Provincial Immigration Offices in Vietnam: Where to File

Foreigners and sponsoring companies deal with two levels of immigration authority in Vietnam, and the choice affects how fast a file moves.

1. Immigration Department (Ministry of Public Security)

Reception offices in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang. Handles approval letters, visa and temporary residence extensions and residence cards for company-sponsored files nationwide. Best when the sponsor operates in several provinces.

2. Provincial immigration offices (PA08)

Part of the provincial police. Handle files where the sponsor is registered locally or the foreigner stays in the province — often faster for straightforward local cases.

After the 2025 merger

Vietnam now has 34 provinces and cities. Files follow the new province: former Binh Duong and Ba Ria – Vung Tau to Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Duong to Hai Phong, Bac Giang to Bac Ninh, Quang Nam to Da Nang, Thai Binh to Hung Yen, Long An to Tay Ninh, Ninh Thuan to Khanh Hoa, Binh Phuoc to Dong Nai. Full explanation: where to file after the merger.

Temporary residence declarations

Not handled by these offices — they go to the commune or ward police or through the online portal: how to declare.

Choosing

Situation	Where to file
Company with branches in several provinces	Immigration Department
Single-site company, straightforward file	Provincial office
Individual sponsoring a relative	Provincial office where the sponsor resides