The 5-year visa exemption certificate (also known as the 5-year visa) is a type of residency document that allows foreigners to legally reside in Vietnam and go through immigration procedures. The certificate is affixed to the passport and is issued by the Vietnamese immigration management agency to individuals with marital or blood ties or Vietnamese origin under Decree 82/2015/NĐ-CP.
The maximum validity of the 5-year visa is not more than 5 years and is shorter than the validity of the passport or international travel document of the person being issued for at least 6 months.
Each visa exemption certificate is issued separately for each person. Children sharing a passport with their father or mother will be granted visa exemption with their parents.
Value of the 5-year visa
The 5-year visa exemption certificate is a substitute for a visa when foreigners enter Vietnam and allows them to enter and exit Vietnam multiple times within a maximum period of 5 years, with each entry allowing for a stay of up to 6 months.
Foreigners with a 5-year visa exemption certificate do not need to apply for a visa to enter Vietnam.
Eligible applicants for 5-year visa
According to the law, foreigners who fall into one of the following categories will be granted a 5-year visa when entering Vietnam for the purpose of visiting relatives or settling personal matters:
- Vietnamese citizens who have settled abroad.
- Foreigners who are spouses, children of Vietnamese citizens residing overseas.
- Foreigners who are spouses, children of Vietnamese citizens.
Conditions for issuing a 5-year visa
To be granted a 5-year visa, foreigners falling into the above-mentioned categories must meet the following three conditions:
- Have a passport or travel document valid for at least 01 year.
- Have documents proving that they belong to the eligible category for a 5-year visa.
- Do not fall under the cases of refused entry or suspended exit as stipulated in Article 21 and Article 28 of the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam 2014, amended and supplemented in 2019.
Process of applying for a new or renewed 5-year visa
The process of applying for a 5-year visa is specified in the following three steps:
Step 1: Prepare documents
* For Vietnamese overseas
- 01 Application for a visa exemption certificate (Form Na9) (Mẫu Na9)
- 02 photos sized 4×6 cm (01 to be pasted on the application form, 01 to be submitted separately);
- A passport valid for at least 01 year (with 1 copy);
- 01 of the following documents: Vietnamese nationality certificate; A copy or an excerpt of the Decision to restore Vietnamese nationality;
- A copy or an excerpt of the Decision to revoke Vietnamese nationality; Certificate of loss of Vietnamese nationality; Vietnamese passport (valid or expired); Identity card (valid or expired); Birth certificate; Latest voter card; Household registration book; Travel document issued before 1975; Old ID card issued before 1975;
- Pre-1975 birth certificate issued by the relevant authorities; Documents issued by foreign authorities indicating the Vietnamese nationality or origin of the person named in the document (with a notarized copy or original for comparison).
* For foreigners who are spouses, children of Vietnamese citizens or Vietnamese people residing abroad
- 01 Application form for visa exemption;
- 02 photos sized 4×6 cm (01 to be pasted on the application form, 01 to be submitted separately);
- Passport or valid international travel document (with a copy attached);
- Married couples need to have a Marriage certificate (with a copy for the authority to keep in the dossier).
- For children, a Birth certificate of the foreigner who is the child of Vietnamese citizens or a certificate of father/mother/child relationship is required (with a copy for the authority to keep in the dossier). If the child is adopted, an adoption decision is required.
- Visa with the purpose of visiting relatives (have TT marking)
* Reissuing visa exemption certificate
The procedure for applying for a reissuance of the visa exemption certificate is applied when the foreigner has been granted a visa exemption certificate but has lost it, it has been damaged, or there is a need to adjust the content of the previously issued visa exemption certificate, or the visa exemption certificate has expired after 5 years of use.
The application for reissuing the visa exemption certificate includes:
- 01 Application form for visa exemption;
- A passport valid for at least 01 year (with a copy attached);
- 02 photos sized 4×6 cm (01 to be pasted on the application form, 01 to be submitted separately);
- If the visa exemption certificate is lost, a loss report is required.
- If there is information in the visa exemption certificate that needs updating, a notarized copy of the document proving the change must be submitted, or the original document must be submitted for comparison.
Step 2: Submit application
The applicant for a 5-year visa must submit the above-mentioned documents to one of the following authorized agencies:
- The Embassy or Consulate of Vietnam in the foreign country: in case the applicant for a 5-year visa is residing in a foreign country; or
- The Vietnam Immigration Department: in case the applicant is temporarily residing in Vietnam and wishes to obtain a 5-year visa.
Step 3: Receive the result
Within 5 working days from the date of receiving a complete application, the authorized agency will issue a 5-year visa. The applicant should come to the place where they submitted their application in step 2 to receive the result.
Processing time for 5-year visa application
Normally, the processing time for visa applications is 5-7 working days from the time the agency receives all valid documents.
Fee for 5-year visa exemption certificate
The fee for a 5-year visa exemption certificate may vary depending on the issuing unit (Vietnam Immigration Department or Vietnamese Embassy/Consulate abroad) or depending on each period. The state fee for visa exemption procedures is stipulated in Circular No. 25/2021/TT-BTC as: 10 USD/certificate.
Extension of stay for people with a 5-year visa
When the visa exemption certificate (5-year visa) expires, foreigners cannot extend it and must reapply (with documents as mentioned above).
If the 5-year visa is still valid, to continue staying in Vietnam, after each 6-month entry, foreigners need to exit and re-enter Vietnam to continue staying according to a new temporary residence period (this is called a visa run)
If the 5-year visa is still valid but the foreigner wants to stay in Vietnam without exiting, they can apply for a temporary residence extension. The temporary residence extension application includes:
- Passport;
- NA5 form for temporary residence extension request;
- 5-year visa exemption certificate.
Within 5 working days from the date of receiving all valid documents, the Vietnam Immigration Department or the Immigration Management Department of the province/city directly under the central government will consider granting temporary residence extension for foreigners.
Should you apply for a 5-year visa on your own?
Foreigners who are applying for a 5-year visa or a temporary residence extension for the first time, due to their lack of experience and knowledge of Vietnamese law, may:
- Not know how to prepare documents or follow a plan to complete the procedure within the expected time frame.
- Not know how to handle each specific case and work with the authorities.
- Encounter obstacles in preparing documents and completing procedures quickly at government agencies.
Foreigners can apply for a 5-year visa on their own. In case of difficulties in the application process or if they want to obtain the 5-year visa result sooner without worrying about the complicated procedure or understanding the process of the authorities, they can use the visa application service at PNVT.
Quick application service for 5-year visa in Ho Chi Minh City
PNVT provides a comprehensive and efficient service for obtaining a 5-year visa exemption certificate in Vietnam. We guarantee:
- Swift and accurate consultation and transparent pricing
- The most optimal, comprehensive and cost-effective solution
- Results within 3 days (faster than self-application)
- Handling of all contingencies
- Strict adherence to client agreements
- Security of client information and documents
- Delivery of results to your doorstep (upon request)
- Assistance with other related matters, such as immigration, visa extension, temporary residency card application…
Call the PNVT HOTLINE or submit your request now to receive expert consultation and support for your document processing and application to the Vietnamese immigration authorities in Ho Chi Minh City.