A temporary residence card (thẻ tạm trú, TRC) lets you live in Vietnam for years without renewing a visa. It is not something you can apply for just because you want to stay: the law lists the visa types that qualify, and a sponsor always files for you.
The short answer
Who can get a TRC
Law 47/2014/QH13 on entry, exit, transit and residence of foreigners, Article 36, as amended, lets a foreigner who is already staying in Vietnam on a visa with one of these symbols apply for a card:
| Symbol | Who it is for |
|---|---|
| LĐ1 | Working in Vietnam, with a confirmation that no work permit is required |
| LĐ2 | Working in Vietnam with a work permit |
| ĐT1, ĐT2, ĐT3 | Investors by capital contributed: ĐT1 VND 100 billion or more, ĐT2 VND 50–100 billion, ĐT3 VND 3–50 billion |
| DH | Study or internship |
| TT | Spouse or child under 18 of a holder of LV1, LV2, LS, ĐT1–ĐT3, NN1, NN2, DH, PV1, LĐ1 or LĐ2; and the parent, spouse or child of a Vietnamese citizen |
| NN1, NN2 | Heads of international or NGO offices, and of foreign trader or organisation offices |
| PV1 | Resident journalists |
| LS | Foreign lawyers |
| LV1, LV2 | People working for Party, State and political-social bodies |
| UĐ1, UĐ2 | New in 2026: high-quality technology and industry personnel given preferential treatment, and their spouse and children under 18 |
The application is always made by the inviting or sponsoring agency, organisation or individual (Article 37). For an employee that is the employer; for a TT card it can be the family member.
Who cannot
The statutory list above does not include tourist (DL), e-visa (EV), business (DN1, DN2), ĐT4 (investor under VND 3 billion) or NN3 visas, so on the law as written those holders cannot get a TRC.
There is also no category for freelancers, remote workers or digital nomads, and no retirement category. A retiree can qualify only through another route, for example TT as the parent, spouse or child of a Vietnamese citizen. We found no official source saying any other route exists, and an agency promising a nomad or retiree TRC is not following this list.
How long a TRC lasts
| Maximum validity | Symbols |
|---|---|
| Up to 10 years | ĐT1, UĐ1, UĐ2 |
| Up to 5 years | NG3 (diplomatic and consular staff), LV1, LV2, LS, ĐT2, DH |
| Up to 3 years | NN1, NN2, ĐT3, TT |
| Up to 2 years | LĐ1, LĐ2, PV1 |
The card must expire at least 30 days before your passport does (Article 38), so a passport with little validity left shortens or blocks the card. An expired card is not renewed; it is considered for issue as a new card.
Government fees
Fees are set by Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC (27 March 2026, in force from 1 April 2026), which replaced the earlier circulars 25/2021 and 62/2023.
| Card validity | Fee |
|---|---|
| Up to 2 years | $145 per card |
| Over 2 up to 5 years | $155 per card |
| Over 5 up to 10 years | $165 per card |
| Transfer of a valid card to a new passport | $5 |
| Extension of stay (not a card) | $10 per time |
A lost or damaged card is re-issued at the first-issue rate. These are government fees only; a company or agency that files for you will add its own charge. Another circular (81/2026/TT-BTC) amended a different item of the same tariff, and we did not read whether it affects these rates.
How it is filed
- Authority: the immigration management office of the provincial police, meaning the Immigration Department in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City or Da Nang, or the provincial police elsewhere.
- Forms: a request from the sponsor (form NA6 for an organisation or NA7 for an individual) and the applicant’s declaration (NA8). NA6 and NA8 were reissued by Circular 70/2026/TT-BCA from 1 July 2026.
- Documents: your passport, a document proving your category (for example a work permit or a confirmation that none is needed), and two 2×3 cm photos. We did not read the full per-category document list.
- Online: filing is possible through the national public service portal or the Ministry of Public Security portal. For an online filing the passport must still be posted in, and other documents need electronic authentication or must also go by post.
- Time: 5 working days from receipt of a complete file (Article 37).
The official text we read does not say the foreigner must appear in person, because the sponsor files. Confirm with the office you are filing at before assuming either way.
Registering where you live
Every foreigner must be registered with the local police through whoever runs the accommodation (Article 33). By paper, the accommodation provider must deliver the declaration within 12 hours of your arrival, or 24 hours in remote areas. Electronic declaration is also allowed and, under Circular 87/2026/TT-BCA (in force from 24 July 2026), is made immediately on arrival. The commonly quoted “24 hours” is not the general rule.
You must also declare when you change residence or your passport details change. Accommodation providers who fail to declare foreigners can be fined under Decree 282/2025; see our overstay and fines guide.
What changed in 2025–2026
- Law 118/2025/QH15, in force from 1 July 2026, amended the entry and residence law: it added the UĐ1 and UĐ2 visas and cards (up to 10 years) and changed “ward and town” police wording to commune-level police.
- Fees now come from Circular 28/2026, not 25/2021 or 62/2023.
- Forms NA6 and NA8 were reissued by Circular 70/2026 on 1 July 2026.
- Declaration rules now follow Circular 87/2026, which replaced Circular 53/2016 on 24 July 2026.
- Older posts that say a business visa (DN) leads to a TRC, or quote “$145 for one year and $155 for two”, are out of date or wrong on the statutory text.
What we could not verify
- That a digital nomad, remote worker, freelancer or retiree can get a TRC by any route.
- The exact per-category document list (Circular 31/2015/TT-BCA as amended) and whether you must appear in person.
- The personal fine for not declaring your residence. Secondary sources cite Decree 282/2025 Article 21; we did not read the amount for the foreigner.
- Whether Circular 81/2026/TT-BTC changes the card fees above.
- Marriage or birth-certificate document requirements for a TT card.
Because rules and fees change, confirm the current procedure with the Immigration Department or a licensed agency before you pay anyone. Browse visa and legal providers in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi or Da Nang.
Sources
- Official Gazette No. 196, 10 Apr 2026: consolidated text 62/VBHN-VPQH of the entry and residence law
- Vietnam Government news portal: renewed fees on entry, exit, transit and residence (Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC)
- Provincial police procedure document for temporary residence cards (forms, authority, processing time)
- Circular 87/2026/TT-BCA on residence declaration (mirror of the official text)
- Ministry of Public Security: what is new in the entry and residence rules
Related guides
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