Vietnam Temporary Residence Card in 2026: how to apply
A Temporary Residence Card (TRC) costs from about $145 and lets you live in Vietnam for 1 to 10 years with no visa runs. This is the paperwork guide: who qualifies through work, investment, marriage or study, the exact documents, where to file, the new VNeID step, the fees and renewals — whatever passport you hold.
What a Vietnam TRC is, and why you'd want one
A Vietnamese residence permit is the Temporary Residence Card (Thẻ tạm trú, or TRC). It is issued by the Immigration Department under the Ministry of Public Security. A TRC replaces your visa: while the card is valid, there are no extensions to chase and no visa runs.
| Status | Document | Term | Cost | What it gives |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist | Visa-free / e-visa | 45–90 days | $0–$25 | Entry and stay |
| Temporary residence | TRC | 1–10 years | from $145 | No visa runs, bank account, free entry/exit |
| Permanent residence | PRC | up to 10 years | $100 | Indefinite stay, property |
The TRC is a plastic card with your photo and an expiry date. With it you cross the border freely, open bank accounts and sign business deals. This guide is about the card itself: who qualifies, what documents you file, where, and for how much. If you are still deciding which route fits you, or you want the full permanent-residence and citizenship picture, read our Vietnam permanent residence guide first, then come back here for the paperwork.
When you don't need one
Not everyone needs a resident card. Visa-free entry (45 days) and an e-visa (up to 90 days) are plenty for a couple of months. A TRC makes sense when you:
- Live in Vietnam more than 6 months a year
- Work on the books or run a business
- Want to open a bank account and local insurance
- Are tired of visa runs and want a stable legal status
- Plan to buy property or a motorbike in your own name
- Want to ride on a Vietnamese licence: with a TRC that has 90+ days left, you convert your home licence without a test — see converting your licence in Vietnam
Card types and validity tiers — who gets what
A TRC is issued to foreigners with a legal ground for a long stay: work, business, family or study.
| Symbol | Category | Max term | For whom |
|---|---|---|---|
| ĐT1 | Major investor | 10 years | Investment from 100bn VND (~$4M) |
| ĐT2 | Investor | 5 years | 50–100bn VND (~$2–4M) |
| ĐT3 | Investor | 3 years | 3–50bn VND (~$115,000–$2M) |
| ĐT4 | Small investor | No TRC (visa up to 12 months) | Under 3bn VND (~$115,000) |
| LD1, LD2 | Worker | 2 years | With a Work Permit |
| TT | Family member | 3 years | Spouse/child/parent of a citizen |
| DH | Student | 5 years | Enrolled at a Vietnamese institution |
The most common routes for expats are LD (work), DT (investment/business) and TT (marriage). One rule cuts across all of them: your card can never outlast your passport. The TRC is issued for at least 30 days less than the validity remaining on your passport, so a passport with only 18 months left caps you at a shorter card no matter which category you fall under.
TRC through employment — Work Permit and card
The work resident card (LD) is the most direct way to a TRC if you have a formal employer. It runs up to 2 years and can be renewed.
Who qualifies for a work TRC
A foreigner with a valid Work Permit (Giấy phép lao động), issued for at least 12 months. Since August 2025, Decree 219/2025/ND-CP has widened the list of exemptions from the Work Permit (intra-company transfers, specialists staying up to 30 days), and filing has moved partly online.
Step by step
- The employer applies for the Work Permit at the provincial Department of Labour
- Processing: 10 working days for review
- Work Permit issued — valid for up to 2 years
- TRC application filed at the Immigration Department
- Processing: 5 working days
- TRC issued — a plastic LD-category card
From scratch to card in hand, counting the Work Permit, the LD2 visa and translations, it takes roughly 4–6 weeks. The visa conversion step added in February 2026 adds another couple of weeks.
What happens if you leave the job
When a contract ends, the company must notify the Immigration Department and the TRC is cancelled. Ask the Immigration Department straight away how long you have to find a new sponsor or leave the country.
Fast Track — no queue at the border
5–10 minutes instead of an hour in the immigration queue
from$11per passenger
TRC through investment or starting a company
The investor TRC (category DT) is a route for entrepreneurs. You open a company, put in at least VND 3bn of charter capital, and get a card valid for 3 to 10 years depending on the amount. A freelancer with a small company below that threshold gets only a ĐT4 visa, not a card.
Investment thresholds
| Category | Minimum amount | TRC term | In USD (~) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ĐT1 | from 100bn VND | up to 10 years | ~$4M |
| ĐT2 | 50–100bn VND | up to 5 years | ~$2–4M |
| ĐT3 | 3–50bn VND | up to 3 years | ~$115,000–$2M |
| ĐT4 | under 3bn VND | no TRC | under ~$115,000 |
Only ĐT1–ĐT3 lead to a card: ĐT4 gives a visa of up to 12 months, which can be renewed but never becomes a TRC. For most people the realistic tier is ĐT3 (up to 3 years).
