The type of visa is determined by the foreign national's purpose of entry into Vietnam. According to the Amended Law, which took effect on 15 August 2023, types of visa will be amended and supplemented to include the following:

• Diplomatic visas (NG1-NG4) for people working with state authorities, sociopolitical organizations, social organizations and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LV1-LV2)
• Visas for foreign investors in Vietnam and representatives of foreign organizations that invest in Vietnam, which are classified into four categories based on the capital contribution, industries and areas of the investment, particularly the following:
  • Visa DT1 — capital contribution of VND 100 billion (approximately USD 4,077,000) and over, or investment in industries or areas eligible for investment incentives
  • Visa DT2 — capital contribution from VND 50 billion (approximately USD 2,038,500) up to, but less than, VND 100 billion (approximately USD 4,077,000) or investment in encouraged industries
  • Visa DT3 — capital contribution from VND 3 billion (approximately USD 122,310) up to, but less than, VND 50 billion (approximately USD 2,038,500)
  • Visa DT4 — capital contribution of less than VND 3 billion (approximately USD 122,310)
• Visas for foreign lawyers practicing in Vietnam (LS)
• Visas for foreign nationals who enter to work with companies and other organizations with legal status in accordance with the laws of Vietnam (DN1)
• Visas for foreign nationals who enter to offer services, establish a commercial presence and conduct other activities according to international treaties to which Vietnam is a signatory (DN2)
• Visas for the following:
  • Foreign nationals who are heads of the representative offices or project offices of international organizations or NGOs in Vietnam (NN1)
  • Foreign nationals who are the heads of the representative offices or branches of foreign traders, or the representative offices of economic, cultural or other specialized organizations (NN2)
  • Foreign nationals who come to Vietnam to work with NGOs, the representative offices or branches of foreign traders, or the representative offices of economic, cultural or other specialized organizations (NN3)
• Visas for foreign nationals coming to intern or study (DH)
• Visas for foreign nationals attending seminars and conferences (HN)
• Visas for reporters (PV1-PV2)
• Visas for foreign employees working in Vietnam, which are now classified into two categories:
  • Visas for foreign employees who have a work permit exemption certificate (LD1)
  • Visas for foreign employees who are required to have a work permit (LD2)
• Visas for tourists (DL)
• Visas for foreign nationals who are the spouse or children, under 18 years of age, of foreign nationals issued with LV1, LV2, LS, DT1, DT2, NN1, NN2, DH, PV1, LD1 or LD2, or the parent, spouse or children of Vietnamese citizens (TT)
• Visas for foreign nationals coming to visit relatives or for other purposes (VR)
• Visas for foreign nationals coming for the purpose of a market survey, tourism, visiting family members or medical treatment and falling under specific circumstances, as explained in detail under the "Foreign nationals without sponsorship" section below (SQ)
• Electronic visas (EV)

Foreign nationals may apply for single- or multiple-entry visas. The majority of visas are valid for no more than 12 months, with the exception of SQ (no more than 30 days); HN, DL and EV (no more than 90 days); VR (no more than 180 days); LD1 and LD2 (no more than two years); DT3 (no more than three years); and LS, DT1 and DT2 (no more than five years) visas.

Electronic visas are valid for multiple entries with a maximum stay of 90 days. Applicants can make applications and fee payments online, and the visa will be issued via the website. Citizens of all countries and territories are eligible for electronic visas. All major border gates of Vietnam accept electronic visas and are subject to the government's further guidance from time to time.

To be eligible for a visa, among other criteria, the foreign national must either be sponsored by an agency, organization or individual in Vietnam or, in the absence of such sponsorship, must fall under special categories of entry.

Individuals that come to Vietnam to engage in religious or cultural activities and members of the media must obtain approval from the relevant government authorities for their visit before entry.

