Vietnam Temporary Residence Card: Requirements, Fees and Forms

A Vietnam temporary residence card, usually called a TRC, allows an eligible foreign national to reside in Vietnam for the period shown on the card and use it in place of a visa for entry and exit while it remains valid. For foreign investors, employees and families, the application starts with choosing the correct category and gathering the evidence that supports it.

This guide explains the main categories, required documents, current application forms, government fees and submission steps.

Who Can Apply for a Vietnam Temporary Residence Card?

The following table covers the categories most relevant to business owners, employees and their families. The investment and employment categories come from Law 51/2019/QH14; the preferential categories were added by Law 118/2025/QH15.

Category	Who it covers	Maximum card term
DT1 / ĐT1	Foreign investor or qualifying representative of a foreign investing organisation with contributed capital of VND 100 billion or more, or a qualifying government-designated incentive investment	10 years
DT2 / ĐT2	Contributed capital from VND 50 billion to below VND 100 billion, or an eligible government-designated encouraged activity	5 years
DT3 / ĐT3	Contributed capital from VND 3 billion to below VND 50 billion	3 years
LD1 / LĐ1	Employees in the applicable work-permit-exempt category	2 years
LD2 / LĐ2	Foreign employees who require a work permit	2 years
TT	Eligible family members of Vietnamese citizens or foreign sponsors, as explained below	3 years
UD1 / UĐ1	Qualifying high-quality digital-technology personnel and other persons entitled to preferential treatment under the specified legislation	10 years
UD2 / UĐ2	Spouses and children under 18 of UD1 holders	10 years

A DT4 investor with contributed capital below VND 3 billion is not included in the investor TRC categories. If the investor also qualifies through employment or family status, that separate route can be assessed on its own requirements.

The preferential UD categories took effect under the amendments from 1 July 2026. They target legally defined eligible people; ordinary employment in a technology company does not by itself establish the preferential status. Prepare evidence of the relevant recognition or qualifying status alongside the sponsor’s application.

Which Family Members Qualify?

Under the TT rules, an eligible foreign sponsor can support a spouse or child under 18. The listed sponsor categories include qualifying investors and employees. For Vietnamese citizens, the TT category covers foreign parents, spouses and children. The application must show the relationship and the sponsor’s qualifying status.

For a household moving together, collect each person’s passport and civil-status documents separately. Names and dates should match across the marriage or birth certificate, passport and application; explain a legal name change with the relevant document.

How Long Is a TRC Valid?

Passport validity and the evidence supporting the application can shorten the issued card. A TRC must expire at least 30 days before the passport expires.

Check the passport, employment permission and requested card period together. If the passport is close to expiry, renewing it before filing may avoid the cost and disruption of a shorter card and a later replacement.

Required Documents for a TRC Application

Documents for the Applicant

The Ministry of Public Security’s published dossier includes:

• Original passport.
• Completed and signed applicant declaration, NA8.
• The sponsor’s request: NA6 for an organisation or NA7 for an individual sponsor.
• Two photographs measuring 2 × 3 cm: one attached to the declaration and one loose.
• Evidence of eligibility for the card, with the original and a copy as required by the published procedure.

Keep the current visa or residence evidence and accommodation-declaration details available so the application can accurately state your entry and current address.

Evidence for Your Category

Application route	Evidence to prepare
Employment	Work permit or applicable exemption confirmation; employer’s registration and sponsorship documents
Investment	Enterprise and investment records relevant to the project, ownership or representative appointment, and evidence of the qualifying contributed capital or incentive status
Family	Marriage certificate or birth certificate establishing the relationship, plus the sponsor’s Vietnamese identity or foreign passport and qualifying residence evidence
Preferential UD route	Documentation establishing the legally recognised preferential status; UD2 applicants also need the relationship evidence

Foreign-issued civil-status documents normally require consular legalisation unless an exemption applies, followed by the required certified Vietnamese translation. Use the final legalised document for translation so seals, endorsements and names remain consistent.