Setting up a company — step by step
- Register the company — get a Business Registration Certificate (BRC). 5–10 working days
- Investment licence (Investment Registration Certificate) — if foreign capital exceeds 51%. 15–20 working days
- Deposit the charter capital — within 90 days of registration
- Get the DT visa — file at the Immigration Department
- Apply for the TRC — the standard procedure (5 working days)
The whole thing, from idea to card in hand, takes 2–4 months with a lawyer. On your own it takes longer.
What it costs to open a company
Registering it yourself runs $300–$500 (government fees, a legal address, notary). Through a law firm it is $3,000–$5,000 for the full package: registration, licence, DT visa and TRC.
TRC through marriage to a Vietnamese citizen
The TT card (thẻ tạm trú TT) is issued to spouses, children under 18 and parents of Vietnamese citizens. The maximum term is 3 years, renewable.
Requirements and documents
- Marriage certificate — apostilled or legalised, translated into Vietnamese, notarised. Since 11 September 2026 Vietnam is party to the Apostille Convention, so for most member countries an apostille is enough. Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic objected to Vietnam's accession: documents from there still need consular legalisation
- Passport valid at least 30 days longer than the card
- Sponsor statement from the spouse (form NA7)
- Proof of residence — local address registration (how it works)
Timeline and quirks
Once your file is complete, the TRC itself is issued in the usual 5 working days (immigration may stretch this to 10–15 if anything needs checking). What makes the marriage route feel slow is everything before that: registering the marriage, and getting a foreign marriage certificate apostilled (or legalised) and translated. Budget a few months end to end. You can only file inside Vietnam, and if you divorce, the TRC is cancelled.
Where legalisation is still needed, it goes through the consular section of your embassy — start early. The one shortcut here: a TT card cuts the path to citizenship from five years to three, though for most people that is a distant concern.
Fast Track — no queue at the border
5–10 minutes instead of an hour in the immigration queue
from$11per passenger
TRC through study
The student TRC (category DH) goes to foreigners enrolled at Vietnamese universities or language programmes. The maximum term is 5 years and the sponsor is the school.
It is the least common route, but the cheapest. Tuition at Vietnamese state universities runs $1,000–$2,000 a year; a Vietnamese language course is $500–$1,500 per semester. You cannot work on a DH card without a separate permit.
The institution acts as sponsor and files form NA6. You put together the rest: passport, photos, proof of enrolment, a Vietnamese translation of your diploma or school certificate. Review is the standard 5 working days.
Documents for a TRC and where to file
The document package is the same for all categories. Only the supporting ground document differs.
| Document | Form | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsor statement (organisation) | Form NA6 | If the sponsor is a company |
| Sponsor statement (individual) | Form NA7 | If the sponsor is a relative |
| Applicant form with 3×4 photo | Form NA8 | In Vietnamese or English |
| Passport (copy) | — | Valid at least 30 days longer than the card |
| Valid visa (copy) | — | Category must match the TRC |
| 2 photos, 3×4 cm | Colour, white background | No older than 6 months |
| Ground document | — | Work Permit / Investment Licence / marriage certificate |
Translating one document costs 200,000–500,000 VND (~$8–20).
Where to file
- Immigration Department (Cục Quản lý xuất nhập cảnh) in Hanoi — for any category
- Provincial offices — where you live (Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, etc.)
- The Ministry of Public Security online portal — for pre-submission
Review time: 5 working days once the complete file is accepted. If immigration wants extra checks or a missing paper, expect 10–15 working days instead.
VNeID — the step nobody warned you about
This is the part most 2024-era guides miss. Since 1 July 2025, foreigners holding a TRC (or PRC) can register for a Level 2 VNeID — Vietnam's digital identity, tied to a phone app. You do it after the card is issued, not before you apply.
You register in person at the immigration office that issued your TRC — bring your passport, the physical card, and a Vietnamese SIM registered in your own name (a company or unregistered number will be rejected). The appointment itself takes 30 minutes to two hours: biometrics, a form, and SMS verification. Afterwards you download the VNeID app (English and Vietnamese) and activate it with a code sent within a few days.
Foreign nationals with a Temporary Residence Card (TRC) or Permanent Residence Card are now eligible to register for a VNeID, a digital identity system already in use by Vietnamese citizens that will eventually apply to all government processes.legal alert, Fragomen, 2025
How much a Vietnam TRC costs in 2026
| Service | Cost | In USD (~) |
|---|---|---|
| TRC, up to 2 years | $145 | ~$145 |
| TRC, 2–5 years | $155 | ~$155 |
| TRC, 5–10 years | $165 | ~$165 |
| PRC (permanent) | $100 | ~$100 |
| E-visa (for comparison) | $25 | ~$25 |
These state fees are set nationally and do not change by city or office — the same $145 in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Payment is in USD or the VND equivalent at the day's interbank rate.
Extra costs
| Cost item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Document translation (each) | 200,000–500,000 VND (~$8–20) |
| Notarisation | 100,000–200,000 VND (~$4–8) |
| Photos, 3×4 (set) | 50,000 VND (~$2) |
| Agent (TRC) | $500–$2,000 |
| Agent + company setup + TRC | $3,000–$5,000 |
DIY or through an agent?
