Updated: 19 October 2026

From 1 July 2026, companies inviting or sponsoring foreign employees may file visa requests in person, by public postal service or online, instead of only at the immigration office. The procedure is governed by the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam No. 47/2014/QH13, as amended by Laws No. 51/2019/QH14, 23/2023/QH15 and 118/2025/QH15, together with Circular No. 70/2026/TT-BCA on forms and Circular No. 28/2026/TT-BTC on fees. The LD1 and LD2 work visas are not only entry documents: they are also the basis for a temporary residence card for the whole working period.

1. What LD1 and LD2 visas are and who qualifies

Under Article 8 of Law No. 47/2014/QH13 (as amended by Law No. 51/2019/QH14), the LD1 visa is issued to foreigners working in Vietnam with a certificate of exemption from a work permit, unless a treaty provides otherwise; the LD2 visa is issued to foreigners working in Vietnam who must hold a work permit. The visa code therefore depends on the employee's work permit status, not on job title or salary.

Under Article 10, the applicant must hold a passport or valid international travel document; have an inviting or sponsoring organisation in Vietnam; not fall within the cases of entry refusal under Article 21; and prove the purpose of entry. Foreign workers must hold a work permit under the Labour Code (Article 10.4(c)); exempt workers submit the exemption certificate.

Article 14.1 allows companies established under Vietnamese law, representative offices and branches of foreign traders and other legal entities to invite and sponsor foreigners, consistent with their functions or licence (Article 14.2). A company should sponsor only individuals who will actually work for it in the approved position.

The work permit must be obtained before applying for an LD2 visa. Work permits are currently governed by Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP dated 7 August 2025. Where the employee is abroad, companies often invite them on an e-visa or DN1 visa to complete the work permit, then convert to LD2 as explained in section 3.

2. Documents

2.1. Legal entity registration of the sponsor. Under Article 16.2, before its first invitation the company must notify the immigration authority, enclosing a certified copy of its establishment licence or Enterprise Registration Certificate (ERC) and form NA16 introducing its seal and the authorised signatory. This is done once; changes of legal representative, seal or address must be notified. Article 6a, added from 1 July 2026, exempts documents available in national databases, but companies should keep certified copies ready.

2.2. Employee abroad. Under Article 16.1, the company files: request letter NA2 stating the purpose, requested visa code, validity, number of entries and place of collection; a copy of the work permit or exemption certificate; and a copy of the passport bio page, valid at least 30 days beyond the requested visa. For an e-visa under Article 16b, the company needs an electronic identification account and digital signature, then files via the National Public Service Portal or the e-visa website.

2.3. Employee in Vietnam. The file includes form NA5 certified and sealed by the sponsor; the original passport with valid temporary residence; a valid work permit or exemption certificate; and one 4x6 cm photo on a white background for a loose-leaf visa. Foreign documents used for the work permit must be legalised or apostilled; see our legalisation service.

3. Step-by-step procedure

1. Work permit and entity file. Obtain approval of the demand for foreign workers and the work permit or exemption under Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP; confirm the entity file has been registered under Article 16.2.
2. File the visa request. Employee abroad: NA2 letter with supporting documents, in person, by public post or online (Article 16.1 as amended by Law No. 118/2025/QH15). Employee in Vietnam: NA5 form with passport and work permit (Article 19).
3. Review. Within 5 working days of receipt, the immigration authority replies to the sponsor and notifies the Vietnamese mission abroad (Article 16.3); e-visas requested by organisations are answered within 3 working days (Article 16b.3). For employees in Vietnam, a new visa is considered within 5 working days of a complete file and fee payment; managers and experts at organisations in the International Financial Centre in Vietnam and accompanying relatives are processed within 3 working days under Decree No. 327/2025/ND-CP.
4. Collect the visa. At a Vietnamese mission abroad (Article 17), at an international border gate where Article 18 applies, or by printing the e-visa with the file code (Article 16b.5). In Vietnam, the visa is affixed to the passport or issued loose-leaf.
5. Residence declaration and TRC. After entry, the employee declares temporary residence (Article 33); the company then applies for an LD1 or LD2 temporary residence card under Articles 36 and 37.

