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Home/ Global Mobility/ Temporary Residence Card

Temporary Residence Card in Vietnam.

A Temporary Residence Card (TRC) lets a foreign employee live in Vietnam for one to two years at a time — no more renewing a visa every few months. Forra runs the whole application for you, from the first eligibility check through to collecting the card and reminding you when it's time to renew.

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Key Facts
1–2 yrs
How long a TRC usually lasts for work permit holders
No visa
The card is your entry pass and residence permit in one
NA17
Temporary-residence registration — Forra files it within 24–48 hours of arrival
End to-end
We handle every step, from eligibility check to card in hand
What Is a TRC

Your long-stay document — it replaces the visa entirely.

A Temporary Residence Card (Thẻ tạm trú) is an official document from Vietnam's Immigration Department that lets a foreign national live here for a set period without a separate visa. It's tied to your reason for being in Vietnam — usually a work permit, but also investor status, a representative office role, or marriage to a Vietnamese citizen. The card lasts as long as that reason does: a work permit holder's TRC can't outlast the permit.

01 Coming & going

Your way in and out

The TRC is your entry permit. You can leave Vietnam and come back as often as you like — no separate visa, and no border runs to renew your stay.

02 Living here

Your right to stay

It's also your residence document, proving you live here legally for the full period. One card does the job of a multiple-entry visa and the residency stamp combined.

Visa vs. TRC

Staying more than 90 days? A TRC beats renewing visas.

Renewing a business visa every few months piles up paperwork, fees, and compliance risk. One TRC covers you for one to two years at a time. Anyone working in Vietnam for more than three months should hold one.

Compare them
TRC Categories

Three types — matched to your reason for staying.

The Immigration Department issues TRCs under three main categories. The right one depends on why you're in Vietnam — and it decides which documents you need, how long the card lasts, and who issues it. Forra confirms your category before any paperwork begins.

LD2 Most common

Work Permit Holders

The most common card. For foreign employees who must hold a work permit and work under a labour contract with a Vietnam-registered employer. (Staff certified as exempt from a work permit hold the related LD1 card.)

Key facts
Lasts
Up to 2 years — never longer than the work permit
You need
A valid work permit and a signed labour contract
Processing
5–7 working days once submitted
DT1–4

Investors & Capital Contributors

For foreign investors and representatives of foreign organisations investing in Vietnam. Your tier — and how long your card can last — depends on how much capital you have contributed (see the tiers below).

Key facts
Lasts
From 1 up to 10 years, set by your capital tier
You need
A capital contribution certificate or investment licence
Processing
5–7 working days once submitted
TT

Family Members

For the spouse and children under 18 of an LD or DT card holder — and for the spouse, child or parent of a Vietnamese citizen. A dependent card is renewed alongside the main holder's.

Key facts
Lasts
Up to 3 years, in line with the main holder's card
You need
A legalised marriage or birth certificate
Processing
5–7 working days once submitted
Investor tiers (DT) — set by capital contributed
The more you invest, the longer your card can last.
DT1 Card up to 10 years
VND 100 billion or more, or a priority investment sector
DT2 Card up to 5 years
VND 50 billion to under 100 billion, or an encouraged sector
DT3 Card up to 3 years
VND 3 billion to under 50 billion
DT4 12-month visa, not a card
Under VND 3 billion
Eligibility

What needs to be in place before you apply.

You can't submit a TRC application until the underlying reason for staying is confirmed — for work permit holders, the permit must already be issued; for investors, the capital must be registered. The application is filed by a sponsor (the employer, the company, or the main card holder for dependents), and Forra submits everything on their behalf.

