The difference between Work Permit, Visa and Temporary Residence Card

Luật sư Nguyễn Thu Hương
December 10, 2024 10:00 am
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Work permits, visas and temporary residence cards are documents related to foreign workers working in Vietnam. Work permits allow individuals to legally work in a country, while visas are often required for entry. The article below will provide information about the procedures, conditions, and deadlines for each type of document, which have significant differences.

Differences in work permit, visa and temporary residence card

Table of Contents

What are work permits, visas and temporary residence cards?

Based on the provisions of Vietnamese law, these three types of documents have different scopes of application and purposes of use. Each type of document is issued by a separate competent authority. Understanding the nature of each type of document helps foreigners comply with Vietnamese laws.

Visa is a permit issued by a competent authority, allowing foreigners to enter Vietnam. Visas are classified according to purposes such as tourism, business, study, and labor.
A work permit is a type of legal document that allows workers of foreign nationality to work in Vietnam legally.
A temporary residence card is a document issued by the immigration management agency or a competent agency of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to foreigners who are allowed to reside for a period of time in Vietnam and is valid in lieu of a visa.

The difference between Work Permit, Visa and Temporary Residence Card

Criteria	Visa	Work permit	Temporary residence card
Grant conditions	1. Have a passport or valid international travel documents. There are agencies, organizations, and individuals in Vietnam that invite or guarantee. 2. Not included in the cases that have not yet allowed entry 3. In the following cases, visa applications must have documents proving the purpose of entry: ● Foreigners investing must have documents proving their investment in Vietnam ● Foreigners practicing law in Vietnam must have a practice license ● Foreigners working must have a work permit ● Foreigners studying must have a written acceptance from a Vietnamese school or educational institution	1. Be 18 years old or older and have full civil capacity; Have professional qualifications, techniques, skills, and work experience; have enough health. 2. Not a person who is serving a sentence or has not had a criminal record erased or is being prosecuted for criminal liability according to foreign or Vietnamese law. 3. Have a work permit issued by a competent Vietnamese state agency, except for the cases specified in Article 154 of the 2020 Labor Code	1. Foreigners who are members of diplomatic missions, consulates, representative agencies of international organizations under the United Nations, intergovernmental organizations in Vietnam and their spouses and children under 18 years old, a maid who comes along on a term basis; 2. Foreigners entering the country with visas with symbols LV1, LV2, LS, DT1, DT2, DT3, NN1, NN2, DH, PV1, LD1, LD2, TT.
Expiry date	Depending on the type of visa, the duration will be different: ● SQ visas are valid for no more than 30 days. ● Visas with symbols HN, DL, EV are valid for no more than 90 days. ● VR symbol visas are valid for no more than 180 days. ● Visa symbols NG1, NG2, NG3, NG4, LV1, LV2, DT4, DN1, DN2, NN1, NN2, NN3, DH, PV1, PV2, TT are valid for no more than 01 year. ● Visas labeled LD1, LD2 are valid for no more than 02 years. ● Visa code DT3 is valid for no more than 03 years. ● Visas with symbols LS, DT1, DT2 are valid for no more than 5 years. ● When your visa expires, you will be considered for a new visa.	The term of the work permit is no more than 2 years	Depending on the type of temporary residence card, there will be different deadlines, specifically as follows: ● The duration of the temporary residence card issued is at least 30 days shorter than the remaining validity of the passport. ● The temporary residence card with the symbol ĐT1 is valid for no more than 10 years. ● Temporary residence cards with symbols NG3, LV1, LV2, LS, ĐT2 and DH are valid for no more than 5 years. ● Temporary residence cards with symbols NN1, NN2, DT3, TT are valid for no more than 03 years. ● Temporary residence cards with symbols LD1, LD2 and PV1 are valid for no more than 02 years.
Components of implementation records	New level profile: ● Visa application (NA1) ● Passport is still valid ● Guarantee letter ● Documents proving purpose Processing time: 5 working days	New level profile: ● Written request for a work permit ● Health certificate ● Criminal record card ● Diplomas and professional certificates ● Expected labor contract Processing time: 7 working days	New level profile: ● Application form for temporary residence card (NA5) ● Passport is still valid ● Work permit (for workers) ● Documents proving residence Processing time: 5 working days

Consulting services at Long Phan

Long Phan provides comprehensive consulting services on:

Consulting and support in preparing documents to apply for, extend, and re-issue work permits, visas, and temporary residence cards for foreigners;
Instructions on the order and procedures for applying, extending, and reissuing work permits, visas, and temporary residence cards for foreigners;
Consulting and solving problems that arise during the process of applying for, renewing, and reissuing work permits, visas, and temporary residence cards for foreigners;
Representing customers to apply for, extend, and re-issue work permits, visas, and temporary residence cards for foreigners;
Guide and support businesses in developing regulations, organizations and policies, and managing foreign worker information;
Consulting on other related issues.

Long Phan provides support to customers in all procedures related to work permits, visas and temporary residence cards with reasonable costs and quick time. For detailed advice on procedures for foreigners in Vietnam, please contact Long Phan via the hotline: 0906735386 for the most dedicated and professional support.

Luật sư Nguyễn Thu Hương

Lawyer Nguyen Thu Huong is a leading expert in the field of investment and licensing for foreigners. With extensive knowledge of investment laws and the complex regulations related to licensing procedures, she has successfully assisted numerous businesses and foreign investors in establishing their operations in Vietnam.