Article 7.4 prohibits changing the visa purpose except in four cases, two of which relate to employment: being invited to work and holding a work permit or exemption certificate (point c), and entering on an e-visa and holding a work permit or exemption certificate (point d). The employee then receives a new visa matching the new purpose under Article 19 (Article 7.5), without leaving Vietnam.

4. Validity and fees

Under Article 9, LD1 and LD2 visas are valid for up to 2 years (9.5); a new visa may be issued on expiry (9.7); and visa validity must be at least 30 days shorter than the passport (9.8). In practice the LD2 visa follows the work permit term (maximum 2 years under Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP), and the LD1 visa follows the exemption certificate. When the work permit expires or is revoked, the basis for the LD2 visa falls away.

Circular No. 28/2026/TT-BTC dated 27 March 2026 sets the fees: single-entry USD 25; multiple-entry up to 90 days USD 50; over 90 to 180 days USD 95; over 180 days to 1 year USD 135; over 1 to 2 years USD 145; visa transfer to a new passport USD 5; extension of temporary stay USD 10. Fees are paid on filing and are not refunded if the application fails. A multiple-entry LD2 visa of 2 years and a TRC of up to 2 years both cost USD 145, but the TRC replaces the visa and avoids extensions at each entry.

5. Practical notes

Risks. Working on a tourist visa, e-visa or DN visa without converting, or overstaying, may be sanctioned under Decree No. 282/2025/ND-CP (effective 15 December 2025, replacing Decree No. 144/2021/ND-CP), lead to forced exit under Article 30 or cancellation of residence papers under Article 6. Employing foreigners without a work permit is sanctioned under labour law. A sponsor declaring the wrong purpose risks rejection of future files.

Impact. New FIEs must register their entity file and obtain approval of the demand for foreign workers first. Employers of many foreigners must track visa, work permit and passport expiry together. Intra-company transferees and other exempt experts need the exemption certificate first; spouses and children under 18 apply for TT visas of up to 12 months.

7S Law's recommendation. Treat the work permit, work visa and TRC as one chain planned from recruitment: obtain the work permit first, invite the employee on an organisation-requested e-visa, convert to LD2 as soon as the work permit is issued, and apply for a TRC instead of repeated visas.

6. Illustrative scenarios

Indian engineer hired by a Hanoi software company. Company A has obtained a 2-year work permit for Mr R, who is in India. It files an NA2 letter with copies of the work permit and passport at the Hanoi Immigration Office; within 5 working days the authority replies and notifies the Vietnamese Embassy in India, where Mr R collects an LD2 visa. With an e-identification account and digital signature, Company A could instead request an e-visa and receive the result within 3 working days.

German managing director on an e-visa. Ms M enters on an e-visa to explore the market, is then appointed managing director of the Vietnamese subsidiary and obtains a work permit. Under Article 7.4(d) she may change the visa purpose: the company files NA5, passport and work permit and she receives a new LD2 visa under Article 19 without leaving the country, followed by an LD2 TRC.

Japanese intra-company transferee. Mr T is transferred to the Vietnamese branch for 18 months and is exempt from a work permit. The branch obtains the exemption certificate first, then files NA2 for an 18-month multiple-entry LD1 visa; the fee is USD 145.

7. Frequently asked questions

Can an LD2 visa be issued before the work permit?
No. Article 10.4(c) requires a work permit. Without it, the employee can only enter for another purpose, such as DN1, and convert to LD2 later.

Can the employee apply personally?
No. Under Article 16.1, the inviting organisation files. Only the self-requested e-visa under Article 16a is filed by the foreigner, and it is not an LD visa.

LD2 visa or TRC?
For long-term assignments, a TRC is better: it replaces the visa and avoids extensions, at the same USD 145 fee for up to 2 years. The employee must be lawfully residing in Vietnam for the company to apply under Article 36.

Must the entity file be updated when the legal representative changes?
Yes. Article 16.2 requires supplementary notification; a new NA16 should be filed before the next visa request.

8. How 7S Law can help

7S Law provides work permit, visa and temporary residence card services for foreign experts, managers and their families, from the entity registration to the TRC.

Appendix: Legal basis

Quoted provisions are unofficial translations by 7S Law.

Author: Tran Huyen Trang

This article is for reference only and reflects the law in force at the date of update. Please consult a lawyer on your specific case before acting.

Contact 7S Law: +84 877 523 888 – lienhe@7slaw.vn