Who it's for What must be in place Key document Status
Work permit holder (LD2) Work permit already issued; labour contract signed Original work permit + notarised labour contract Most common
Work-permit-exempt staff (LD1) Certified as exempt from a work permit — e.g. an intra-company transfer within a committed service sector Work-permit exemption certificate + assignment letter Work-permit exempt
Investor / capital contributor (DT1–DT4) Proof you hold a capital stake in a Vietnam-registered company Capital contribution certificate or investment licence Eligible
Spouse of a Vietnamese national (TT) Legalised marriage certificate; spouse's household registration Marriage certificate + household registration Eligible
Dependent family member (TT) The main holder must already have a valid TRC Legalised marriage or birth certificate Needs main TRC first
Work permit holder (LD2)
What must be in place
Work permit already issued; labour contract signed
Key document
Original work permit + notarised labour contract
Status
Most common
Work-permit-exempt staff (LD1)
What must be in place
Certified as exempt from a work permit — e.g. an intra-company transfer within a committed service sector
Key document
Work-permit exemption certificate + assignment letter
Status
Work-permit exempt
Investor / capital contributor (DT1–DT4)
What must be in place
Proof you hold a capital stake in a Vietnam-registered company
Key document
Capital contribution certificate or investment licence
Status
Eligible
Spouse of a Vietnamese national (TT)
What must be in place
Legalised marriage certificate; spouse's household registration
Key document
Marriage certificate + household registration
Status
Eligible
Dependent family member (TT)
What must be in place
The main holder must already have a valid TRC
Key document
Legalised marriage or birth certificate
Status
Needs main TRC first

You must already be in Vietnam legally — on a valid visa or your current TRC — when you apply. You can't apply after an overstay, or from outside the country. Forra watches every expiry date and starts renewals early so your status never lapses.

Application Process

Your TRC application in five steps.

Forra runs the whole application on your behalf, whatever your category. It moves in parallel with the on-arrival tasks — including police registration, which has to happen within 24 to 48 hours of the applicant reaching their accommodation.

01

Eligibility check & document list

Day 1 — once you qualify

As soon as your qualifying status is confirmed — for most clients, the day the work permit is issued — Forra works out the right TRC category and sends a personalised document checklist to both the sponsor and the applicant.

02

Police registration (NA17)

Within 24–48 hrs of arrival

Every foreign national must register their home address with the local police within 24 to 48 hours of arriving. For company-sponsored applicants this is the sponsor's job, and the registration receipt is also needed for the TRC application. Forra handles it as soon as the arrival date is confirmed.

Sponsor obligation

Miss the registration window and the sponsor can face fines — and the TRC application is held up. We make this the first thing we do on arrival.

03

Document preparation

3–5 working days

The exact package depends on your TRC category, but Forra pulls it all together so you don't have to chase paperwork. Every application needs:

  • TRC application forms (NA6 & NA8), signed by your sponsor
  • Passport valid for the whole TRC period (plus a buffer)
  • Two recent passport photos (4×6 cm, white background)
  • Notarised copy of the passport photo page
  • NA17 temporary-residence registration receipt
  • Plus the document that proves your category — a work permit & labour contract (LD2), a capital or investment certificate (DT), or a legalised marriage/birth certificate (TT)
04

Submission to the Immigration Department

5–7 working days

Forra submits the complete package to the provincial Immigration Department on your behalf. The authority responds within 5 to 7 working days. We follow up on any questions and handle requests for extra documents throughout the review.

05

Collection & handover

1–2 working days after approval

Forra collects the card and hands it over, along with a plain summary of how long it's valid, when to renew, and any conditions. We log the expiry date and remind you at least 60 days before renewal is due.

TRC vs. Visa

Why a TRC beats renewing visas.

Plenty of companies keep long-stay employees going on business visa extensions. That works for a short while, but it stacks up paperwork and compliance risk. For anyone working here more than 90 days straight, a TRC is the right document. Here's how the two compare.

