How to get Business visa in Vietnam ?

Foreigners entering Vietnam for business purposes must apply for a Vietnam Business Visa (also known as Vietnam DN Visa).

You are going on a business trip to Vietnam, and of course you need a business visa to carry out business activities according to Vietnamese law. In Vietnam, business visas, also known as business visas, are issued to people who work or cooperate with Vietnamese companies.

What is a “Vietnam business visa”?

Vietnam commercial visa, also known as Business Visa, Enterprise Visa, symbols DN1 and DN2 Visa (formerly known as Visa DN symbol), is issued to the following people:

• DN1 Visa – issued to foreigners working at companies and other organizations with legal status according to Vietnamese law.
• DN2 Visa – issued to foreigners selling services, establishing commercial establishments or performing other activities according to international treaties to which Vietnam is a member.

Tourist visas allow foreign tourists to enter and stay in Vietnam for tourism purposes only, while business visas allow tourists to travel throughout Vietnam during their stay in Vietnam.

Countries that are exempt from business visas in Vietnam

Belarus (exemption up to 15 days)

With deep trade relationships, Belarusian citizens will be exempted from 15 days to enter Vietnam with a business visa.Despite the unfriendly policies of Western countries, Belarus is gradually expanding its foreign economic vision in Asia, including Vietnam.

Cambodia (exemption up to 30 days)

Businessmen with Cambodian nationality will be exempted from the visa for 30 days with a business visa. This is a regulation aimed at improving diplomatic relations between these two countries with adjacent territories.

Germany (exemption up to 15 days)

The visa exemption policy for citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany to enter Vietnam will be implemented for 3 years, from March 15, 2022 to March 14, 2025, and is being considered for extension.

List of countries exempt from business visas

• Malaysia ( exemption up to 30 days)
• Myanmar (exemption up to 14 days)
• Norway (exemption up to 15 days)
• Philippines (exemption up to 21 days)
• Russia (exemption up to 15 days)
• Singapore (exemption up to 30 days)
• South Korea* (exemption up to 15 days)
• Spain (exemption up to 15 days)
• Sweden (exemption up to 15 days)
• Thailand (exemption up to 30 days)
• United Kingdom (exemption up to 15 days)

Procedures for applying for a business visa in Vietnam

To apply for a Vietnam business visa in this way, foreigners need to go to the Vietnam Embassy/Consulate General to get their visa stamped.

Apply for Immigration Document

The Vietnamese guarantee company will prepare the following documents and submit them to the Vietnam Immigration Department to apply for an entry guarantee letter.

• Copy of passport of the foreigner requiring a visa,
• Certified copy of the guarantee company's business registration book
• Sample letter for entry of foreigners NA2
• And other documents as required by the Immigration Department.

The examination and issuance of immigration documents will take approximately 5 to 7 business days from the date all valid documents are received by the Vietnam Immigration Department.

If your application for immigration placement is approved, the Vietnam Immigration Department will:

• The issue to the guarantee company the Immigration Letter
• Fax the official letter requesting visa stamping to the registered Embassy/Consulate General office.

Prepare documents for commercial visa stamping

The guarantee company will send a letter of entry to the foreigner. After that, the foreigner prints the official dispatch and prepares the following documents to apply for a visa stamp:

Visa application form if required;

• Original passport
• ID card photo; and
• Visa stamping fee (varies by embassy/consulate),
• Any other documents required by the embassy/consulate general.
• Proceed with visa stamping.

How to apply for a business visa at the airport?

The process for applying for a business visa issued at an airport is similar to the process for applying for a business visa at an embassy. However, if foreigners enter Vietnam for work or business, they will have their visa stamped at the Vietnamese airport instead of having their visa stamped at the embassy.

Apply for immigration guarantee letter

The Vietnamese guarantee company will submit the application for the letter of entry guarantee to the Vietnam Immigration Department and send the result as a .pdf file to the foreigner preparing to enter the country.

