Vietnam Work Visa LD1 and LD2 for Employees
The LD visa is issued to foreigners employed in Vietnam. LD1 is for those confirmed as exempt from a work permit; LD2 is for those holding a work permit. Both are sponsored by the employer.
Validity follows the work permit
An LD visa is never longer than the remaining validity of the work permit or the exemption confirmation. If the permit has eight months left, the visa is granted for eight months, even though the law allows up to two years. Renew the permit first, then the visa — doing it in the other order wastes a filing.
Documents
- Work permit, or written confirmation of exemption
- Form NA5 (extension inside Vietnam) or NA2 (approval letter from abroad)
- Employer business registration certificate and form NA16
- Original passport, valid at least 30 days beyond the requested period
- Temporary residence declaration for the current address
Converting from another visa
Foreigners who entered on a DN, DL or exempt status can switch to LD once the work permit is issued, without leaving Vietnam, provided the employer sponsors the application. This is the usual sequence for new hires already in the country.
Next step: residence card
With an LD2 visa and a work permit valid for a year or more, applying for a temporary residence card is almost always cheaper than repeated extensions, and the card replaces the visa when re-entering Vietnam.
Service fee from 3,000,000 VND for LD extensions. Xem bản tiếng Việt