Factor Business visa extensions Temporary Residence Card
How long it lasts Max 90 days per extension — several applications a year Up to 2 yrs (LD2 work permit); up to 10 yrs (DT investor)
Leaving & re-entering Check the visa is still valid before every trip Come and go freely — no separate permit needed
Police registration Required again on each new visa entry Once on arrival, covered for the whole TRC period
Paperwork 4–8 extension applications a year, with gaps to manage One application per validity period
Compliance standing Repeated extensions can attract scrutiny The clearest proof of legal residence
Cost over 2 years Repeated fees and agent costs add up One application — lower total cost and effort
Best for Short assignments, or bridging until the TRC is ready Anyone working in Vietnam for 3+ months
How long it lasts
Business visa
Max 90 days per extension — several applications a year
Temporary Residence Card
Up to 2 yrs (LD2 work permit); up to 10 yrs (DT investor)
Leaving & re-entering
Business visa
Check the visa is still valid before every trip
Temporary Residence Card
Come and go freely — no separate permit needed
Police registration
Business visa
Required again on each new visa entry
Temporary Residence Card
Once on arrival, covered for the whole TRC period
Paperwork
Business visa
4–8 extension applications a year, with gaps to manage
Temporary Residence Card
One application per validity period
Compliance standing
Business visa
Repeated extensions can attract scrutiny
Temporary Residence Card
The clearest proof of legal residence
Cost over 2 years
Business visa
Repeated fees and agent costs add up
Temporary Residence Card
One application — lower total cost and effort
Best for
Business visa
Short assignments, or bridging until the TRC is ready
Temporary Residence Card
Anyone working in Vietnam for 3+ months

Forra handles visas too, as part of Global Mobility. See Vietnam visa options →

Before You Apply

Before your TRC application.

Check these are in place before Forra submits. We talk you through each one and sort out any gaps before the application starts.

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Not sure you qualify yet?

You don't need everything ready to talk to us. Forra runs a free eligibility check first and tells you exactly what's missing.

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You're ready to apply — let's get started.
Common Questions

What clients ask us about TRC applications.

Should we apply for the TRC before or after the work permit?

After. You can only apply for the TRC once the work permit has been issued — the two can't run at the same time. Forra starts the TRC the moment the permit is collected, so the gap is as short as possible.

Good news: the employee can already work legally on their permit while the TRC is being processed.

Can the employee travel abroad while the TRC is being processed?

Yes, but carefully. Their current visa needs to still be valid for re-entry. If that visa expires while the TRC is pending, they'll need a new one to come back — which also means a fresh police registration on arrival.

Time travel around the process. Forra advises on when it's safe to leave so a trip doesn't disrupt the application.

If the work permit is renewed, does the TRC need renewing too?

Yes. The TRC is tied to the work permit, so it isn't extended automatically. When the permit is renewed, a new TRC application has to go in.

Forra handles both renewals together as one process, so there's no gap in the employee's legal residence.

What is the NA17 police registration, and why does it matter?

NA17 is the temporary-residence declaration that records the employee's home address with the local police. It has to be done within 24 to 48 hours of them arriving at their accommodation, and for work permit holders it's the employer's responsibility — not the individual's. (CT01 is the equivalent form for Vietnamese citizens; foreigners use NA17.)

The registration receipt is also a required document for the TRC application, so Forra takes care of it as the very first step on arrival.

Can family members get a TRC alongside the employee?

Yes. A spouse and minor children can apply for a dependent TRC — but only once the main holder's card has been issued. The dependent card lasts the same length as the main one.

You'll need a legalised marriage or birth certificate, the main holder's TRC, and the dependent's passport. Forra manages dependent applications as part of a family package.

What happens if the TRC expires before renewal is done?

Legal residence lapses. The employee has to get a valid visa straight away, and a brand-new TRC has to be applied for from scratch. An overstay carries fines and can affect future applications.

We don't let it get there. Forra tracks every expiry date and starts the renewal at least 60 days ahead, so there's no gap.

Get Started Today

Ready to start your TRC application?

Book a free consultation with a Forra immigration advisor. We'll confirm the right category, check every pre-condition, and give you a clear timeline from eligibility to card in hand.

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