Documents for a Corporate Sponsor

For the organisation’s initial registration with immigration, the published sponsor requirements call for a certified copy of its establishment licence or decision and a document introducing its seal and authorised signature. For a company, prepare the relevant registration document and the current NA16 seal-and-signature form. The registration is made once, with changes subsequently notified.

Download the Current TRC Forms

The official gazette containing Circular 70/2026/TT-BCA provides the revised forms. The links below open the relevant pages in that official PDF.

Form	Purpose	Official form
NA6	Organisation’s request for the applicant’s card	Open the NA6 form
NA7	Individual sponsor’s guarantee for a family application	Open the NA7 form
NA8	Applicant’s personal and residence declaration	Open the NA8 form and continuation
NA16	Organisation’s seal and authorised-signature introduction	Open the NA16 form

The complete form continues on the next page. It asks for passport details, occupation, entry information, purpose, address and sponsor information. Follow its photograph and certification instructions.

How to Complete NA8 Clearly

Use the passport spelling of the applicant’s full name and enter the passport number and expiry exactly. State the actual occupation and position, the most recent entry details and the full current Vietnamese residence address. The requested stay and stated purpose must agree with the sponsor’s letter and supporting eligibility documents.

Complete the sponsor details and signature or certification sections shown on the form. For an employment application, the sponsor should check the employer’s legal name and the applicant’s role against the work-permit records. For a family application, use the relationship established by the civil-status documents.

How to Apply: The Submission Process

Step One: Confirm the Category and Sponsor

Match the applicant to the relevant category, determine the requested duration and identify the sponsoring organisation or individual. For an investor, reconcile the investment evidence with actual contributions. For employment, complete the required work-authorisation documentation.

Step Two: Prepare the Forms and Supporting Evidence

Complete the current sponsor request and applicant declaration. Organise the passport, photographs and category evidence, and complete any legalisation or translation work. If the corporate sponsor has not registered its seal and signature, prepare that file as well.

Step Three: Submit to Immigration

File with the competent Immigration Department or provincial immigration authority for the application. The Ministry of Public Security procedure offers direct filing and a partly online route. Online filing can still require the original passport by public postal service and electronically certified supporting documents; where electronic certification is unavailable, supporting papers must also be sent as instructed.

Keep the application reference, acceptance receipt and fee receipt. Missing or inconsistent documents lead to a supplementation request or a reasoned refusal where the applicant is ineligible.

Step Four: Collect and Check the Card

For direct collection, bring the appointment receipt, identity document and payment receipt. Check the name, passport number, category and expiry on the issued card before leaving. Retain a digital copy and record its expiry alongside the passport and work-authorisation dates.

Government Fees and Processing Time

The official fee schedule displayed on the procedure is:

Card duration	Government fee
Up to and including 2 years	USD 145 per card
More than 2 years and up to 5 years	USD 155 per card
More than 5 years and up to 10 years	USD 165 per card

These are government fees. Translation, legalisation, delivery and professional-service charges are separate costs.

The published processing period is five working days from receipt of the complete dossier. Document preparation, postal transit and corrections sit outside that complete-file processing period. Start while the applicant’s existing stay remains valid.

What Happens When Your Circumstances Change?

A new employer, changed investment status, replacement passport or lost card can require new immigration action. Prepare the new supporting documents promptly rather than waiting for the printed expiry date. When employment sponsorship ends, the employer and applicant should organise the card’s handling and the next lawful residence arrangement with immigration.

When moving home, have the new accommodation provider complete the residence declaration. For household arrangements beyond the card itself, see our guide to living in Vietnam.

Conclusion

A complete TRC application connects the right category, sponsor and evidence with accurately completed forms. Prepare investment or employment records early, use the revised templates and allow time for document delivery and corrections. InCorp Vietnam’s immigration advisory team can help prepare and manage applications for foreign employees, investors and their families.