family members are already inside Vietnam, they do not need to exit and re-enter to activate the TT status, as the conversion can happen in-country at the immigration office.
Some Things You Should Absolutely Pay Attention To
Do Not Overstay Your Visa
This is serious, and Vietnam has made it even more serious. Under Decree 282/2025, which came into effect on December 15, 2025, penalties for overstaying have been significantly increased:
- 1 to 15 days: Fine of VND 500,000 to VND 2,000,000 (approximately $19 to $76)
- 16 to 29 days: VND 5,000,000 to VND 10,000,000 ($190 to $380), plus possible deportation
- 30 days or more: Up to VND 40,000,000 ($1,520), deportation, and potential blacklisting for 1 to 3 years
The stakes are real. An overstay goes on your immigration record and can affect future work permit applications, re-entry to Vietnam, and even visa applications in other ASEAN countries. Always track your visa expiry date carefully. If you need more time, start the extension process at least 7 to 10 business days before your visa expires.
The Temporary Residence Card (TRC): When to Consider It
If you are planning to stay in Vietnam for a year or longer, particularly on a work or investment visa, the TRC is worth pursuing. It replaces your visa entirely for its duration, meaning no more exits, no more renewals, and no more stressful admin cycles every few months.
To apply, you generally need a work permit valid for at least 12 months, a passport valid for at least 13 months, and documentation from your sponsoring employer or organization. TRC validity ranges from 2 years for work visas (LD1, LD2) up to 10 years for major investors (DT1). Processing typically takes around 14 working days.
One recent update to be aware of: TRCs are now primarily issued to holders of LD2 and TT visas. If you entered on a different visa type, you may need to complete a visa conversion step first, which can add around two more weeks to the process.
Work Permit: A Separate (But Connected) Requirement
If you are staying in Vietnam to work, you also need a work permit. These are two separate documents, though they go hand in hand. Your employer must apply for the work permit on your behalf, and it requires documentation of your qualifications, work history, health certificate, and a clean background record. Work permits are generally valid for up to 2 years and renewable.
What We Learned Going Through This at UXBOX
Vietnam’s visa regulations are updated on a rolling basis, and what you can actually get may look different from what you read online. Your specific situation matters more than you might expect. Factors like nationality, career background, personal income tax (PIT) history in Vietnam, type of work, job title, and purpose of stay all feed into the assessment. For example, your employer’s legal status and ability to justify the need for a foreign hire plays a role, and the job title on your work permit must align with the company’s registered business activities. There is also one practical detail that trips a lot of people up: until September 11, 2026, every foreign document you submit for your work permit, from your degree to your health certificate, has to go through a multi-step consular legalization process before it is accepted in Vietnam. The good news is that Vietnam officially acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention on December 31, 2025, and once the Convention enters into force on September 11, 2026, that entire chain gets replaced by a single Apostille stamp, making the process significantly faster and cheaper. But until that date, the old process still applies, and it can quietly add weeks to your timeline if you are not prepared. In short, the same visa category can look very different from one person to the next depending on their profile.
Theory is a good starting point, but your case is your case. Consulting a specialist or agency who can assess your profile and guide you through the actual process is highly recommended. EasyTiger is one option that can help you navigate this.
With one of our foreign team members based in Ho Chi Minh City full-time, we went through the entire Visa to Work Permit to TRC process, all with our company as the sponsor. The whole thing took us around 2 to 3 months from start to finish. In our case, the sequence looked like this: a 3-month DN visa to enter and get things started, followed by a 2-year Work Permit, and then a 2-year TRC (which carries the LD visa classification on it). Each step built on the previous one, and getting the order right mattered. We dealt with and went through the whole process with the support of a local agency, and it was easily one of the best decisions we made. The agency handled the step-by-step flow, told us exactly which documents to prepare, in what format, by which date, and navigated the immigration office on our behalf.
That said, even with agency support, we still had moments of frustration: documents needing notarization, requirements that felt unclear, timelines that needed tight coordination so our team member’s exit and re-entry aligned correctly with the processing window. It took patience and follow-through on our side.
On the cost side, here is a rough breakdown of what we spent on agency service fees for the full process:
- Business Visa Approval Letter: $290 USD
- Work Permit: $550 USD
- TRC: $450 USD
- Public portal account setup: $60 USD
That brings the core agency fees to around $1,350 USD. The real total will sit higher once you factor in everything else that quietly adds up along the way: health check, criminal record certification, document translation and legalization, and accommodation costs outside of Vietnam while waiting to re-enter during processing. These extra costs are easy to overlook upfront, so it is worth mapping them out early rather than being caught off guard mid-process.
From our experience, here is what genuinely makes the difference:
Hire a reputable local agency. The cost is reasonable relative to the time, stress, and risk of doing it wrong yourself. More importantly, better to have a local person who can explain what’s happening, communicate with the agency in Vietnamese, and flag issues before they become problems. If you do not have someone local on your team who can support this, the agency’s Vietnamese-speaking staff can fill that role.
Factors that can affect your process: Your nationality matters. Citizens of some countries face longer processing timelines or additional requirements, particularly for work permits. Your entry purpose and profile also matter, so make sure your paperwork is consistent and honest throughout. And critically, the timing of your exit and re-entry must not conflict with processing windows. Coordinate this early.
Good intentions and a clean background go a long way. Vietnam’s immigration system is ultimately looking to filter out people with bad intentions or complicated legal histories. If you are here for legitimate reasons, whether for work, business, or investment, and you have a clean background record, the process is manageable. It takes effort and organization, but it is entirely doable with the right support.
Sorting your visa is one of the first real steps to planting roots in Vietnam. If this guide helped you make sense of the options, pass it along to someone else who is figuring out their move. And if you want to connect with a trusted immigration specialist who knows the process inside out, Easytiger is here to help you find the right person.