With a Work Permit or a marriage certificate in hand, filing yourself is realistic. The $145 fee, document translations, a couple of trips to immigration — call it $200–$300 all in.
Going the investment route from scratch, a lawyer is all but mandatory. A slip in the company paperwork costs you months. Budget $3,000–$5,000 for the full package.
Prices current as of July 2026. Rate used: $1 ≈ 26,000 VND.
Renewing and reissuing a TRC
The resident card is not open-ended. File for renewal 30 days before it expires, or the status lapses.
How to renew
- Make sure the ground for your TRC still holds (Work Permit not expired, company active, marriage valid)
- Gather an updated file (forms NA6/NA7/NA8 plus a passport copy)
- File at the same office that issued the TRC
- Pay the fee for the new card by term: $145, $155 or $165
- Review time: 5 working days
When you need a reissue
- New passport — the TRC is tied to the old one and must be reissued
- Category change — say from LD to DT. That is a fresh application
- Lost card — a statement plus a reissue
Common mistakes when getting a TRC
1. Living on visa runs for years. Every 45–90 days, a flight to Cambodia or Thailand ($100–$200 a trip). Over a year, $400–1,600 — more than a TRC.
2. Overstaying your visa. Since December 2025, Decree 282/2025/NĐ-CP has tightened penalties. The fine covers the whole overstay: under 16 days — 0.5–2 million VND, 16–29 days — 5–10 million VND, a year or more — 30–40 million VND. From 16 days, deportation can be added on top.
3. Not checking passport validity. The TRC is issued for at least 30 days less than your passport has left. For a one-year card, aim for 13 months of validity, not the 6 that visa-free entry needs.
4. Not translating documents into Vietnamese. Every foreign document needs a notarised translation. An original in your own language won't even be accepted.
5. Setting up a company without a lawyer. A faulty charter, a missing licence or unpaid charter capital are all grounds to refuse the DT visa. Saving $2,000–$3,000 costs you months.
6. Confusing a TRC with a visa. A TRC is not a visa. You cannot apply for a TRC on visa-free entry. First a visa of the right category (LD, DT, TT), then the card.
7. Forgetting company reporting. The tax authority requires regular filings even from companies with zero turnover. Skip it and your tax code is blocked, with fines and TRC renewal trouble.
A common trap is opening a company just for the card and never doing the accounting. Six months in, a notice arrives from the tax office.from expat forums and duan.asia
Visa runs vs a TRC — which is cheaper
| Criterion | Visa run | TRC |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cost | $400–1,600 | $145–165 (one-off) |
| Stability | no guarantees | protected by law |
| Bank account | hard to open | no problem |
| Buying property | no | yes |
| Work | illegal | legal |
| Comfort | flights every 45–90 days | a card for 1–10 years |
If you plan to live in Vietnam more than half the year, a TRC is cheaper and safer than visa runs.
FAQ — common questions about Vietnam residency
Yes. A TRC is open through employment, investment, marriage or study. There is no nationality restriction. The easiest routes are through an employer (LD, up to 2 years) or by opening a company (DT, up to 3 years).
- The government fee, up to 2 years$145
- 2–5 years$155
- 5–10 years$165
- With translations and an agent$200 to $2,500
- Through a businessfrom $115,000charter capital, plus $3,000–$5,000 in fees
Fixed by term, the same in any city
Legally, only with a Work Permit and a work visa. Freelancers on a tourist entry are technically in a grey zone. To go legal: an employer (LD) or your own company (DT).
Any valid passport works. The key requirement: it must stay valid at least 30 days longer than the card, so for a one-year card aim for 13 months or more.
The TRC. One visa run is $100–$200, so a year is $400–1,600. A 2-year TRC is $145 in fees. Even with an agent the card pays for itself within half a year.
The TRC does not include insurance. But with the card it is easier to buy Vietnamese health cover (Bảo hiểm y tế), open a bank account and use public hospitals. A policy starts from 3,000,000 VND a year (~$120).
No, buying property does not grant residency directly. But you can register a company to manage the property and get a DT3 card (charter capital from 3 billion VND / ~$115,000).
There is no dedicated retirement visa. The usual routes are marriage to a Vietnamese citizen or an investment card. If you are weighing the options, the permanent residence guide lays them out side by side, and the retiring in Vietnam guide covers visas, costs and healthcare for pensioners.
It is worth doing. Since 1 July 2025 TRC holders can register a Level 2 VNeID in person at the office that issued their card, with a passport, the TRC and a Vietnamese SIM in their own name. Banking, tax and company procedures are moving onto VNeID — the things the card was for.
No. A TRC gives multiple entry and exit with no restrictions for its whole validity.
After several continuous years on a TRC you can apply for permanent residence (PRC). Citizenship is possible but rare — since July 2025 Vietnam allows dual nationality, but only with close Vietnamese family or recognised service to the country. We cover both in the permanent residence guide; this article stops at the TRC.
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