Vietnam: Process for Issuance of Temporary Residence Cards Updated

Effective immediately, the Vietnamese authorities have updated their processing practice for Temporary Residence Cards (TRCs). TRCs are now issued only to holders of LD2 (work) and TT (dependent) visas. Foreign nationals and dependents who entered Vietnam on other visa types (such as DN1, VR or e-visas issued prior to work permit approval) must now first complete an additional visa conversion step before becoming eligible to apply for a TRC (previously, applicants could directly file a TRC or long-term visa application from these visa categories). This is expected to extend overall processing timelines for TRCs by two weeks. To help reduce in-country processing time, impacted individuals may consider deferring visa processing until after their work permit is issued. 

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.