How to Get A Temporary Residence Card (TRC) in Vietnam

As stipulated on Vietnam’s Law on Entry, Exit, Residence, and Transit of Foreigners, the immigration authority will issue a temporary residence card to foreigners who are legally allowed to reside in Vietnam for a certain time. Also known as the TRC, the temporary residence card is issued by the competent authority of Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Benefits of Having a Temporary Residence Card in Vietnam

If you are a holder of the Temporary Residence Card, there are many benefits that you can enjoy. These include the following:

You can purchase your own properties in Vietnam, such as apartment units. In the future, your TRC will also allow you to purchase houses. Currently, Vietnam’s Ministry of Construction has made a proposal allowing foreigners to purchase houses in the country to address real estate issues.
With the TRC, foreigners can stay in Vietnam legally for a certain time period, for as long as their TRC remains valid.
Because the TRC allows you to stay in Vietnam longer, you save yourself from the hassles of having to keep on applying for a visa. Of course, this will also save you some money since you don’t need to keep on paying the visa fees.
The Temporary Residence Card will grant foreigners similar privileges as a local citizen, such as getting married, establishing a business, and more.

Who Are Eligible to Apply For a Temporary Residence Card in Vietnam

Below are the foreigners who are eligible to apply for the TRC in Vietnam:

A foreigner holding a work permit that’s valid for at least 12 months from the time of application.
Foreigners who are members of consular offices, diplomatic missions, or those who are working for the representative offices of some international organizations that are affiliated with the United Nations, including their spouses and kids who are below 18 years of age. This is also applicable to their housemaids who were granted temporary residence cards known as the NG3.
Foreigners who were issued the following visas – LV1, LV2, ĐT, NN1, NN2, DH, PV1, LD, TT and were granted temporary residence cards. Furthermore, the Law on Entry, Exit, Residence, and Transit of Foreigners has defined new visa types with corresponding symbols and duration for each type of visa.

Requirements and Conditions for the Temporary Residence Card

These are the conditions and requirements that a foreigner must meet in order to be granted the TRC:

The foreigner should be staying temporarily for at least one year in Vietnam.
Passport must remain valid for at least 13 months.

Documents Needed for the Application of Vietnam Temporary Residence Card

The documents that must be submitted are the following:

Guarantor’s written request for the issuance of the temporary residence card. For individual requests, it’s form NA7. For organizations and agencies, it’s form NA6.
Information form for the TRC that will include a 3 x 4 photo. This is the form known as NA8.
Copy of passport along with a valid visa. The original copy must be submitted for comparison.
2 pieces 3×4 photos, one will be attached to the information form and the other to be kept separately.
Copy of Business Registration Certificate of the guaranteeing organization, enterprise, or agency.

Depending on the situation, one of the following documents might also be needed:

Work permit. If not, a work permit exemption certificate must be submitted.
Business registration or investment certificate.
The license of establishments for those who are working for representative offices or branches.
Certificate of being a member of the Board of Directors

Aside from the documents mentioned above, other documents might be required, depending on the circumstances.

How to Get a Temporary Residence Card for Foreigners in Vietnam

Below are the steps on how to apply for a temporary residence card in Vietnam.

Prepare the documents needed.
Submit the required documents to one of the three offices of the Vietnam Immigration Department – Ministry of Public Security in Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi, or Da Nang. These documents must only be submitted in the morning, from Monday to Saturday.
The officials who will receive the application will review it along with the documents. If the documents are valid and complete, you will be given a receipt as proof of the appointment.
If some documents are lacking, you will be asked to submit the lacking documents before your TRC will be processed.

Once your TRC card is already available, simply proceed to the Immigration Department where you have submitted your application. Don’t forget to bring the receipt along with your passport or any identity card. If your Temporary Residence Card is already available, the officer will ask you to pay certain fees before giving you the Temporary Residence Card.

If you want a faster and hassle-free way of applying for a Temporary Residence Card in Vietnam, you can get in touch with a local agency that specializes in the processing of Vietnam visas and TRCs.

TAGS Temporary Residence Card TRC