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@Chacronym

Hello Chacronym. Welcome to the expat.com Vietnam forum.

As I understand it, a DN1 business visa application is submitted by the employer/organisation the foreigner will be working with. The cost is borne by the employer/organisation. A foreigner cannot apply on their own behalf.

Once the application has been approved by immigration, a formal "invitation to enter" document/letter is issued to the foreigner. The foreigner then presents the document/letter at an approved border crossing, or at a Vietnam foreign embassy or consulate, at which point the visa is issued. I'm unsure as to whether the Moc Bai crossing is able to issue a DN1 visa.

Have you spoken to the local company you will work with about this?

If you'd like the contact details of a local visa agent who has proven both trustworthy and reliable (used by many of our members) let me know and I'll send you the details by PM. We try not to promote the services of commercial interests on the open forum.

I have spoken with them about this. They are happy to pay for it, however having never done it before, want me to lead the effort, so I'm doing research and will present them with the data and guide them thru the process. I am, after all a consultant.

I did see the other day Moc Bai is able to issue, it is on the official list.

However I'm seeing conflicting information on other topics, for example yes, what you said just now appears to be the official explanation, but in other searching, I have seen alternative means, and yet others facilitated via agency.

My previous agent is unable to support for such a visa though. So, sure, I'd love to have a chat with your agent, thanks.

I'd like to find the quickest point from A to B, without costing a bomb of course.

@Chacronym

Hello, the DN1 visa is for cases where a Vietnamese Company requires your (as a foreigner) services for a short term specific task (inspections, installations, training, etc).   If your goal is to go around to evaluate your potential market, you must nominate a sort of sales-representant in Vietnam and request a DN2 visa. In both cases the tramit is totally inside Vietnam and up to your Vietnamese sponsor, and you may be requested for some documentations nothing difficult to get (profession certificates/sworn, police clearance,  bla bla bla).    Then move yourself to a DT visa type whenever you get ready to start your venture.

The sponsorship letter is not complicated, just follow the NA2 form which basically is: Dear IMMIGRATION MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT (MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SECURITY) I request the entry permit (Simple or Multipass) of Mr .....    from dates ... with the purpose of ....  who will be accommodated in (homestay address) ...  bla bla bla 

DN visa types are regularly issued up to 3 months.  The 3-12 months visa  is when the sponsor justify a big project on going and surely you will need a special Work Permit (another separate tramit on the Labor Dptm.)

For @Aidan, yes, the DNx visa sticker can be pasted in the passport at Moc Bai crossing (in fact any kind of visas)

@Chacronym

No choice, the signatures in papers are only from the sponsor.  Eventhough this tramit is not difficult, surely is nice to have an Agent. My advise is to let your sponsor to deal locally with an Agent, easier to trace and communicate in their language.   

Another not asked advise:  bring your own Police Clearance from the country you are now; University Diploma (or Sworn of your expertise) and Work Certificate (current employer), all of them notarized and legalized by the Minister of Foreign affairs in the country you are (the Apostille is not recognized in Vietnam) and then Legalized in the Embassy of Vietnam.   Even you can do it in your Embassy inside Vietnam, the police clearance is from the countries you were in the latest 6 months

@Chacronym

PM sent.

Please let the forum know what you learn. We'd very much appreciate it.

Hi. I searched this topic and found a variety of posts here that are similar, but not quite the information I'm seeking, so I decided to make it a new topic.
I find that the DN1 visa program for Vietnam is not very well documented online, other than the official information. First off, I do have a company that wants to consult with me. Hence the reason for the application. We are also fundraising a few million USD for a startup, which will be helmed in Vietnam. This visa will enable us to do all necessary scouting and negotiations. However, no investment has been acquired yet.

We're presently incorporated in Singapore with a Pte. Ltd. for both the fundraising and the consulting services.

Additionally this is for myself and my business partner, so we will need two visas. They are Singaporean, I am a US Citizen. Both of us would prefer not to return to our respective countries. Currently, we are in Cambodia, where we have lived for some years now. We will probably enter via Moc Bai land border.

--

Anyway, I was hoping to gather advice, as well as to hear some experiences you have had in applying for this particular visa, whether you succeeded or failed, and if there are any catches or helpful tricks.

I would love to hear from you, whether you were applicant, sponsor, or agent!

Especially of concern is the lack of cost information.In fact, one VN Aus embassy website says that it changes from consulate to consulate (!! ... but what did I expect?) and I want to be sure I'm not going to be made use of.

Examples of an excellent initial letter of from my sponsor? Don't want to miss something or fall into an issue.

Furthermore, will I be able to achieve the entire 10-12 months? Or will I be made to extend or do a border run before my consultancy is finished?

Thanks in advance. - @Chacronym

Read the following screenshot VERY CAREFULLY.

Then tell me what you don't understand.

Please pay special attention to the word WORK.

There's absolutely NO LEGAL SHORTCUT around the need for a legal, government approved work permit.

You almost certainly need to consult with a Vietnamese attorney who specializes in setting up these types of special visas (commonly referred to as "business visas").

