To get a temporary residence card in Vietnam, your sponsor (employer, invested enterprise, school or Vietnamese family member) files an application with the Immigration Department of the Ministry of Public Security or the immigration division of the provincial police where the sponsor is based. The file normally contains the sponsor's request letter, your completed declaration form with photos, your original passport carrying a visa of the matching symbol, proof of the relationship (work permit, investment documents, marriage or birth certificate) and confirmation that your address has been declared. The law sets a processing time of five working days from a complete file.
That short version hides most of the places where applications get stuck. Below we go through the process in the order it actually happens, from the sponsor's preparation to the day you check the finished card, with the common reasons for delay at each stage. Forms, fees and online filing options are updated from time to time, so use this as a map and confirm the current list with the office that will receive your file.
Step by step: the usual sequence
Most successful applications follow roughly this order. Skipping ahead, for example applying for the card before the visa symbol is right, is the most common cause of a returned file.
- Confirm the basis and the symbol. Agree with your sponsor which category applies: LD1 or LD2 for work, DT1 to DT3 for investment, TT for family, DH for study and so on.
- Check your passport. The card will end at least 30 days before your passport expires. If your passport has little time left, renew it first.
- Get the underlying document. For work this is the work permit or the confirmed exemption; for investment the enterprise and investment registration showing your contribution; for family the marriage or birth certificate in a form Vietnamese authorities accept.
- Make sure your visa matches. If you entered on an e-visa or another symbol, the sponsor may need to convert it first, or the conversion and the card may be handled together where the rules allow.
- Declare your address. Your accommodation must have been declared to the local police. Ask your landlord or hotel for confirmation.
- Prepare the file. The sponsor completes its request letter and you complete the declaration form, with photos and copies as listed.
- File the application. The sponsor or its authorised representative submits in person or through the online public service channel where available.
- Collect and check the card. Verify every printed detail before you leave the counter.
Each of these steps is explained in more detail below. The time between steps one and eight can be a couple of weeks if the underlying document is ready, or several months if a work permit or a marriage registration still has to be completed.
Before anything else: the sponsor has to be set up
Organisations that sponsor foreigners, such as companies, schools and representative offices, generally need to have introduced themselves to the immigration authorities before they can file for anyone. In practice this means submitting documents proving the organisation's legal status, such as its enterprise registration certificate or operating licence, together with a record of its seal and the signature of the person authorised to sign on its behalf. This is done once and updated when those details change.
Small companies founded by foreigners often discover this requirement only when they try to apply for their own owner's card, which adds a step and some days. If your employer is new to hiring foreigners, ask early whether this registration has been completed. Large employers usually have an HR or legal team, or an outside service provider, who handles it routinely.
Individual sponsors, typically a Vietnamese spouse or child sponsoring a foreign family member, do not go through this organisational registration. Instead, they prove their own identity and residence with their citizen identity card and residence information, and sign the sponsor letter in their own name. Because they are personally vouching for the foreigner, the authorities may ask questions to confirm the relationship.
The documents usually requested
The list below reflects what is commonly requested. Form codes are those used in recent years; offices sometimes update them, so download or collect the current versions when you file.
| Document | Who provides it | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Request letter for the card (form commonly coded NA6 for organisations, NA7 for individuals) | The sponsor | Signed by the authorised person and sealed where the sponsor is an organisation |
| Declaration form for the card applicant (commonly coded NA8) | You | Name and passport details must match the passport exactly, including middle names |
| Recent photos | You | Size and background as stated on the form; one is usually attached to the declaration |
| Original passport with a valid visa of the right symbol | You | Enough validity left; the visa symbol should already match the card you want |
| Proof of the basis | Sponsor or you | Work permit or exemption confirmation, investment documents, marriage or birth certificate, school enrolment letter |
| Proof of address declaration | Landlord, hotel or you | Confirmation that your current accommodation has been declared to the local police |
| Translations and legalisation | You | Foreign documents usually need consular legalisation and a certified Vietnamese translation |
Foreign-issued documents are the most common source of delay. A marriage certificate or birth certificate from abroad typically needs to be legalised by the relevant authorities, then translated into Vietnamese and certified. Start this early, because it involves offices in two countries.
Where to file and how long it takes
Applications go either to the Immigration Department of the Ministry of Public Security, which has offices in the main cities, or to the immigration division of the provincial police. Which one applies depends on the sponsor and on current guidance: as a rule of thumb, organisational sponsors file where they are headquartered and individual sponsors file in the province where they live. Since the 2025 reorganisation of local government, Vietnam has 34 provinces and centrally run cities, and immigration matters are handled at that provincial level; there is no longer a district tier to deal with.
