HOW CAN I APPLY FOR BUSINESS VISA IN VIETNAM?

Thursday, 02/05/19

Vietnam has attracted many businessmen to explore business opportunities and expand the market because of its potentials and location in Southeast Asia. As a foreigner, you are planning to do business here but it leaves your many questions that you still hesitate: How can I apply for Vietnam Business Visa? Is it a must? What happens if I enter Vietnam without business visa?

Business visa is categorized as DN, DT, LV that is issued for those who visit Vietnam for business purposes. If you come from the country not included in Vietnam visa exemption list, you have to apply for a business visa as a first requirement to carry out your business plan in Vietnam such as signing contract, participating in B2B meeting, seminars, business exchange, etc. This visa offers foreign businessmen to enter and stay here from one month to one year with a single or multiple entries relying on your business purposes and budget. There are three options to apply for a visa comprised of Vietnam Embassies or Consulates, Visa on arrival – recommended for tourism or business purposes, E-visa – available for only citizens of 46 countries (including the USA and the UK). Having a sponsor company registered and operated in Vietnam currently is a must to help you obtain the approval letter. Based on the option you choose, the time of the process is varied.

STEPS TO APPLY FOR A BUSINESS VISA IN VIETNAM

If you're planning to get a business visa in Vietnam, you have to be sponsored by a company registering and operating in Vietnam. The whole procedure for the business visa must go through 2 steps:

Step 1: Having a visa Approval Letter (Pre-Visa) sponsored by a company in Vietnam, issued by the Ministry of Public Security in advance;

Step 2: The applicant pick up the business visa by themselves at the overseas Embassies/ Consulates of Vietnam, or at the international border gates or at the Vietnam’s international airports.

WHAT YOU NEED TO PREPARE TO APPLY FOR BUSINESS VISA IN VIETNAM?

For the purposes of business, work or investment, the applicants are required a Visa Approval Letter from the Ministry of Public Security in advance. The Visa Approval Letter is the legal document approved by the Vietnam Immigration Department to allow foreigners enter into Vietnam and pick up visa at the overseas Embassies or Consulates of Vietnam, or at the international border gates or at the Vietnam’s international airports.

The required documents need to provide both the applicant and Vietnam’s sponsored company

A notarized true copy of the sponsored company’s business or investment or representative license in Vietnam, tax and stamp registration certificate;
Visa application forms must be signed and sealed by a legal representative of the company;
Scanning the applicant’s passport;
Providing the estimated date of arrival (this is the date you want your visa to start from. The start date of the visa itself will be the day you arrive - you can enter Vietnam at a later date (up to your exit date) but not before that date, so be sure to take time zone differences into account);
Providing the place of picking up the visa (the visa can be picked up at either the Vietnamese Embassies/ Consulates in your own or another country, or airports of Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang or Nha Trang).

The visa duration is from 1 to 12 months with single or multiple entries

Normal processing time: 7 working days

Required documents for picking up the Business Visa

You are able to get your visa stamped at the embassy or the airport or border crossing, to do this you must submit the following documents:

Applicant’s original passport must be valid for six months from your estimated arrival date, and must have at least one blank visa page;
2 passport sized photographs (4 x 6 cm);
The copy of visa approval letter;
Complete the entry and exit application form;
Visa stamping fee depending on the visa single or multiple entry and visa validity (USD25 for 1 and 3 month single, USD50 for 1 and 3 month multiple, USD95 for 6 month multiple and USD135 for 1 year multiple entry) must be paid in cash at the place of picking up visa.

WHERE TO PICK UP THE BUSINESS VISA

There are three options to obtain a Business Visa:

Obtain the visa at Vietnamese Embassies/ Consulates in your own or another country
Obtain the visa at Vietnam’ international airports including Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City, Noi Bai airport in Ha Noi City, Cam Ranh airport in Nha Trang City, Da Nang airport in Da Nang City or Phu Quoc airport in Kien Giang Province
Obtain the visa at Vietnam’ international border crossings, Vietnam has over a dozen international overland border crossings. These allow overland travel to Cambodia (via five crossings), Laos (via six crossing) and China (at least two crossings)

OTHER INFORMATION RELATED TO VIETNAM'S WORK PERMIT, VISAS AND TEMPORARY RESIDENCE CARD

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HOW CAN I APPLY FOR BUSINESS VISA IN VIETNAM?

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