Navigating the 3-month Business Visa Vietnam: A comprehensive guide

• October 05,2023
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Understanding the visa requirements, application procedures, and compliance regulations is crucial to ensure a smooth and successful business visit. This article will walk you through the entire process of obtaining and utilizing the 3-month business visa Vietnam. From eligibility criteria and application steps to tips on making the most of your stay, we have got you covered!

WHAT IS A BUSINESS VISA?

Before finding out all about a 3-month business visa Vietnam, we need to know the basic definition of this type. A Vietnam business visa is also known as a commercial visa. This type of Vietnam visa has the symbols DN1 and DN2 visa (the old symbol is DN).

This is a type of visa issued to foreigners to come to Vietnam for work, whether it be short-term or long-term, and engage in various business activities or work related to employment. These activities encompass a wide range of fields, including trade, investment, participation in conferences and exhibitions, teaching, and technology transfer, as well as the execution of other activities linked to economics, culture, and science.

Subjects granted business visas in Vietnam include:

• DN1 – This type is issued to foreigners working with businesses and other organizations with legal status according to the provisions of Vietnamese Law.

• DN2 – This type is granted to foreigners who sell services, establish a commercial presence, and carry out other activities according to international treaties to which Vietnam is a member.

Under a tourist visa, foreign visitors are exclusively permitted to enter and remain in Vietnam for tourism purposes. However, a business visa still allows tourists to travel throughout Vietnam during their stay in the country.

HOW MANY TYPES OF BUSINESS VISAS ARE THERE?

Business visas including 3-month business visas Vietnam are issued with a maximum validity period of 1 year. Each entry must not exceed 30 days. Accordingly, the types of visas commonly issued to foreigners are single-entry or multiple-entry, involving:

• 1-month single entry visa.

• 3-month single entry visa.

• 1-month multiple entry visa.

• 3-month multiple entry visa.

• 6-month multiple entry visa.

• 1-year multiple entry visa.

Please note that the 1-year multiple-entry business visa for United States (US) nationals has not been reissued at this time.

In case the business visa is about to expire and the foreigner still wants to continue to stay in Vietnam, they can consider applying for a visa extension according to the government's regulations.

Business visa to Vietnam

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR A BUSINESS VISA OR A 3-MONTH BUSINESS VISA VIETNAM?

The eligibility criteria for applying for a Business Visa or a 3-month business visa Vietnam are as follows:

• Business Activities: Applicants must have a genuine intention to engage in business-related activities in Vietnam. This can include trade, investment, conferences, exhibitions, teaching, technology transfer, or other activities related to economics, culture, and science.

• Employment: Business visas are typically issued to individuals employed by a registered business or organization in Vietnam. These individuals may include foreign employees, investors, or business partners.

• Individuals from abroad come to Vietnam for business activities, including information exchange, contract negotiations, cooperation, and more.

• Representatives of non-governmental organizations.

• Expatriate employees holding either a valid work permit or a work permit exemption certificate in Vietnam.

• Foreign legal professionals authorized by the Ministry of Justice of Vietnam.

WHICH COUNTRIES ARE EXEMPTED FROM APPLYING FOR A BUSINESS VISA TO VIETNAM?

Currently, foreign visitors from some countries will be exempted from a business visa or 3-month visa Vietnam, specifically as follows:

No.	Countries	Visa exemption period
1	Brunei	14 days
2	Myanmar	14 days
3	Belarus	15 days
4	Denmark	15 days
5	Finland	15 days
6	France	15 days
7	Germany	15 days
8	Italy	15 days
9	Japan	15 days
10	Norway	15 days
11	Sweden	15 days
12	Russia	15 days
13	South Korea	15 days
14	Spain	15 days
15	United Kingdom (BNO not included)	15 days
16	Philippines	21 days
17	Cambodia	30 days
18	Indonesia	30 days
19	Laos	30 days
20	Kyrgyzstan	30 days
21	Malaysia	30 days
22	Singapore	30 days
23	Thailand	30 days
24	Panama	90 days
25	Chile	90 days
26	APEC card holders	90 days

WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS TO APPLY FOR A 3-MONTH BUSINESS VISA VIETNAM?

To apply for a 3-month business visa Vietnam or other kinds of commercial visa (Vietnamese DN visa), foreigners must fully satisfy all of the following conditions:

• Have a passport or valid international travel document that is still valid according to regulations.

• There is an agency, organization, or individual in Vietnam that invites or guarantees, except for the cases specified in Clause 3, Article 17 of the Law on entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam.

• Not falling into the cases of entry ban specified in Article 21 of the Immigration Law.

• In the following cases, when applying for a visa, documents must be provided to prove the purpose of entry:

  • Foreigners investing capital in companies in Vietnam must have documents proving their investment in Vietnam according to the provisions of the Investment Law.

  • Individuals engaged in legal practice within Vietnam are required to possess a valid practice license in accordance with the regulations specified in the Law on Lawyers.

