(Photo: tuvanluat.vn)

General:

A temporary residence card (TRC) is a document issued by an immigration authority or a competent authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, granted to foreigners who are allowed to reside for a certain period of time in Vietnam (under Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam 2014).

Benefits:

Foreigners holding TRC cards will be exempt from visas and can enter and exit multiple times according to the work needs within the duration of the card, thus it helps save time and money for Vietnam visa application as well as Vietnam visa extension during the entry, exit, and residence in Vietnam. Foreigners can stay in Vietnam for a period of time while their temporary residence card is still valid without having to leave Vietnam.

Requirements and conditions:

• Foreigners must temporarily stay for 1 year or more in Vietnam

• The passport is valid for at least 13 months.

Order and procedures:

Step 1: Preparing a dossier in accordance with the law.

Step 2: Submitting the dossier:

1. Agencies, organizations and individuals shall submit the dossier at the offices of the Immigration Department of the Ministry of Public Security:

a) 44-46 Tran Phu, Ba Dinh, Hanoi.

b) 333-335-337 Nguyen Trai Str., District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

2. Officers receiving the dossier shall check the legality and contents of the dossier:

+ If the dossier is appropriately completed, officers shall receive it, print and hand over a receipt with the date of receiving results.

+ If the dossier is not appropriately completed, officers shall guide the applicant to supplement the dossier.

Working time:

- From Monday to Saturday morning (except for New Year's days, public holidays and Sundays).

Step 3: Receiving the result:

a) The person who comes to receive the result shall present the receipt, the identity card or passport to the officers handing over the result for examination. If a temporary residence card is issued, the officers will ask that person to pay fees, sign for receipt and hand over the temporary residence card (informing that person of the result in case the temporary residence card is not issued)

b) Working time: from Monday to Friday (except for New Year's days, public holidays and Saturdays, Sundays).

- Contents, number of dossiers:

+ Contents of dossiers:

a) A written request for a temporary residence card (form NA6 for agencies, organizations, NA7 for individuals);

b) An information form for a temporary resident card for foreigners (NA8)

c) Documents proving the eligibility to be considered for temporary residence cards that include one of the documents: work permits, certificates of head of representative offices, member of the Board of Directors or other documents that prove the eligibility to be considered for temporary residence cards;

đ) 02 photos in size of 2x3 cm (01 photo glued to the information form, 01 separate photo);

+ Number of dossiers: 01 (one) set.

- Processing time: within 05 working days from the date of receipt of the dossier.

- Subjects of application: Vietnamese agencies, organizations and citizens.

- Competent authorities: Immigration Department, Ministry of Public Security.

- Results of administrative procedures: temporary residence cards.

- Fees (if any):

+ Temporary residence cards valid from 1 to 2 years: US$145/card.

+ Temporary residence cards valid for 2 to 5 years: US$155/card.

- Application forms (if any):

+ A written request for temporary residence cards (form NA6 for agencies, organizations, NA7 for individuals);

+ An information form for a temporary resident card for foreigners (NA8);

Requirements and conditions for administrative procedures (if any):

1. When applying for a temporary residence card to a foreigner, agencies or organizations shall submit the dossier proving their legal person status at the Immigration Department of the Ministry of Public Security.

a) A certified copy of the organization’s establishment license or decision issued by a competent authority

b) A certified copy of the organization's operation registration document issued by a competent authority of the People's Committee of provinces or centrally run cities;

c)  A document introducing the seal and signature of the organization’s competent person;

The above application submission is only submitted once. When there is any change to the content in the dossier, the business must notify in writing the Immigration Department to supplement the dossier.

2. Foreigners who enter for the purpose of operation in accordance with the provisions of Vietnamese law, and are not subject to "suspension from exit" as specified in the law, may be considered for a temporary residence card valid for 1 year to 3 years. Temporary residence cards are not issued in the following cases:

a) Being examined for penal liability or being defendant in civil, economic, or labor disputes;

b) Being obliged to execute criminal judgments;

c) Being obliged to execute civil and economic judgments;

d) Being obliged to comply with decisions on administrative sanctions, tax obligations and other financial obligations.

- Legal basis of administrative procedures:

+ Law on foreigner’s entry into, exit from, transit through, and residence in Vietnam (Law No. 47/2014/QH13, dated June 16, 2014).

+ Circular No. 04/2015/TT-BCA, dated January 5, 2015 of the Ministry of Public Security, providing for forms related to entry, exit and residence of foreigners in Vietnam

+ Circular No. 219/2016/TT-BTC dated 10/11/2016 of the Ministry of Finance regulating collection, payment, management and use of fees and charges in the fields of exit, entry, transit and residence in Vietnam.

Vietnam TRC extension:

TRC can be extended when it expires. Following documents are required:

• Application form for visa issuance, stay extension (Form NA5)

• Passport

Procedures are the same as TRC application.

A US $10 fee is charged for Vietnam temporary residence card extension. The processing time takes 5 working days from the date of receipt of all valid documents.

You can refer Form NA6, NA7, NA8