Vietnamese visas are identified by a letter code printed on the sticker. The code decides how long you may stay, who must sponsor you and whether you can work.
| Symbol | Issued to | Typical validity | Work allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| DL | Tourists | up to 3 months | No |
| DN1, DN2 | Business visitors working with a Vietnamese entity | up to 12 months | No labour contract |
| LD1, LD2 | Employees, exempt or holding a work permit | up to 2 years | Yes |
| DT1 – DT4 | Investors, by capital contribution | 12 months to 5 years | Managing own investment |
| TT | Family of citizens and card holders | up to 12 months | No |
| DH | Students and interns | up to 12 months | No |
| NN1 – NN3 | Representatives of foreign organisations, NGOs and their staff | up to 12 months | Within the organisation |
| EV | E-visa holders | up to 90 days | No |
| LS | Foreign lawyers practising in Vietnam | up to 5 years | Yes, as licensed |
| UD1, UD2 | High-quality digital technology talent and other preferential cases (UD1); their spouses and children under 18 (UD2) – new under Law 118/2025/QH15 | up to 5 years | UD1 as permitted |
| HN, VR, SQ | Conferences (HN, 90 days), family visits and other purposes (VR, 180 days), special cases (SQ, 30 days) | 30–180 days | No |
Choosing the right one
- Coming for meetings, audits or equipment support: DN
- Signing a Vietnamese employment contract: LD with a work permit
- Contributing capital to a company here: DT
- Joining a spouse or parent: TT
- Short trip, no sponsor: e-visa or visa exemption if your nationality qualifies
Changing category inside Vietnam
Switching symbols — for example DN to LD once a work permit is issued — is possible without leaving the country, provided a sponsor files the application. We handle the conversion together with the work permit so there is no gap in status.
Full guides: 3-month and 1-year visas, student visa DH, changing visa purpose. Xem bản tiếng Việt
Companies sponsoring foreign staff can hand the whole file to a Vietnam visa agency such as Info Travel to track visa and residence card deadlines and avoid overstay fines. Call Zalo/WhatsApp: +84327828822.
