Business Visa in Ho Chi Minh City: DN1 and DN2 Explained
A business visa is a DN1 or DN2 visa, and a Vietnamese enterprise sponsors it. It lasts up to 1 year. Neither symbol is on the list for a temporary residence card. In Ho Chi Minh City the sponsor files an extension at the police immigration office in Xuan Hoa Ward.
On this page
DN1 is the visa for a foreigner who comes to work with an enterprise or other legal-entity organisation under Vietnamese law. DN2 is for offering services for sale, setting up a commercial presence or acting under a treaty.
A Vietnamese enterprise sponsors the visa. Neither symbol is on the list for a temporary residence card.
Which visa fits your trip
A short visit
An e-visa is valid for 90 days at most. It costs US$25 for a single entry and US$50 for multiple entries. It is for foreigners who wish to enter Vietnam, not those residing there.
Citizens of the 12 countries in Resolution 44/NQ-CP get 45 days from the date of entry, regardless of the purpose of entry. That exemption covers entries from 15 March 2025 through 14 March 2028. A separate list of 12 European countries gets 45 days for tourism purposes, from 15 August 2025 through 14 August 2028.
You will work in Vietnam
LD2 is issued to a foreigner who must hold a work permit. LD1 is issued to a foreigner confirmed as exempt. A foreigner working in Vietnam must hold a permit unless a Labor Code Article 154 exemption applies.
Two exemptions matter for business travellers. A worker who enters for under 3 months to pitch a service is exempt. A manager, executive, expert or technical worker in Vietnam for under 90 days in total in a calendar year is exempt. For both, the employer notifies the agency at least 3 working days before the start.
A company invites you
In the DN1 or DN2 case the company sponsors you and files the request. A DN visa does not allow paid work without a permit.
DN1 and DN2 against the old single symbol
Before Law 51/2019/QH14 took effect, Article 8 had a single DN symbol for anyone entering to work with an enterprise in Vietnam. The 2019 law split it in two.
Validity: up to 1 year
DN1 and DN2 visas are valid for 1 year at most. Any visa’s validity is set at least 30 days shorter than the remaining validity of the holder’s passport. LD1 and LD2 visas last up to 2 years.
Who sponsors and where the request goes
An enterprise established under Vietnamese law is among the organisations that may invite or sponsor a foreigner. The law sets the one condition in a single sentence.
Cơ quan, tổ chức mời, bảo lãnh người nước ngoài phải phù hợp với chức năng, nhiệm vụ, quyền hạn được pháp luật quy định hoặc giấy phép hoạt động được cấp.
The inviting or sponsoring organisation must act within the functions, tasks and powers set by law, or its operating licence. Law 47/2014/QH13, Điều 14 khoản 2
The one-time notice
Before its first invitation, the enterprise sends the immigration authority a notice. The notice comes with two papers:
- a certified copy of the licence or decision that established the organisation
- a document introducing the seal and the signature of its authorised signatory
The notice is made once, and a change in the file must be added later.
Filing the request
Since 1 July 2026 the sponsor files the visa request at the immigration authority, or by post or electronically if it meets the conditions. An organisation filing by post or electronically needs an electronic identity account and an electronic signature. Law 118/2025/QH15 repealed the rule on paying a charge for sending the visa notification.
The authority has 5 working days from receiving the request to review it and answer the sponsor.
Where in Ho Chi Minh City
The national procedure page for the entry-approval request lists two Immigration Department head offices for filing. One is at 333-335-337 Nguyen Trai Street in Ho Chi Minh City, which the page still gives under the pre-merger district name, so this guide names no ward. The other is in Hanoi. The request form is NA2.
The office receives files Monday to Saturday morning and returns results Monday to Friday. The request carries no fee. The authority answers within 5 working days if you collect the visa at a Vietnamese mission abroad. It answers within 3 working days if you collect it at an international border gate.
337 Nguyen Trai, Cau Ong Lanh, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
Extending or changing a DN visa in Ho Chi Minh City
An extension is filed by the sponsor, never by the foreigner. In Ho Chi Minh City the filing office is the city police immigration office at 196 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Xuan Hoa Ward. Xuan Hoa Ward was formed from Vo Thi Sau Ward and the rest of Ward 4 (former District 3).
196 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Xuan Hoa, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
The dossier can be filed in person at that office, or online through a national portal. It holds the foreigner’s original passport and form NA5, in the version revised by Circular 70/2026/TT-BCA. The sponsor must already have its one-time notice on file with the immigration office.
Processing takes no more than 5 working days from a complete dossier. The fee is US$10 each time. The national procedure page says files are received Monday through Saturday morning, excluding Tet and public holidays.