  • Foreigners working for companies in Vietnam must have a work permit according to the provisions of the Labor Code.

  • Foreigners who want to study must have an Admission Notice or a letter of acceptance from a Vietnamese educational institution.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS TO APPLY FOR A 3-MONTH BUSINESS VISA VIETNAM OR A COMMERCIAL VISA?

Vietnam's economy is growing day by day, promoting investment and trade links with foreign organizations and businesses. Therefore, Vietnamese businesses and companies want to sponsor foreigners under commercial visas or foreigners who want to enter Vietnam to work, invest, or do business. They also all have to prepare visa applications in accordance with the law.

Required documents for businesses and guarantee companies

Any business or company that wants to sponsor a foreigner to apply for a 3-month Vietnam visa or other types of business visas must prepare:

• Business registration certificate, investment license of the guarantee company (in fully notarized form).

• Tax code registration form of the guarantee company (notarized copy).

• Application form for entry letter (Form NA2).

• Vietnam visa application form (Form NA5).

• Application form for registration of company seal sample and first signature (of the person signing the document) at the Immigration Department and Immigration Management Department (form NA16).

• Sample letter introducing the applicant.

• Approval letter from the People's Committee of the province/city previously requested.

Required documents for sponsored people

In addition to being sponsored by a company or business to prepare documents for applying for a 3-month Vietnam visa or other types, the applicant must also apply:

• A valid passport with a minimum of six months validity and at least two blank pages for the visa stamp and immigration stamp upon entry into Vietnam.

• Two passport-sized photographs.

• A sponsorship letter issued by a licensed company based in Vietnam.

• A completed Vietnam visa application form.

• University degree and Certificate of work experience from 3 – 5 years.

• Letter of introduction or authorization from the guarantee company.

• Identity card of the applicant.

• Valid health insurance or commitment to cover all medical expenses for foreigners if foreigners test positive for COVID-19 after entering the country.

• Booking air tickets for experts if entering Vietnam by air (including information on flight number, flight itinerary, and airports allowed to enter as in the official dispatch).

Application Vietnam Visa Online

HOW MANY WAYS TO APPLY FOR A 3-MONTH VISA VIETNAM AS WELL AS OTHER TYPES ARE THERE?

Currently, there are 3 ways to apply for a business visa including a 3-month visa Vietnam, which is:

• Apply for a visa at the Vietnamese Embassy/Consulate General abroad.

• Apply for a business visa at the airport (visa-on-arrival).

• Apply for an e-commerce visa (E-visa).

You can choose to apply for a 3-month business visa Vietnam at the Embassy

WHICH IS THE BEST WAY TO APPLY?

Before learning in detail the steps in each form of visa application, let's compare the methods of applying for a 3-month business visa Vietnam with many other types. From there, you can choose the most suitable form for your needs.

Criteria	Visa submitted at the Embassy	Visa-on-arrival	E-visa
Where to apply for a visa	Vietnamese Embassy/Consulate General abroad	The airport where you enter Vietnam	Online, through the national immigration portal
Time to apply for visa	Before entering Vietnam	When entering Vietnam	Before entering Vietnam
Entry gate	Any Vietnamese border gate where foreigners are allowed to enter	1 of 8 international airports in Vietnam	1 of 33 international border gates
Validity/duration	Maximum 3 months, single-entry/multiple entries	Maximum 3 months, single-entry/multiple entries	30 days, single-entry
Extend	Can be extended in Vietnam	Can be extended in Vietnam	Cannot be extended in Vietnam

HOW TO APPLY FOR 3-MONTH VISA VIETNAM?

In the following section, we will guide you through the step-by-step process of applying for a 3-month business visa Vietnam to ensure you have all the information for a smooth and successful application.

Apply at the Vietnamese Embassy/Consulate General abroad

Step 1: Apply for an Immigration Document.

The guarantee company in Vietnam will prepare the following documents and submit them to the Vietnam Immigration Department to apply for an entry guarantee letter:

• A photocopy of the passport of foreigners who need a visa

• Copy of Business Registration of the Guarantee Company

• Sample Official Letter applying for entry for foreigners NA2

• Form NA16

• Other documents as required by the Immigration Department.

Step 2: Prepare documents for commercial visa stamping.

The guarantee company will send an entry dispatch to the foreigner. After that, the foreigner will print out that official dispatch and prepare the following documents to apply for a visa stamp:

• Visa application form as required.

• Original passport.

• Portrait photos.

• Visa stamping fee (depending on each Embassy/Consulate general).

• Other documents as required by the Embassy/Consulate General.

Step 3: Apply visa stamp.

When granted a visa, foreigners will have a visa stamp on their passport and can use that visa stamp to enter and work at a guarantee company in Vietnam.

Apply for a visa-on-arrival

The process for applying for a business visa at the airport is similar to the process at the Embassy. However, instead of having a visa stamped at the Embassy, foreigners will have their visa stamped at the airport when entering Vietnam to work or visit.

Step 1: Apply for an immigration guarantee letter.

