What are the different types of visa for Vietnam?

Types of visa for Vietnam: DL, DN, LD, DT, and TT Codes

Navigating the various categories for entry permits helps travelers choose the correct option for tourism, employment, or family visits. Knowing the distinct codes and their active periods prevents administrative issues and ensures smooth travel preparation.

What are the different types of visa for Vietnam?

Navigating Vietnam immigration codes can feel confusing at first because the country issues around 21 distinct visa categories depending on your exact purpose of entry. Whether you are planning a short holiday, accepting a local job, or investing in a business, understanding these codes is essential before booking your flight.

Overview of Vietnam Visa Categories and Codes

Vietnam immigration law classifies visas using specific letter codes ranging from tourist entries to corporate assignments. Each classification dictates your permitted length of stay, whether you can exit and re-enter multiple times, and your eligibility for long-term residency conversions.

Lets look at the core classifications you will encounter: Tourist Visas (DL): Designed strictly for leisure, sightseeing, or vacation. Business Visas (DN1, DN2): Issued for corporate meetings, commercial presence establishment, or service provisioning. Working Visas (LĐ1, LĐ2): Granted to foreign employees working with or without work permit exemptions. Investor Visas (ĐT1 - ĐT4): Tailored for foreign shareholders and capital contributors depending on investment size.

Detailed Breakdown of Popular Visa Categories and Validity Durations

The duration you are allowed to stay varies heavily by your visa class. For instance, tourist visas (DL) grant a maximum stay of up to 90 days, supporting single or multiple entries. This flexibility allows travelers to take side trips to neighboring countries like Cambodia or Laos and return without triggering a new application process.

Working visas (LĐ) offer longer stabilization for professionals relocating for employment. An LĐ visa can be issued for up to 2 years. Once you secure this status alongside a valid work permit, you can often transition into an employment-based temporary residence card, which streamlines long-term living requirements in major hubs like Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi.

Family, Dependent, and Specialized Visas

If you are moving with family, the Dependent Visa (TT) becomes critical. It is granted to the spouses and children under 18 of primary visa holders such as LĐ, ĐT, or corporate representative categories, typically offering up to 12 months of validity. Meanwhile, Family Visit and other miscellaneous purposes fall under the VR category, capped at a maximum of 6 months.

Investor visas (ĐT) are subdivided into four tiers (ĐT1 through ĐT4) based on capital injection scale. Major capital contributors under ĐT1 or ĐT2 can receive up to 5 years of validity, while smaller tiers like ĐT4 max out at 12 months.

Comparison of Popular Vietnam Visa Types

Tourist Visa (DL)

1. Up to 90 days
2. Sightseeing, leisure, and short holidays
3. Single or multiple entries available
4. Limited extension options depending on current immigration policies

Working Visa (LĐ)

1. Up to 2 years
2. Lawful employment with local companies or entities
3. Multiple entries tied to employment sponsorship
4. Eligible for transition to temporary residence cards

Dependent Visa (TT)

1. Up to 12 months
2. Spouses and minor children accompanying main work or investor visa holders
3. Multiple entries matching primary sponsor duration
4. Renewable alongside the primary visa holder's status

Minh's Transition From Tourist to Work Visa Status

Minh, a project manager returning to Da Nang after working abroad, initially entered Vietnam on a 90-day tourist visa (DL) to reconnect with family and scope out local tech companies.

When a digital agency offered him a permanent role, he realized he could not legally convert a tourist entry directly into a long-term local employment contract without exiting or undergoing complex sponsorship procedures.

His employer intervened by filing the corporate documentation for an LĐ2 work visa approval letter, requiring Minh to complete a brief border exit and re-enter with his proper employment credentials.

Within three weeks, he secured his working visa valid for two years, avoiding legal friction and paving the way for a stable multi-year stay in the country.