Online filing through the national and ministry public service portals has expanded in recent years, and many sponsors now submit at least part of the file electronically. Whether you can complete the whole process online, or still need to bring the original passport and collect the card in person, depends on the procedure and on the office. Ask the receiving office or check the procedure description on the official portal before you go.
The law sets a processing period of five working days from the date a complete, valid file is received. In practice the clock only starts when the file is accepted. If the officer finds a missing document or an inconsistency, you will usually receive a request to supplement, and the timeline begins again once the gap is filled. Your passport may be held during processing, so plan travel accordingly.
Why files get returned
Mismatched names. A middle name present on the passport but missing from the work permit, or a different spelling in the marriage certificate, is enough to stop a file. Check every document against your passport before submission.
Wrong visa symbol. Applying for an LD2 card while still on a tourist or e-visa, without arranging conversion, will usually be rejected. The symbol on your current visa matters.
Expired or soon-expiring passport. Because the card must end before the passport, a passport with only a few months left may not support a meaningful card.
Address not declared. If there is no record of your accommodation having been declared, officers may ask for it before proceeding.
Sponsor not registered. A new company that has not completed its legal status registration with the immigration authorities cannot file for staff until it does.
Unlegalised foreign papers. Certificates issued abroad without legalisation or certified translation are among the most frequent reasons for a request to supplement.
On collection day: check before you leave
When the card is ready, collect it in person or through the sponsor's authorised representative, depending on the office's practice, and pay the fee set by the Ministry of Finance for your card's term. Before leaving, check the following on the card itself: the spelling of your name, your date of birth, your nationality, your passport number, the symbol, the sponsor's name and the validity dates. Compare them with your passport and with what you applied for.
Errors are rare but not unknown, and they are far easier to correct the same day than months later when a bank or an airline notices. Once you have the card, photograph both sides and keep the image with a scan of your passport, separate from the originals. If you renew your passport, change employers or move provinces during the card's validity, raise it with your sponsor straight away rather than waiting for the card to expire, because each of these events can affect whether the card still reflects your real situation.
Finally, put the expiry date in your calendar with a reminder at least six to eight weeks before. Renewal is a new application with fresh documents, and leaving it to the last days is the most avoidable stress in a long-term stay.
Using a visa service: what it can and cannot do for you
Many foreigners, and many small employers, hand the card process to a visa or corporate services firm. That can be sensible: a good firm knows the current forms, how the local office likes files arranged, which translations it accepts and how to book appointments. It saves time, especially when the sponsor is a small company handling its first foreign hire.
What a service cannot do is replace the sponsor or the facts. The request letter is still signed by your employer, enterprise, school or spouse, and the legal responsibility for the information in it stays with them. A service that offers to supply a sponsor you do not actually have, or to obtain a work-symbol card without a work permit, is describing an arrangement that can unravel at the next renewal, at a border check or during an inspection of the company concerned. The risk then falls on you as well as on them.
When choosing help, ask three plain questions: which symbol will appear on my card, who will be named as my sponsor, and which documents of mine will be filed. If the answers do not match your real situation, walk away. If they do, keep copies of everything filed on your behalf, because you will need them for renewals and, possibly, for a future permanent residence application.
Câu hỏi thường gặp
Can I file the TRC application myself?
You prepare and sign your own declaration, but the application is filed in the sponsor's name. An employer or school usually sends its own staff or an authorised representative; a Vietnamese spouse can file personally. Visa services can assist with preparation, but the sponsor remains legally responsible.
How long does it take to get a TRC in Vietnam?
The legal processing time is five working days from the receipt of a complete file. The overall timeline is usually longer because the underlying document, such as a work permit, a converted visa or a legalised marriage certificate, often takes weeks to prepare before the card application can even start.
Do I have to hand in my passport while the card is processed?
In many cases the original passport is submitted with the file and returned with the card. Some procedures may only require copies at certain stages. Ask the office before planning any travel during the processing period.
Can the TRC application be done online?
Partly or fully, depending on the procedure and office. Vietnam has been moving immigration procedures onto public service portals, and many sponsors now file electronically. You may still need to present originals or collect the card in person. Confirm with the receiving office.
What fee will I pay for the card?
The fee depends on the length of the card and is set by a Ministry of Finance circular, which is revised from time to time. We do not list figures because they change; the receiving office or your sponsor can confirm the current amount when you file.
What if my application is refused?
The office should explain the reason. Most refusals relate to fixable problems such as missing documents, mismatched details or the wrong visa symbol. Address the specific issue with your sponsor and refile. If the underlying basis itself is in doubt, seek advice before trying again.