2025-04-11

Vietnam’s economic development has been spectacular, and many companies from around the world have moved into the country. Because of this, there are many Japanese who wish to work in Vietnam. In order to work for a company, a work visa is required, but the application process is surprisingly complicated.

Types of Work Visas

In principle, Japanese nationals who wish to work in Vietnam need both a work visa and a work permit.

A “work visa” is a document that allows you to stay in Vietnam for more than 15 days, and a “work permit” is required if you intend to work in Vietnam for more than 3 months.

There are two types of work visas: single visa and multiple visa, which are valid for 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. The “Single Visa” becomes invalid upon departure from Vietnam, while the “Multiple Visa” allows the holder to enter and leave the country as many times as they wish within the period of validity.

There are also two types of “work visas”: “DN” and “LD”. The “DN” visa is for foreigners visiting Vietnamese companies, while the “LD” visa is for working for foreign companies.

Prior to 2015, it was possible to visit Vietnam without a visa for tourism purposes and then switch to a business visa after entering the country. However, now, if you wish to enter Vietnam to work, you must have a visa from your home country to apply for a visa extension.

Procedures for obtaining a work visa

There are three ways to obtain a “work visa” for Vietnam.

The first is to apply at the Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate-General in Japan. The Embassy is located in Tokyo, and the Consulate-General is located in Osaka and Fukuoka Prefectures. This method does not cost much, but if there are any deficiencies in the application documents, it will take more time to obtain the visa. In addition, procedures and conditions are frequently revised, so you will naturally need to ask a specialist to help you.

The second method is to request a Japanese visa application service. This method has the advantage of ensuring that you can obtain a visa because you are hiring a specialist, but it also has the disadvantage of being expensive.

Finally, the third method is to request a visa application service in Vietnam. I mentioned earlier that procedures and conditions are frequently revised, but if you apply through this method, they can handle such situations (however, an additional fee is required).

Documents required for application

The documents required to apply for a work visa are as follows

・Passport of the applicant (must be valid for the period of visa application plus at least 3 months)
・Letter of invitation from the Vietnamese company (with the permission number)
　　※To obtain a letter of invitation, the following documents must be submitted to the Immigration Office for application.
　　　(Notarized copy of the registration and investment license of the Vietnamese enterprise)
　　　(Notarized copy of the registration of seal and signature of the Vietnamese enterprise)
　　　(Documents for business visa application: called N2 form)
・Photographic proof of the applicant (3cm x 4cm)
・Photocopy of entry permit

Documents required for work permit application are as follows
・Work Permit Application Form
・Applicant’s passport
・Two 4cm x 6cm photographs of the applicant
・Health certificate (in Vietnamese)
・Certificate of graduation and certificate of work experience
・Certificate of criminal record and certificate of non-criminality
・Letter of appointment and labor contract of local company
・Certificate of approval for employment of foreigners
・Certificate of investment registration, certificate of company registration, etc.
・Other necessary documents depending on the situation

Conclusion

When working in Vietnam, as in other countries, a “work visa” is required. However, procedures and conditions change frequently, so care must be taken when applying for a visa.