If a sponsor’s accepted dossier has no result by the deadline, an official advised keeping the receipt and contacting the office. The same official said the office may, case by case, resolve a residence document earlier so the foreigner does not overstay.
Changing the purpose of a visa
A visa’s purpose cannot be converted except in four cases:
- an investor, or the representative of a foreign organisation investing in Vietnam, with proof
- the parent, spouse or child of the person who invited or sponsored the holder, with proof
- a foreigner invited or sponsored by an organisation to work, holding a work permit or an exemption confirmation
- a foreigner who entered on an e-visa and holds a work permit or an exemption confirmation
Does a DN visa lead to a residence card?
A temporary residence card can be issued to a foreigner staying in Vietnam on a visa with one of these symbols:
- LV1, LV2, LS, ĐT1, ĐT2, ĐT3, NN1, NN2
- DH, PV1, LĐ1, LĐ2, TT, UĐ1, UĐ2
DN1 and DN2 are not on the list.
The law words the list by the visa category a person is eligible for, so a DN holder who has a work permit is in the LD2 category. The clean route is to convert the visa’s purpose, which the law allows for a foreigner invited to work who holds a permit. The holder is then issued a new visa with the matching symbol.
A card marked LĐ1, LĐ2 or PV1 lasts up to 2 years. A card’s validity is set at least 30 days shorter than the passport’s remaining validity. The temporary residence card guide covers the dossier.
DN visa or work permit
A DN visa does not replace a work permit. A foreigner who works in Vietnam without a permit or exemption certificate is fined VND 15-25 million.
The two exemptions above are the ones business travellers use. The work permit guide lists the rest. The visa extension guide covers extensions for every visa type.
What the government fees are
Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC is the fee schedule for entry, exit, transit and residence procedures. Fees are collected in Vietnamese dong or US dollars. A fee already paid is not refunded if the applicant is not eligible or refuses the result.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Single-entry visa, any validity | US$25 |
| Multiple-entry visa, up to 90 days | US$50 |
| Multiple-entry visa, over 90 to 180 days | US$95 |
| Multiple-entry visa, over 180 days to 1 year | US$135 |
| Each temporary-stay extension | US$10 |
Photos and clips uploaded to Google Maps (HCMC immigration office on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)) by Brian Loh, Google Maps contributor.
Step by step
- Company sends a one-time noticeBefore its first invitation, the enterprise sends the immigration authority a notice with a certified copy of its establishment licence and a document introducing its seal and signature.
- Company files the visa requestThe sponsor files the request at the immigration authority, or by post or electronically if it meets the conditions.
- Authority reviews the requestThe authority reviews the request within 5 working days.
- Extend with the sponsor's helpTo extend, the sponsor files at the immigration office; there is no self-filing route. The fee is US$10.
Not confirmed: A card on a DN passport without conversion: the law words the card list by visa category, so convert to an LD visa first. Whether the city office takes requests from a company registered elsewhere: the procedure page sets no limit.
Common questions
What is the difference between DN1 and DN2?
DN1 is for a foreigner who comes to work with an enterprise or other legal-entity organisation under Vietnamese law. DN2 is for offering services for sale, setting up a commercial presence or acting under a treaty.
How long does a DN1 or DN2 visa last?
Up to 1 year. The validity is set at least 30 days shorter than the passport's remaining validity.
Who sponsors a DN1 or DN2 visa?
An enterprise established under Vietnamese law is among the organisations that may sponsor. The request must match its functions or its operating licence.
How long does the immigration authority take to review the sponsor's request?
5 working days from receiving the request.
Where does the sponsor file in Ho Chi Minh City?
The entry-approval request goes to one of two Immigration Department head offices, one at 333-335-337 Nguyen Trai Street in Ho Chi Minh City. It carries no fee.
Where do I extend a DN visa in Ho Chi Minh City?
Your sponsor files at the police immigration office at 196 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Xuan Hoa Ward. The dossier is your original passport and form NA5. The fee is US$10 each time.
I have a DN1 visa and now a work permit. Can I get a residence card?
The card list names LD1 and LD2 but not DN1 or DN2. A DN holder invited to work who holds a permit may convert the visa's purpose, and is then issued a new visa matching it.
Does a DN1 or DN2 visa qualify for a temporary residence card?
The list of visa symbols that qualify has LD1 and LD2 but not DN1 or DN2.
Can I use an e-visa for a business trip instead?
An e-visa is valid for 90 days at most. It costs US$25 for a single entry and US$50 for multiple entries. It is for foreigners who wish to enter Vietnam, not those residing there.
Do I need a work permit on a DN visa?
A foreigner working in Vietnam must hold a permit unless a Labor Code Article 154 exemption applies. A worker in Vietnam under 90 days in a calendar year is one exemption.
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General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.
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