Moving to Vietnam is not as easy as it sounds but definitely more accessible than moving to Europe or North America if you are from Asia, Africa, or Latin America. The process for moving to Vietnam can be tedious, not to mention all the paperwork and entry requirements.
Luckily, Vietnam gave plenty of options to aspiring expats and those who are only in Vietnam for a short business meeting to battle the whole paperwork depending on your situation.
If you are not ready to entirely make the move yet, you don’t need to go through the atrocious process; instead, you can get a “Vietnam business visa” first. If you’re planning to teach English in Vietnam, you’ll also likely have to get a business visa before you can get your work permit, which will allow you to start working in Vietnam while you wait.
And that’s what I’m here to walk you through about – how to apply for Vietnamese business visa and what to expect.
ALSO READ:
- Why move to Vietnam – reasons to move
- Types of Vietnam visa
- How to apply for Vietnam visa for tourists
- Fastest way to extend your Vietnam visa
- How to dress when doing business in Vietnam
WHAT IS VIETNAMESE BUSINESS VISA
Vietnamese business visa is a type of visa that lets you do a lot of things compared to a tourist visa. It’s the first step into getting a legal residence permit in Vietnam.
This visa lets you enter, travel, conduct a business meeting, stay, sign up an apartment, apply for jobs, and start a job legally. This is also a requirement to apply for a work permit which will lead you to get a Temporary Residence Card.
WAYS TO GET A VIETNAMESE BUSINESS VISA
Full disclaimer, I only know three ways to get a Vietnam business visa. So, I’ll only talk about these options, there might be a way to get it from the Embassy or Consulate, but I don’t have the right information.
You can get a business visa for Vietnam online, through an employer, and through a travel or visa agent. Let me show you how:
Online
The easiest way to get a Vietnam business visa is just at your fingertips. As long as you have a device, internet connection, a bank card or PayPal, you can start your application going.
The government doesn’t have a service or site to do this since you will need a hosting company. The best way is to find your trusted site and do it with them.
Move To Vietnam recommends this site, the process is straight forward, and there are plenty of options on how to pay. Their support is also impeccable, they respond fast and have almost 24/7 website chat assistance.
Through an employer
If you already found an employer, we recommend you ask them if they can help you process a business visa. They should already have offered you this instead of advising you to get a tourist visa.
This is another way to tell if your employer is ethical and wants to do things legally. They may or may not shoulder the costs, make sure to clarify this before signing or agreeing with anything.
Through a travel or visa agent
If you are travelling in Vietnam right now or have travelled here before, you probably have come across a travel agency or visa agent already. If you trust them, you can contact them in assisting you to get a business visa.
Vietnam business visa invitation letter that you will receive after you applied online which you have to print and present at the immigration
HOW TO GET A VIETNAMESE BUSINESS VISA – ONLINE
In this section, I’ll walk you through the process of getting a business visa for Vietnam step-by-step. I’ll also show you the requirements and the expected cost. To be honest, it’s a straightforward process, it’s no harder than getting a tourists visa.
Please note that depending on the way you want to apply, the process, requirements, and costs may change. What I’ll show right now is how-to for it online.
Requirements
- Valid passport – we recommend it to have longer than 10 months, if it’s less than that, now is the time to renew your passport
- Travel details – when you are entering Vietnam, which border point (airport or land), and when are you expecting to leave
- Contact details
- Onward flight ticket – get one for only $15-$19
Process
- Go to this site
- Choose business visa
- Enter your travel details – review before proceeding, make sure to use an email address that is active and that you can access
- Enter your personal details – review before hitting next
- One last time, review all the details – it is important to get everything right because making an error can cause hassle and extra costs
- Pay
- You will receive an email that your application has been received
- Once you receive your business visa letter, print this, it will be the document you will show at the immigration when you land
Costs
Please be aware that the cost can vary depending the site or person you will have your Vietnamese business visa to be processed. To help you give an idea:
- 1 month,single entry: $85
- 3 months, single entry: $105
- 3 months, multiple entries: $110
- 1 year, multiple entries: $210 only for US passport holders
IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER: You will have to pay between $25 to $135 depending on the number of entries and validity for a visa sticker when you arrive at the immigration.
Since you’re most likely planning to do business or work in Vietnam, make sure to also read our guide to sending money out of the country, assuming you’re going to be making lots of it!
Linda
Thursday 22nd of September 2022
Again, if I'm coming on a business visa with my kid, do I have to apply for my kid or how do I go about it since I'm coming with my kid.
Isabelle
Monday 26th of September 2022
Hi Linda, you'll have to come first and then get a work permit, then a temporary residence card. You can then sponsor your child (must be dependent) under your residence card.
Linda
Thursday 22nd of September 2022
Hello Isabelle, I'm Lyn from Ghana, I intend applying for a Vietnam business visa with a 3 months multiple entry, but I intend being in Vietnam for more than 3 months, would I have to exit and enter again after the 3 months elapses, or what can I do to enable me stay up to 12 months. Thank you
Isabelle
Monday 26th of September 2022
Hi Linda, you should be able to extend the business visa with the help of the company that sponsored your business visa without leaving Vietnam. Although both staying and leaving are possible options.
Laura
Sunday 13th of September 2020
Hello Isabelle, I really like your site. I was reading about this post and the work permit post. I am planning to relocate to Vietnam as soon as the border is open, and entries are possible. I have Vietnamese employer, but I am planning on to apply the Business Visa via online just because is more convenient that going to consulate. I wonder if will I have issues to apply work permits once I arrive since the business visa is via Visa agent invitation instead of my Employers?
Isabelle
Sunday 13th of September 2020
Hi Laura,
Thanks for kind words!
It really depends, some people don't experience issue on using their online business via from an agent sponsored by random companies while getting a work permit from your actual employer. While others do have to change their business visa that should be sponsored by their employer who will be hosting their work permit.
Personally, if your employer won't want to get you a business visa, go through the online one. And once you are here and try to apply for a work permit, see that would work. If not, it shouldn't be that hard for your employer to get you a business visa sponsored by them so you can apply for a work permit. A business visa isn't too expensive, while it buys you 1-3 months until you settle and ready to process a work permit.
I hope this helps.
Cody
Tuesday 4th of August 2020
Hi, my wife and I are planning to move to Vietnam as soon as the country opens again. I have a few question about the business visa. I'm an American citizen and my wife is Chinese.
For myself, I'm planning on getting a 12 month multi entry business. Will this visa allow me to stay in Vietnam for the entire duration of the 12 months? I've heard the govt was planning to make it so that people on tourist visas have to exit the country every 30 days regardless of how long their visa's good for.
For my wife, it seems she'll only be able to get a 3 month business visa? Will she be able to extend it without having to leave Vietnam? If so, how many times will she be able to extend it?
Isabelle
Wednesday 5th of August 2020
Hi Cody, if you are getting a business visa (not a tourist visa), you don't need to exit Vietnam, you can stay the entire 12 months without leaving the country. For tourist visa, your wife can extend her visa without leaving. Normally, if the borders are open, it's much cheaper to do a visa run (exit the country) and enter again with a new visa. There's no specific number how many times a tourist visa can be extended but it gets more expensive than the last time she did.
I hope this helps.