If you have heard that these are easy to obtain at a price, you are unfortunately very late to the party. DN visas not connected to a valid work permit have been absolutely unobtainable since 2020 (I obtained my last one in August, 2019 and was denied renewal in August, 2020).

You probably either need to start a business here or invest around $115,000 USD each to obtain 3 year Temporary Resident Cards (renewable)

Or, look into much simpler retirement in a different Southeast Asia country

@OceanBeach92107

Just read this from the same source.

"Difference between Vietnam Work Visa and Vietnam Business Visa

Many foreigners might think a business visa and a work visa for Vietnam is the same. But in fact, they are completely different. Vietnam work visa is not a business visa.

    While a business visa (DN visa) is granted to those who come to work with Vietnam-based enterprises, a work visa (LD visa) is granted to those who come to work for Vietnam-based company or office.

    The DN visa is applied online or directly at the Vietnam embassy/consulate in foreign country by the foreigners themselves (I did not know that - Aidan) but the work visa is applied in Vietnam by the company where the foreigner works for and then stamped in the embassy in foreign country by the foreigners themselves.

    Applying for a business visa does not requires a work permit, but applying for a work visa does.

A work visa might have longer validity than a business visa.

    With a work visa, one can apply for a temporary residence card while he/she cannot do so with a business visa."

I really need to brush up on DT/DN visa info.

"While people with Vietnam tourist visas are not permitted to work in Vietnam, those with a business visa are allowed to take a leisure trip during their business in Vietnam (i.e. multi-entry permitted - Aidan).

Before Covid, a Vietnamese business visa is available in:

    1-month single/multiple entry

    3-month single/multiple entry, and

    1-year multiple entry (for US Passport holders only).

But at the moment, a business visa for Vietnam is good for 3 months at maximum."

@ChacronymHello, the DN1 visa is for cases where a Vietnamese Company requires your (as a foreigner) services for a short term specific task (inspections, installations, training, etc). If your goal is to go around to evaluate your potential market, you must

Please allow me to clarify: I am in fact being hired as a consultant by a company. A secondary objective is market evaluation for this investment. For this no sales activities will be carried out. It is simply a secondary goal unrelated, and as I will not be collecting a salary or soliciting any kind of sales, it is not exactly relevant to the visa. Pardon me.

Interesting remark regarding the DN2. I will look into this further as well, potentially an alternative route.

Would you kindly clarify what you mean by "tramit"? Searching renders no definiton.

Hi. I searched this topic and found a variety of posts here that are similar, but not quite the information I'm seeking, so I decided to make it a new topic.
I find that the DN1 visa program for Vietnam is not very well documented online, other than the official information. First off, I do have a company that wants to consult with me. Hence the reason for the application. We are also fundraising a few million USD for a startup, which will be helmed in Vietnam. This visa will enable us to do all necessary scouting and negotiations. However, no investment has been acquired yet.

We're presently incorporated in Singapore with a Pte. Ltd. for both the fundraising and the consulting services.

Additionally this is for myself and my business partner, so we will need two visas. They are Singaporean, I am a US Citizen. Both of us would prefer not to return to our respective countries. Currently, we are in Cambodia, where we have lived for some years now. We will probably enter via Moc Bai land border.

--

Anyway, I was hoping to gather advice, as well as to hear some experiences you have had in applying for this particular visa, whether you succeeded or failed, and if there are any catches or helpful tricks.

I would love to hear from you, whether you were applicant, sponsor, or agent!

Especially of concern is the lack of cost [link under review] fact, one VN Aus embassy website says that it changes from consulate to consulate (!! ... but what did I expect?) and I want to be sure I'm not going to be made use of.

Examples of an excellent initial letter of from my sponsor? Don't want to miss something or fall into an issue.

Furthermore, will I be able to achieve the entire 10-12 months? Or will I be made to extend or do a border run before my consultancy is finished?

Thanks in advance. - @Chacronym
Read the following screenshot VERY CAREFULLY.
Then tell me what you don't understand.

Please pay special attention to the word WORK.

There's absolutely NO LEGAL SHORTCUT around the need for a legal, government approved work permit.

You almost certainly need to consult with a Vietnamese attorney who specializes in setting up these types of special visas (commonly referred to as "business visas").

If you have heard that these are easy to obtain at a price, you are unfortunately very late to the party. DN visas not connected to a valid work permit have been absolutely unobtainable since 2020 (I obtained my last one in August, 2019 and was denied renewal in August, 2020).

You probably either need to start a business here or invest around $115,000 USD each to obtain 3 year Temporary Resident Cards (renewable)

Or, look into much simpler retirement in a different Southeast Asia country

- @OceanBeach92107

I'm not looking to retire, I'm ostensibly in the prime of my career. A local company wants to work with me. Sorry if that was not clear. I don't need to set up another company at this point. This will all be settled by an attorney after investment goal is reached. That is a separate matter to this visa perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned it.

I haven't heard anything about these visas being obtainable "for a price". I want to qualify naturally and my sponsor will pay the normal price.

