Visas, work permits and residence cards for FDI engineers in Vietnam (2025–2026)
This page is orientation, not legal advice. The rules changed in August 2025 (Decree 219/2025/NĐ-CP replaced Decree 152/2020) and are applied by the provincial authority — for the merged city that means one Ho Chi Minh City Department of Home Affairs covering the former Bình Dương and Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu areas too. Verify every step with your HR team or an immigration lawyer before you fly, because the wrong entry visa can cost you a second trip.
Three routes, one decision
| You are… | Route | Typical documents | Stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visiting for meetings, audits, negotiations, a short factory-acceptance test | Business visa (DN1 for companies with legal status in Vietnam, DN2 for service providers / commercial-presence work), e-visa, or visa exemption | Company invitation letter, passport with 6+ months validity | E-visa up to 90 days single or multiple entry; DN visa up to 12 months; 45-day exemption for 24 nationalities (Japan, Korea, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and others) until August 2028 — tourism only |
| Working on a Vietnamese employment contract (plant manager, process engineer, QA lead) | Work permit (WP) then LĐ visa and a temporary residence card (TRC) | Legalised degree or certificate, 3+ years’ experience letters, criminal record, health check, employer’s demand explanation | WP up to 2 years, extendable once; TRC linked to the WP, up to 2 years |
| Transferred from the parent company to its Vietnamese subsidiary | Intra-company transferee — may be exempt from the work permit but still needs a WP-exemption certificate and the matching visa/TRC | Proof of 12+ consecutive months’ employment at the parent, assignment letter, company charter showing the sector | Exemption certificate up to 2 years, renewable once |
What Decree 219/2025 changed
- One application instead of two. The separate “labour demand approval” step is folded into the work-permit application for most employers; no more publishing a Vietnamese recruitment notice first. Decision within 10 working days of a complete file.
- Short assignments up to 90 days per year without a permit. Experts, managers, executives and technical workers can work up to 90 cumulative days in a calendar year without a WP (previously 30 days per entry, three entries). Useful for commissioning engineers — but the employer must still notify the authority.
- Multi-province work. One permit can cover work at several sites of the same employer — relevant if you split time between a Thủ Đức lab and a VSIP plant, which are now both inside Ho Chi Minh City anyway.
- Old permits stay valid until their expiry date.
The intra-company transferee exemption
The exemption applies to managers, executives, experts and technical workers moved within a foreign company’s commercial presence in Vietnam, in one of the 11 service sectors of Vietnam’s WTO commitments (business services, communication, construction and engineering, distribution, education, environmental, financial, health, tourism, recreational/cultural, transport). Manufacturing plants often qualify through “business services” or “construction and related engineering services” only if the company charter says so — this is exactly the point where HR and a lawyer must confirm. You must have worked for the sending company for at least 12 consecutive months before the transfer. Exempt does not mean paperless: the Vietnamese entity applies for a certificate of exemption, and your visa or TRC is issued on that basis.
Documents to prepare before leaving home
- Degree or professional certificate, notarised and consular-legalised, then translated in Vietnam.
- Employment confirmation letters proving years of experience (for “expert” status usually a degree plus 3 years, or 5 years for technical workers with training certificates).
- Home-country criminal record certificate, less than 6 months old, legalised.
- Passport photos 4×6 cm, white background.
- Health certificate — can be done in Vietnam at FV, Vinmec or a licensed hospital within 12 months of application.
Timeline that works
| Week | Step |
|---|---|
| -8 to -4 | Legalise documents at home; Vietnamese entity prepares the employer’s file |
| -2 | Enter on a business visa or exemption; health check in HCMC; temporary residence declaration by hotel/landlord |
| 0 to +2 | Work permit or exemption certificate issued (10 working days for a complete file) |
| +2 to +4 | LĐ visa conversion and TRC application at HCMC Immigration (Nguyễn Trãi, District 1 area); TRC issued in 5–7 working days |
| +4 | Open bank account and sign the lease with the TRC — see banking and housing |
Family
Spouses and children under 18 get TT visas / TRCs tied to yours; a spouse who wants to work needs their own permit. International schools ask for the child’s TRC or a receipt for the application — see international schools.
Where this touches your equipment
Commissioning engineers on 90-day assignments cannot sign Vietnamese contracts personally; rentals and purchases are invoiced to the Vietnamese entity’s tax code, or quoted in USD to the parent company until the entity exists. Procurement and import guide · How rental works.
FAQ — visas and work permits
Can I start work on a business visa while the work permit is processed?
Only within the 90-days-per-calendar-year short-assignment allowance for experts, managers and technical workers, and only if the employer notifies the authority. Verify with HR before you start on site.
Am I exempt from the work permit as an intra-company transferee?
Possibly, if you have 12+ months at the parent company and the Vietnamese entity operates in one of the 11 WTO service sectors listed in its charter. You still need an exemption certificate. Confirm with a lawyer.
How long is a work permit valid?
Up to 2 years under Decree 219/2025, extendable once for up to 2 more years, never longer than your contract or assignment.
Do I need the work permit before I can rent an apartment?
No — a lease can be signed on a business visa, but the landlord must file your temporary residence declaration and most serviced apartments prefer the TRC for 12-month contracts.
Can visa-exempt nationals (45 days) work during the exemption?
No. The 2025–2028 exemption for Japanese, Korean, UK, German, French and other nationals is for tourism. Working requires a permit or exemption certificate and the matching visa.
Landing in Ho Chi Minh City with a factory or lab to equip?
Lost in HCM rents calibrated test equipment, supplies tools and instruments with VAT e-invoices, and helps FDI teams get a site running. Send your equipment list or your start-up date.
Request rental quote Talk to an FDI advisor · Phone / Zalo 0902 327 669