The guarantee company in Vietnam will submit an application for an immigration guarantee letter at the Vietnam Immigration Department. Then send the result as a PDF file to foreigners preparing to enter the country.

Step 2: Prepare documents for visa stamping.

Foreigners will need to prepare:

• A printed copy of the entry guarantee letter

• The visa application form has been filled out completely, signed, and photo attached according to regulations.

• Original passport.

• Stamping fee.

Step 3: Apply visa stamp at the Vietnam airport

When you arrive at the Vietnam airport, you will go to the Visa-on-arrival podium and present the required documents to the Immigration Officer. Then just pay the fee to have the DN1/DN2 visa stamped on your passport and complete the procedures to enter Vietnam.

Apply for an E-visa

Foreigners can apply for a commercial E-visa themselves or the guarantee company can also ask for help and send an application via email for them to enter Vietnam. The specific steps are as follows. 

Foreigners apply for a commercial E-visa themselves

Step 1: Foreigners access the link “https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/en_US/trang-chu-ttdt”.

Step 2: Choose “For foreigners” and “Next”.

Step 3: Fill in all the information, then select "Business Activities" in the Purpose section.

Step 4: Then upload clear, not shadowy passport photos and portraits to the system.

Step 5: Pay visa fees.

​Step 6: After a few days, you access the link “https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/en_US/web/guest/tra-cuu-ho-so” to see if your visa application is approved.

Step 7: If the application is approved, you download the visa and print it out to use to enter Vietnam.

The sponsoring unit applies for commercial E-visa for customers

If the sponsor company is the one applying for your e-commerce visa, they will need to register an account on the e-Visa Portal according to regulations.

After that, the company will complete the declaration and upload the foreigner's portrait and passport photo according to regulations.

If the visa is issued, the company will download the visa and send it to the foreigner to print and enter Vietnam.

HOW MUCH FOR A 3-MONTH BUSINESS VISA VIETNAM?

Each form of visa application or 3-month business visa Vietnam will have different prices.

Apply for a visa at the Embassy

Business visa fees at the Vietnam Embassy/Consulate offices can vary between different locations. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, it's advisable to directly contact the respective Embassy or Consulate.

Apply for an E-visa

Presently, the fee for a 1-month single-entry business E-visa is set at 25 USD. It's worth noting that this pricing may change for longer stays and multiple-entry visas, with expected adjustments starting from May 2023.

Apply for a visa-on-arrival

The cost of a visa on arrival comprises two components: the service fee for the visa approval letter and the government stamping fee. The service fee can differ among various agencies, with prices starting from 90 USD. The stamping fee varies according to the type and duration of the visa, as indicated below:

• 1 month, single-entry: 25 USD.

• 1 month, multiple-entry: 50 USD.

• 3 months, single-entry: 25 USD.

• 3 months, multiple-entry: 50 USD.

• 6 months, multiple-entry: 95 USD.

• 1 year, multiple-entry: 135 USD.

Depending on the form of visa application, there will be different prices

HOW LONG IS THE VISA PROCESSING TIME?

If your business visa application is eligible, complete, and valid, the Ministry receiving the application will issue an appointment letter to return the results to the applicant soon. 

Normally, the time to issue a Vietnam business visa is no more than 5 working days from the date of receiving complete documents.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFICULTIES WHEN APPLYING FOR A 3-MONTH BUSINESS VISA?

The paperwork and application procedures for working visas for foreigners entering Vietnam are quite complicated because they also have to properly comply with the process of sponsoring foreigners to work.

When you prepare documents including documents related to procedures for foreigners, you need to carefully learn the information, regulations, and application process.

Below are some common cases that make applying for a Vietnam business visa difficult or being denied a business entry letter.

• Not clearly understanding the process and regulations on business visa applications for foreigners entering Vietnam for the correct purpose of entry.

• Not understanding immigration guarantee regulations for foreigners.

• Unable to prove the capital contribution of foreigners to the company in Vietnam.

• The legal profile of the foreign guarantee company is unclear or inconsistent.

• Using false information about the guarantee company can cause your company to be suspected of sponsoring foreigners illegally or for the wrong purpose of entry.

• Listed in the categories not allowed to enter Vietnam.

• Choosing an inappropriate application support service.

• It takes a lot of time and money to prepare and submit the application.

In conclusion, the 3-month business visa Vietnam opens doors to a world of opportunities in this dynamic and culturally rich country. Whether you're an entrepreneur seeking to explore new markets, a professional attending conferences, or someone passionate about technology transfer, this visa offers you the chance to engage in various business-related activities.

With the right visa and a well-prepared plan, you can make the most of your three-month stay in Vietnam. From there you can foster valuable connections, expand your horizons, and contribute to the vibrant tapestry of business and culture in this beautiful nation. 

In case you have any additional questions or require further assistance, don't hesitate to contact us via phone at +1 315 715 8498 or by sending an email to support@e-visa-gov.com. Our team is available and committed to assisting you around the clock!