The first three months in Vietnam usually decide whether an expatriate's paperwork runs quietly for years or keeps resurfacing at the worst moment. This guide sets out the order in which a newcomer should deal with visa, residence declaration, work authorisation, documents from home, driving and day-to-day compliance — and the mistakes we see most often when clients come to us after the fact.
1. Enter on the visa that matches what you will actually do
Entry and stay are governed by the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam (Law No. 47/2014/QH13, amended in 2019 and 2023). Every visa carries a purpose code — DL for tourism, DN for business visits, LĐ for employment, ĐT for investors, TT for family members, and so on — and the authorities read that code literally. Since 15 August 2023 the e-visa can be issued for up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, which makes it a convenient way to arrive and look around.
What it does not do is let you start work. The law only allows a change of visa purpose inside Vietnam in limited situations — for example an investor, or a person who has been sponsored by an employer and already holds a work permit or a certificate of exemption. Everyone else may have to leave and re-enter on the correct visa. Plan the sequence with your employer before you book the flight.
2. Temporary residence declaration: your landlord's duty, your problem
Every foreigner staying overnight in Vietnam must be declared to the local police by the place of accommodation — the hotel, the serviced apartment or the private landlord. Hotels and similar establishments must do this within 12 hours of check-in (24 hours in remote areas). Many private landlords are unaware of the rule or forget it when you move in.
The consequences fall on you as much as on them: the declaration is how the authorities know your address, and the confirmation is regularly requested for temporary residence card applications, bank onboarding and some work permit filings. Ask the landlord to make the declaration, ask for evidence of it, and repeat the exercise every time you move. Since the July 2025 local government reform the declaration is handled by the commune- or ward-level police where you live.
3. Work authorisation before the first working day
Under the Labour Code 2019 and Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP (in force since 7 August 2025, replacing most of Decree 152/2020), a foreign employee needs either a work permit or a certificate confirming exemption from one. The employer files, now with the provincial People's Committee (or the agency it designates), and the explanation of the need for a foreign worker has been merged into the same application. The processing time is 10 working days from receipt of a complete file.
The file typically includes a health certificate, a criminal record certificate issued no more than six months earlier, evidence of qualifications and experience, the passport and photographs. A work permit is issued for a maximum of two years and can be extended once for up to two years. Starting work without one exposes the employee to deportation and the employer to administrative penalties — "we were waiting for the permit" is not a defence.
4. Temporary residence card
Once you hold the correct visa and a work permit, the sponsoring company applies to the immigration authority for a temporary residence card (TRC). Its maximum term depends on its category: up to two years for employees (LĐ), up to three years for family members (TT), and between three and ten years for investors depending on the size of the investment (ĐT1–ĐT3). The card must expire at least 30 days before your passport does, so renew an almost-expired passport first.
A TRC ends the cycle of visa extensions and allows a spouse and children to obtain dependant cards. It is tied to the sponsor: if you change employer, the new employer must sponsor a new card.
5. Documents from home: the Apostille changes the routine from 11 September 2026
Degrees, criminal record certificates, birth and marriage certificates are needed for work permits, dependant cards and family matters. Vietnam acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention, which entered into force for Vietnam on 11 September 2026 (implemented by Decree No. 293/2026/ND-CP). Public documents from a member state that bear an Apostille no longer need consular legalisation for use in Vietnam.
Three caveats. Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic objected to Vietnam's accession, so documents from those countries still go through consular legalisation. Private documents that have not been notarised are outside the Convention. And the Apostille confirms only the signature, capacity and seal — not the content — so the document still needs a Vietnamese translation that is notarised or certified in Vietnam. Documents legalised before 11 September 2026 remain valid. Because criminal record certificates have a short shelf life, order them last.
6. Driving
Vietnam is a party to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. A foreigner carrying an international driving permit issued under that Convention, together with the national licence, may drive within the permit's validity and categories; a permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention only is not accepted. Foreigners residing in Vietnam can exchange a valid foreign licence for a Vietnamese one. The most common problem is riding a motorbike with only a car licence: in an accident, the lack of a valid licence for that vehicle class can leave you without insurance cover and with personal liability.
7. Tax and social insurance
You become a Vietnamese tax resident if you are present for 183 days or more in a calendar year or in 12 consecutive months from arrival, or if you have a registered residence or a rented home for that period; residents are taxed on worldwide income. Foreign employees with a work permit and a contract of 12 months or more are generally covered by compulsory social insurance, with exceptions such as intra-company transferees. Agree with your employer at the outset who handles registration and annual finalisation.
The mistakes we see most
- Working, even "just a few days", on a tourist visa, e-visa or visa exemption.
- A criminal record certificate that expires while other documents are being collected.
- A landlord who never declared the residence, discovered only at TRC renewal.
- Changing jobs and assuming the old TRC and work permit carry over.
- Overstaying by a few days — fines are imposed and can complicate future visas.
Quick Q&A
Can I start working while my work permit is being processed?
No. Unless you fall within an exemption confirmed in writing, you must hold the work permit before you start work. Working without it can lead to deportation of the employee and fines for the employer.
How long is a Vietnamese work permit valid?
Up to two years. It can be extended once, for up to two years, through an application by the employer.
Do documents with an Apostille still need translating?
Yes. The Apostille replaces consular legalisation for public documents from member states (other than Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic), but the document must still be translated into Vietnamese and the translation notarised or certified.
Who must declare my temporary residence?
The place where you stay — hotel or landlord — must declare you to the local police, within 12 hours for hotels and similar establishments. Ask for confirmation, because you will need it later.
Note: This article summarises rules in force at the time of publication and is for general reference only; it is not a legal opinion on any specific matter. Legislation may be amended — please check the latest text or consult a lawyer before acting.