Prepare the documents for stamping the visa

Foreigners will need to prepare:

• Printed copy of entry guarantee letter
• The visa application form has been filled out completely, signed and photo attached according to the regulations
• Original passport,
• Stamping fee:
• 25 USD for a single entry visa, and
• 50 USD for a multiple entry visa with a maximum validity of 3 months.

Get your visa stamped right at Vietnam airport

Upon arrival at Vietnam airport, foreigners should go to the visa desk at the airport, submit the required documents to the immigration officer, pay the stamp fee, and have the DN1/DN2 visa stamped in their passport to complete the Vietnam entry formalities. 

Procedures for applying for a Business visa online

The e-commerce visa is only valid for 30 days, one entry, and cannot be extended in Vietnam. If the foreigner wants to continue staying in Vietnam, the foreigner will need to leave Vietnam and return with a new visa. This form is called a run visa, and this form will waste time, effort and expense.

With this form of visa, foreigners will not be able to convert to a temporary residence card. To apply for a business visa online, foreigners can select the easy-to-navigate English language and complete the application on the Vietnam Immigration Department's e-visa portal. Once you reach the “Purpose” section, select “Business Activities”.

Foreigners must then upload a clear, shadow-free passport photo and portrait to the system, pay a $25 visa fee, and wait for their results.

If the application is approved, foreigners can visit the visa application search section to download the visa and use it to enter Vietnam.

Business visa at Embassy/Consulate

• Step 1: Prepare documents

  • By applicants:
  • A passport with a minimum validity of 6 months upon arrival and at least one blank visa page
  • A passport-size photo (4x6cm) taken within 6 months (white background, no glasses, straight looking)
  • Work permit or work permit exemption for business, work visas (DN, LD)
  • Invitation letter/Sponsor letter from Vietnamese enterprise showing the applicants are invited to Vietnam for business purposes (working, attending conferences, or short-term events)
  • By inviting/guaranteeing enterprise:
  • Notarized copy of business registration certificate
  • Entry application for foreigners to enter Vietnam (Form NA2)
  • Vietnam visa application form (Form NA5)
  • Sample of seal and signature (Form NA16)

• Step 2: Submit documents 

  • Applicants submit all required documents to the Vietnam Embassy/Consulate in your residing country if staying outside Vietnam, or at one of Vietnam Immigration offices if staying in Vietnam.
  • Headquarter in the North (Hanoi): 44-46 Tran Phu Street, Ba Dinh, Hanoi - Tel: 02438257941
  • Headquarter in the Center (Danang): 7 Tran Quy Cap Street, Hai Chau, Danang - Tel: 02363822381
  • Headquarter in the South (Ho Chi Minh City): 333-337 Nguyen Trai Street, Ward 1, Ho Chi Minh City - Tel: 02839202300

• Step 3: Pay fee and wait for the result

  • Fee for business visa application ranges from USD25 to 50 depending on the duration and times of entry.
  • The process of applying for a business visa at the Vietnam Embassy takes 3 - 5 working days. If the application is approved, foreigners will receive an entry invitation letter from the Vietnam Immigration Department. Then, applicants present this entry letter along with all document needed to get a visa affixed to the original passport via 3 ways below:
    • At the airport
    • At land border gates
    • At the Vietnam Embassy/Consulate

Business visa on arrival

Like a tourist visa, if you want to get a business visa on arrival, you must apply for a visa approval letter from a Vietnamese agency in advance of your trip.

• Document requirements

  • Pre-approved visa letter from a Vietnamese agency
  • A passport with a minimum validity of 6 months upon arrival and at least two blank pages for the visa stamp and immigration stamp
  • Visa application form
  • 02 passport-size photos (4x6cm) taken within 6 months (same photos, white background, no glasses, straight looking)
  • Work permit or work permit exemption for business, work visas (DN, LD)
  • Invitation letter/Sponsor letter from Vietnamese enterprise showing the applicants are invited to Vietnam for business purposes (working, attending conferences, or short-term events)
  • Visa stamping fee in cash

• Application process

  • Step 1: Applied for a pre-approved visa letter from a Vietnamese agency
  • Step 2: Receive the pre-approved visa letter and visa application form. Print both documents and fill up all the information.
  • Step 3: At the airport (*), you present the approval letter, visa application form, and all required documents. Pay a stamping fee in cash and get your visa stamped.

