Getting a temporary residence card in Ho Chi Minh City: documents, timing and why applications are returned

A temporary residence card (TRC) lets a foreigner live in Vietnam long term and leave and re-enter as often as needed without a new visa for each trip. For people working, investing or living with family in Ho Chi Minh City it is usually the most convenient residence document. But a card is only issued if you fall into the right category, entered on the right type of visa and have a valid sponsor.

This guide summarises the key points of the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam (Law 47/2014/QH13, amended in 2019, 2023 and 2025), along with the practical mistakes that get applications returned.

Who can get a temporary residence card

Under Article 36 of the Law, cards are issued to members of diplomatic and consular missions and international organisations (symbol NG3), and to foreigners who entered on a visa with one of the symbols below. The card carries the same symbol as the visa.

• LĐ1, LĐ2: employees with a work permit exemption confirmation or a work permit.
• ĐT1, ĐT2, ĐT3: investors and representatives of foreign organisations investing in Vietnam, by capital contribution.
• TT: spouses and children under 18 of foreigners in certain categories (such as work or investment), or parents, spouses and children of Vietnamese citizens.
• DH: students and interns. NN1, NN2: heads of representative offices and projects of foreign organisations. LV1, LV2, LS, PV1: people working with state bodies, lawyers and resident journalists.
• From 1 July 2026: UĐ1 (high-quality digital technology professionals) and UĐ2 (their spouses and children under 18), under Law 118/2025/QH15.

Tourist visas (DL), e-visas (EV), business visas (DN1, DN2) and relative-visit visas (VR) are not on the list. If you are in Vietnam on one of these and want a card, you first need to qualify for a change of visa purpose or obtain the right visa. This is the most common reason foreigners believe they qualify but the file is not accepted.

How long the card is valid

• ĐT1, UĐ1, UĐ2: up to 10 years.
• ĐT2, DH, NG3, LV1, LV2, LS: up to 5 years.
• ĐT3, TT, NN1, NN2: up to 3 years.
• LĐ1, LĐ2, PV1: up to 2 years.

The card always expires at least 30 days before your passport. In practice the card also does not outlast the document it is based on: an LĐ2 card follows the work permit, a TT card follows the sponsor's card. If your passport has little more than a year left, renew it before applying.

Where to apply in Ho Chi Minh City

The foreigner does not apply in their own name. The inviting or sponsoring organisation or individual (usually your employer, the company you invested in, or a Vietnamese spouse) files at the immigration authority where the organisation has its head office or where the individual sponsor lives. For a sponsor in Ho Chi Minh City this is the Immigration Division of the Ho Chi Minh City Police or the Immigration Department of the Ministry of Public Security, depending on the case. Some steps can be done online through the public services portal.

A company sponsoring a foreigner for the first time must first send the immigration authority a notification file with a certified copy of its establishment or business registration and a specimen of its seal and the authorised signatory's signature. This is done once and updated when details change, but without it the card application will not be accepted.

Documents to prepare

• The sponsor's request for a temporary residence card (form NA6 for organisations or NA7 for individuals).
• The application form with photo (form NA8) and portrait photos to specification.
• Your original valid passport with your current visa and entry stamp.
• Proof of eligibility: work permit or exemption confirmation, investment or enterprise registration certificate, marriage certificate, birth certificate. Foreign-issued documents need an Apostille or consular legalisation depending on the country, then a certified Vietnamese translation.
• Proof that your temporary residence has been registered at your current address.

How long it takes

Under Article 37 of the Law, the immigration authority considers the application within 5 working days of receiving a complete file. That is processing time once the file is in order. Preparing the documents before that, especially the work permit and foreign papers, usually takes much longer and depends on the case.

Your original passport is held during processing, so you cannot leave Vietnam in that period. Plan business trips and home visits around the expected collection date, and file well before your current permitted stay ends so that a request for extra documents does not push you into overstay.

Fees

The government fee depends on the card's validity, under the fee schedule issued by the Ministry of Finance. There may also be translation, certification and legalisation costs, plus a service fee if you use a service. Gateway quotes each item separately.

Why applications are often returned

• Entry on a visa that does not qualify for a card (DL, EV, DN) without a change of purpose.
• No work permit yet, a permit about to expire, or a permit naming a different company from the sponsor.
• A passport with too little validity left, so the card is issued for only a few months or not at all.
• Temporary residence not registered, or a registered address that differs from the file.
• The company has not filed its seal and signature notification, or the signatory lacks authority.
• Inconsistent details across passport, work permit and forms: name, passport number, date of birth.
• Foreign marriage or birth certificates without an Apostille or consular legalisation and certified translation.
• An unresolved violation, such as a previous overstay.

After you receive the card

• Always travel with the card together with your passport.
• A new passport, a new sponsoring employer or a change in the basis for the card all require a new procedure.
• When a card expires, a new card can be considered. Start one to two months ahead, because a work-based card depends on a new or extended work permit.
• Your spouse and children under 18 can apply for TT cards based on yours.

Frequently asked questions

I am in Ho Chi Minh City on an e-visa. Can I apply for a card now? Only if you already have a work permit or exemption confirmation: the Law allows people who entered on an e-visa to change visa purpose in that case. If not, the work permit comes first.

Do I have to be present when the file is submitted? The sponsor is the applicant. You provide your original passport and sign the form; filing and collection can be done by the sponsor or an authorised agent.

Is my card still valid if I leave my job? A work-based card is tied to the sponsoring company. When the contract ends, the work permit lapses and you need a procedure that fits your new situation, for example a new permit and card through the new employer.

Gateway checks your visa, work permit and passport before filing, so you know at once whether the application qualifies and how long a card you can get.