Foreign nationals can be sponsored for visas by the following:

• Enterprises established pursuant to Vietnamese laws
• Diplomatic missions and consular agencies
• Representative offices of international organizations affiliated with the United Nations (UN) or intergovernmental organizations in Vietnam
• Representative offices, branches of foreign traders, or representative offices of other foreign economic, cultural and professional organizations in Vietnam
• Other organizations with legal status as prescribed by Vietnamese laws
• Vietnamese citizens residing in Vietnam or foreign nationals who hold temporary or permanent residence cards

The head of the host organization or the host citizen must file a request and all the necessary supporting documentation with the immigration authority under the MPS for the issuance of the entry visa. The immigration authority undertakes to make a decision within five working days of receiving the request. Upon approving the request, the immigration authority will direct the relevant overseas Vietnamese diplomatic mission to issue the entry visa to the foreign national.

Organizations may request that the immigration authority issue an entry visa at an international port of entry, provided that the name of the port of entry and the time of entry are specified in the application. To be eligible for this issuance, the foreign national must fall under one of the following criteria:

• The foreign national departs from a country that does not have any visa-issuing authority of Vietnam.
• The foreign national has to stop by multiple countries before arriving in Vietnam.
• The foreign national comes to Vietnam to take a tour organized by an international tourism company in Vietnam.
• The foreign national is a crew member of a ship anchoring at a Vietnamese port who would like to leave Vietnam through another border checkpoint.
• The foreign national comes to Vietnam to attend their relative's funeral or to visit a gravely ill relative.
• The foreign national comes to Vietnam to participate in dealing with an emergency, rescue, prevention of a natural disaster, or epidemic, or for another purpose at a competent authority of Vietnam's request.

Foreign nationals without an invitation letter from a local individual or organization in Vietnam will only be granted visas for the maximum term of 30 days. To be eligible, the foreign national must enter Vietnam for the purpose of a market survey, tourism, visiting family members or medical treatment, and fall under one of the following criteria:

• A foreign national who has a working relationship with an overseas visa-issuing authority of Vietnam, and their spouse and children
• A foreign national who presents a written request from a competent agency of the MOFA of the host country
• A foreign national who presents a diplomatic note of sponsorship from a foreign diplomatic mission or consular office in the host country

Foreign nationals who are members of diplomatic missions, consular offices, representative offices of international organizations of the UN, and intergovernmental organizations in Vietnam, as well as their spouses, children under 18 years of age and domestic staff that accompany them during their term of office, will be issued NG3 temporary residence cards.

Otherwise, holders of LV1, LV2, LS, DT1, DT2, DT3, NN1, NN2, DH, PV1, LD1, LD2 and TT visas are eligible for the corresponding temporary residence cards.

The term of a temporary residence card does not exceed the following:

• Ten years for DT1 cases
• Five years for NG3, LV1, LV2, LS, DT2 and DH cases
• Three years for NN1, NN2, DT3 and TT cases
• Two years for LD1, LD2 and PV1 cases

Upon the expiry of the temporary residence card, foreign nationals can apply for a new temporary residence card. The term of the temporary residence card is at least 30 days shorter than the remaining term of its holder's passport.

A holder of a temporary residence card is exempt from the visa requirements throughout the term of the card.

Under the law and its implementing regulations, permanent residence cards permit foreign nationals to reside in Vietnam for an unlimited amount of time. Only the following cases, in which the foreign nationals have a place of legal residence and stable income to support their lives in Vietnam, may be considered for permanent resident status:

• Foreign nationals who have contributed to the development and protection of Vietnam and have been granted medals or honorary titles by the Vietnamese government
• Foreign nationals who are (i) scientists or experts currently residing temporarily in Vietnam and (ii) proposed by the minister or the head of ministerial agencies or governmental agencies in the corresponding field
• Foreign nationals who (i) are sponsored by parents, spouses or children who are Vietnamese citizens, and currently residing permanently in Vietnam and (ii) have continuously resided in Vietnam for at least three years
• Foreign nationals without nationalities who have continuously resided in Vietnam from 2000 or before

Foreign nationals who would like to apply for permanent residency may do so with the immigration authority under the MPS. Once given permanent resident status, a permanent residence card will be issued to the concerned person. A person holding a permanent residence card will be exempt from any visa requirements.