Permanent Residence for Foreigners in Vietnam

Cases where foreigners are considered for permanent residence in Vietnam

a. Foreigners with meritorious services and contributions to the cause of construction and defense
of the Vietnamese Fatherland are awarded medals or state honorary titles by the Vietnamese
State;
b. Foreigners are scientists and experts temporarily residing in Vietnam;
c. Foreigners who are guaranteed by their father, mother, wife, husband and children who are
Vietnamese citizens who are permanently residing in Vietnam;
d. Stateless people who have resided continuously in Vietnam since 2000 or earlier.

Conditions for permanent residence registration for foreigners in Vietnam

General conditions
Foreigners would be considered for permanent residence in Vietnam if they simultaneously meet the
following conditions:
a. Have legal domicile;
b. Having a stable income to ensure life in Vietnam;
c. Specific conditions for each case are considered.

Specific conditions
a. Foreigners who are scientists and experts temporarily residing in Vietnam must be requested for
permanent residence by the ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies or government-
attached agencies that perform state management in their professional fields in their own
country where they are a citizen;
b. Foreigners who are guaranteed by their father, mother, wife, husband, and children who are
Vietnamese citizens, who are permanently residing in Vietnam and want to permanently reside
in Vietnam must ensure that they (foreigners) have temporarily resided in Vietnam for 03
consecutive years or more.

Application for permanent residence registration for foreigners in Vietnam

For people with nationality
a. Application for permanent residence;
b. Judicial record issued by the competent authority of the country of which the person is a citizen;
c. A note of the representative mission of the country of which the person is a citizen, requesting
that Vietnam settle for such person’s permanent residence;
d. Certified copy of passport;
e. Papers proving the general and separate conditions for each case are considered for permanent
residence according to regulations;
f. A letter of guarantee for a foreigner sponsored by a parent, wife, husband or child who is a
Vietnamese citizen and is permanently residing in Vietnam.

Term of permanent residence card

Permanent residence card for foreigners is valid for 10 years. After every 10 years, a permanent resident
must make a visit to the police station of the province or centrally run city where he/she permanently
resides (the card-issuing agency) to issue and change the card.