(*) 8 international airports allowing business visas on arrival in Vietnam include Noi Bai Airport, Cat Bi Airport, Danang Airport, Cam Ranh Airport, Lien Khuong Airport, Phu Quoc Airport, Can Tho Airport, and Tan Son Nhat Airport.

Business visa online (E-visa)

Both foreigners and inviting/guaranteeing enterprises in Vietnam can apply for a business visa. Applicants need to follow 4 steps as the following:

• Step 1: Prepare documents

  • A passport with six (6) months of validity
  • A photo of your passport data page
  • A passport-size photo (4x6cm) taken within 6 months (white background, no glasses, straight looking)
  • A temporary residential address in Vietnam.
  • A valid international credit or debit card for the payment.
  • Date of entry/exit and ports (one of 33 ports accepting e-Visa in Vietnam)
  • A valid email address for the registration. 
  • Invitation letter/Sponsor letter from Vietnamese enterprise showing the applicants are invited to Vietnam for business purposes (working, attending conferences, or short-term events)

• Step 2: Submit the application

  • Access the official website of Vietnam E-visa at https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/web/guest/trang-chu-ttdt and fill up all required information. Choose “Business Activities” for the purpose of your travel in the menu. Get a registration code for the application.

• Step 3: Pay fee and wait for the result

  • Fee is USD25 for a 1-month single entry business visa.

• Step 4: Get the visa

  • From the search menu on the official website, enter your registration code, email and date of birth to check the result. The e-visa will be provided if your application is approved. Download the PDF file, print the E-visa, and present it at the entry checkpoints in Vietnam.

How to extend a business visa?

To extend your Vietnam business visa, you can apply for the extension at the nearest Immigration Office in Vietnam. There are 4 steps foreigners need to follow:

• Step 1: Prepare documents

  • Invitation letter/Sponsor letter from Vietnamese enterprise
  • Legal documents of sponsor/guaranteeing enterprises (business license, certificate of seal)
  • A passport with a validity of at least 6 months upon the extension time
  • Application form for visa issuance, stay extension (NA5)
  • Temporary residence confirmation issued by the local police or a hard copy of the online temporary residence confirmation

• Step 2: Submit documents at Vietnam Immigration Office

  • You can submit all documents at one of three Vietnam Immigration offices (Hanoi, Danang, and Ho Chi Minh City) or the Immigration Office in your residing province.

• Step 3: Pay fee and wait for the result

  • The fee for the business visa extension is USD10. The process takes around 5 working days since the Immigration Department receives the valid application and full payment.

• Step 4: Get the visa extension

  • If your application is approved, you will get back to the Immigration Office and get the visa extension as an appointment.

Processing time & fee

Processing time

• Business visas at the Vietnam Embassy take around 5 - 7 working days for the sponsor letter/invitation letter and some more days for the approval at the embassy.
• Business visas on arrival take around 5 - 7 working days for a visa approval letter and 30 minutes - 1 hour at the airport for the stamping fee.
• Business E-visa takes 3-5 working days.

Fee

• Fees for business visas at the Vietnam Embassy/Consulate may be different from each Embassy to another. So, it is best for you to contact them directly to get more details.
• Fees for business e-visa is currently USD25, applied for a 1-month single entry visa. This price may change when the longer stay and multiple-entry visa is applied (expected to be launched from May 2023).
• Fee for visa on arrival includes 2 fees which are a service fee for the visa approval letter and a stamping fee by the Government. Service fee varies among different agencies, starting from USD90. As for the stamping fee, you can check below:
  • 1 month, single-entry: USD25
  • 1 month, multiple-entry: USD50
  • 3 months, single-entry: USD25
  • 3 months, multiple-entry: USD50
  • 6 months, multiple-entry: USD95
  • 12 months, multiple-entry: USD135

Contact us get visa in Vietnam