I have only hit a roadblock in my initial research, and I am seeing a lot of conflicting data. Come here to clarify a solid path.

@Aidan in HCMC

Maximum of 3 months currently huh? Well that's disheartening this is looking like at minimum an 8 month project.

Anyway, see what I mean? Very unclear with regards to the DN visa. Even yourself, though I can see from previous posts, you are quite up on visas, the DN is still a bit of a gray area.

So how would one get upwards of a 6 month visa in vietnam? Ideally without setting up a company.

(quick aside, are DN1 visa holders allowed to be paid by the company they are working with? or is this entirely for "negotiations" and that sort of thing. My instinct is yes but this is clarified exactly nowhere)

EDIT:

The business visa may only be good for up to a 3 month stay in Vietnam, but I note it does qualify for extension, and its only one of two visas that do that. The other? 5 year resident visa.

@Aidan in HCMC
...So how would one get upwards of a 6 month visa in vietnam? Ideally without setting up a company... - @Chacronym

I'm thinking that for a stay longer than 90 days, you could have the VN company you will be engaged with submit to immigration a work permit application for both you and your business partner. Upon approval work visas will be issued, valid for the duration of your employment contract. Holders of work visas are employees of the VN sponsor company, and work visas allow for TRC issuance as well as multiple entry to/from VN for the validity period of the visa.

Speak to the agency about this.

I agree with member ajairon that it would be beneficial to have the local company's representative correspond directly, in Vietnamese, with the visa agency.

...Would you kindly clarify what you mean by "tramit"? Searching renders no definiton. - @Chacronym

, perhaps?

@Chacronym

helllo, with "tramit" I meant "to open the request", "the paperwork", etc.  sorry for my lost in translation.

For a better understanding what and how a DN visa is, here another real-life example:  A vn-factory imports a new automated machine from a French manufactor. The machine must be installed by the Seller, calibrate it and provide training to the local operators. The Seller send the list of its technicians to the Buyer, the buyer will start the request of visa for the technicians as sponsor. In this case is DN1 visa since is for a specific activity.

A DN1 under 3 months, the Work Permit (WP) is exempted.  When this visa is longer/extended/renewed by the same customer, the WP becomes mandatory.

Vietnam is very very very jealous caring job vacancies for locals, reason why the Authorities will ask sponsors to provide justifications why a foreigner is needed rather than local, and you may be requested to demonstrate your qualifications, expertise and non-criminal (notarized and consular stamped)

In your personal case, you're being requested as an External Consultant by a VN-Company, for a specific short-term project, then a DN1 fits well.

For DN2, a local partner is mandatory and no need WP. You can subscribe contracts on behalf your own company (foreign) or through your sponsor/localpartner

Following a project or prospects are here the key for Business Visa (DNx).  Don't do regular jobs, and do not visit prospects as a Tourist, here the Police and Labor Inspectors are very active when foreigners are seen around, and banks rejects any transactions without contracts

(quick aside, are DN1 visa holders allowed to be paid by the company they are working with? or is this entirely for "negotiations" and that sort of thing. My instinct is yes but this is clarified exactly nowhere)
- @Chacronym

About this question, the answer is "yes" but in the practice is not so good. First who is the "Provider" in the Contract? Your name or a Company? The payments will be as in the Contract. Anyway, the sponsor is allowed to give you some money from their pitty cash for your personal little expeses such as food, cloths, transport, hotel, etc, That generates some additional Tax obligations to the sponsor which I don't know in details, but nothing difficult for your sponsor to deal with.

The best is to ask the sponsor to transfer the money to the Contractist account abroad, and use your ATM card once in Vietnam for your personal fun, and let the sponsor to pay all your expenses (food, transport, hotel, etc)

A DN1 under 3 months, the Work Permit (WP) is exempted. When this visa is longer/extended/renewed by the same customer, the WP becomes mandatory.
- @ajairon

That's absolutely true in theory, although it's not that there is an exemption, it's just that the employer has up to 90 days to get the work permit. So if you limit yourself to 90-day visas, you'll always be exiting and reentering on new visas, and then the clock starts taking again so to speak. So to answer the other question of the OP, while it may be possible to extend a 90-day DN visa in the country, it won't be possible to extend the amount of time for the work permit needs to be approved. So if a person doesn't have their work permit proved at the end of 90 days and then applies for an extension, they will almost certainly be denied.

@OceanBeach92107

What I said is true in the theory and in the practice and in the real life.  The DN visas are cumulatives in periods of 360 days (not the same than "per year") . This means that, for example,  if you get a 3months DN1 visa (WP exempted for DN1 holders under 90 days), then you leave Vietnam, and two months later you back for another 3months DN1visa, badabinbadabun: Your sponsor might request the WP because you are over 91 days. The WP uses to take 7-15 days to be issued.  However, there is a new update this year that relaxes a bit the how to count the days to continue being covered by the WP-exemptions. Your sponsor (its HumanResources Dptm) should start learning about this topic going to the DoLISA (Dptm. of Labor).