Vietnam business visa types for first-time visitors

Vietnam business visa types are set by one law, Law No. 47/2014/QH13, whose full title is Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners. It has been in force since 1 January 2015. The law gives each visa a short code. The code tells you what the visa is for. For a business trip, you need to pick the code that matches the real purpose of your visit.

This guide is for first-time visitors. It covers the codes a business traveller is most likely to meet, how long each one lasts, and the papers the law asks for.

How the 2014 law sorts visas

The law lists 20 visa symbols in Article 8. Some are only for officials and diplomats. The NG codes, for example, go to members of delegations invited by senior state and Party leaders, and to staff of diplomatic missions. The LV codes go to people who work with Party, state and government bodies.

Most business visitors will not use those. They will use one of a handful of codes for companies, work, conferences, investment or tourism. The law says you must pick the code that fits why you are coming. A visa also has a fixed maximum length, which is set by its code.

Source: Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam, Law No. 47/2014/QH13, National Assembly, passed 16 June 2014, in force from 1 January 2015, Article 8 (English translation).

The DN visa: working with a Vietnamese company

The DN visa is for people who come to work with enterprises based in Vietnam. This is the usual code for a meeting, a site visit or a short job with a local company. In 2016 the law has one DN code. It is valid for at most 12 months.

You do not apply alone. Under Article 10, a foreigner needs a passport and must be invited or guaranteed by an agency, organization or individual in Vietnam. The local company you will work with usually acts as that sponsor. Ask it early, because the visa cannot move forward without it.

HN, LĐ and ĐT: conferences, work and investment

Three other codes matter to business travellers.

HN is for people who come to attend conferences or workshops. It is valid for at most 3 months.
LĐ is for people who come to work. It is valid for at most 2 years. You must have a work permit under the Labor Code.
ĐT is for foreign investors in Vietnam and foreign lawyers practicing in Vietnam. It is valid for at most 5 years. Investors need papers that prove their investment. Lawyers need a practice license.

The rule behind this is simple. For some codes, a plain invitation is not enough. Article 10 asks for papers that prove the purpose of entry. A foreigner who comes to work must hold a work permit. An investor must show the investment papers required under the Law on Investment.

DL and VR: when a trip is not really business

DL is the tourist visa. It is valid for at most 3 months, the same as HN. VR is a wider code for people who come to visit relatives or for other purposes. It is valid for at most 6 months.

Be careful with these. A tourist code is for tourism. If your plan is to meet clients, sign a deal or work on site, the DN, HN or LĐ code is the better match. Picking the right code at the start avoids trouble later at the border or when you need to extend your stay.

Applying, and the cases where you can skip the visa

Most visitors apply before they travel. The law also allows a visa to be granted at an international border gate in set cases. One example is a foreigner who departs from a country that has no Vietnamese agency able to grant visas. Another is a foreigner who enters on a tour organized by an international travel agent in Vietnam. These are narrow cases, and a business traveller should not count on them.

Some people need no visa at all. Article 12 lists the cases of visa exemption. They include persons covered by treaties to which Vietnam is a party, and holders of permanent or temporary residence cards. The Government decides on unilateral visa exemption for each country separately, so check the current list for your passport.

One more rule matters for planning. A visa must be valid for at least 30 days less than your passport. Check your passport dates before you book flights.

A short checklist for first-time visitors

Name the real purpose of your trip: company work, a conference, work, investment or tourism.
Pick the matching code: DN, HN, LĐ, ĐT or DL.
Get an invitation or guarantee from a Vietnamese agency, organization or individual.
Collect proof papers if your code needs them, such as a work permit.
Check that your passport outlasts the visa by at least 30 days.
Confirm the maximum stay for your code before you plan the trip.

Visa rules can change, and a law is only the start. For a trip that matters, confirm the details with a Vietnamese embassy or consulate, or with your local sponsor, before you pay for tickets.

Sources

Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam, Law No. 47/2014/QH13, National Assembly of Vietnam, passed 16 June 2014, in force from 1 January 2015. English translation as published by LuatVietnam (english.luatvietnam.vn).