HOW TO DO THE EXTENSION OF VIETNAM BUSINESS VISA

Sunday, 12/04/20

For foreigners entering Vietnam with a long-term plan to work, doing business, labor, market research and investment, the most appropriate visa for the first entry into Vietnam is the business visa, also known as Enterprise visa. Based on the latest immigration laws in November 2019 which takes effect from July 1^st, 2020, the business visa of Vietnam is categorized as DN1 and DN2, valid for 3 months single or multiple entries, serving for 2 different entry purposes. The business visa type of DN1 is issued to foreigners who work with Vietnam’s enterprises and other organizations with legal entity status in accordance with the laws of Vietnam. Meanwhile, the visa type of DN2 issued to foreigners offering services, establishing commercial presence, or conducting other activities according to international agreements to which Vietnam is a signatory.

WHAT IS A VIETNAM BUSINESS VISA LOOK LIKE

For foreigners coming to Vietnam with business purposes, there are several types of visa available:

Business visa: issued for businessmen coming for business meetings and negotiations.
Investment visa: issued for investors coming for investing in Vietnam.
Working visa: issued for workers coming for working in Vietnam.

All of these visas requires applicant to have a legal entity in Vietnam to invite or sponsor for their entry. This entity should provide some of its legal documents in the procedure to obtain the visa as well. On normal occasions, the requirements for investment visa and working visa are more complicated because foreigners must show evidence that they are legally investing or working in Vietnam, such evidence are investment certificate or work permit issued by the Vietnamese authorities. Therefore, the normal conduct embraced by many is that enter Vietnam with a business visa first, then change their visa type to a more appropriate one after they have been granted the papers as mentioned.

Currently, Vietnam business visa is marked as DN, however, after the new law on entry for foreigners coming into force in 1^st July 2020, the visa shall be classified as DN1 and DN2 but two functions and validity terms remain the same. A business visa is often valid from 1 to 3 months with both single and multiple entries. In some exceptional cases where applicants are able to prove reasonable explanation and provide appropriate documents, the business visa’s valid term can be up 12 months but this hardly occurs, especially to those who enter Vietnam for the first time.

HOW TO DO THE EXTENSION OF VIETNAM BUSINESS VISA

A business visa can be extended up to 3 months with a single entry. If you choose to renew the visa, that is to get new visa sticker on your passport, you can either apply for a single or multiple entries. The procedure usually takes up 5 – 7 working days so it is best to apply one week in advance to the visa expiration date. In order to be able to extend your visa in Vietnam, there are some conditions you need to fulfill:

Similar to apply for issuance of new business visa, Vietnam business visa extension requires a legal company in Vietnam to provide their information and sponsor for the foreigners.
Your current business visa must still be valid and you should not overstay when your passport has expired. Otherwise, you have to suffer from hash punishment by the Immigration Department.
Your passport should have at least 6-month validity with two blank pages.
If you intend to convert the visa type, for example to investment or working visa, make sure that you have obtained all the required documents by the competent authorities such as Vietnam Work Permit, Investment Certificate, etc.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR VISA EXTENSION AND REVEWAL

Required documents for business/ working Visas

Foreigners who are holding a valid business/investment/working visa and passport should prepare the following dossiers:

From the sponsoring/inviting company:

Company’s legal entity files (notarized certified copy of business registration certificate or investment registration certificate or establish Representative Office)
Seal registration certificate and tax code registration certificate (if any);

From the applicant:

The original passport;
A valid Vietnam visa;
Vietnam work permit (if any);
Visa extension form signed and sealed by company’s legal representative
Original certificate of temporary residence in Vietnam (proof of residence);

In case of that foreigners accompanied with their relatives, it’s required to provide the written proof of family relationships (the documents must be legalized, translated and notarized comply with the provisions of law):

The relatives recognized as spouse must have a marriage certificate;
The relatives recognized as children must have a birth certificate.

WHERE TO DO THE EXTENSION OF VIETNAM BUSINESS VISA?

According to the new law regulating visa policies, Vietnam business visa of DN1 is granted to foreigners working with other enterprises and organizations that are juridical person as per the law of Vietnam. Meanwhile, the business visa DN2 is issued to foreigners making entry to promote services, establish commercial presence or conducting other activities according to international agreements to which Vietnam is a signatory. Foreigners wishing to do the extension of Vietnam business visa need to be guaranteed by the same Vietnamese’s enterprise that had applied for their current visa. The application for Vietnam business visa extension can submit at any province of Vietnam where there is an office of the Immigration Department and in which the company has registered to operate.

If your sponsoring company is in 3 biggest cities of Vietnam, here are the contact details of the three major Immigration Departments:

In Ho Chi Minh City:

The Ho Chi Minh City Police Department's Immigration Office: 196 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Ward 6, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
Ministry of Public Security Department Of Immigration: 254 Nguyen Trai Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

In Da Nang: 7 Tran Quy Cap, Da Nang City
In Ha Noi: 40A, Hang Bai Street, Hanoi, Vietnam

OTHER ARTICLES OF VIETNAM'S WORK PERMIT, VISA EXTENSION AND RESIDENCE CARD

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HOW TO DO THE EXTENSION OF VIETNAM BUSINESS VISA

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