Vietnam720: Jon from Connections Vietnam gives us a break down on how to apply for a Vietnam work permit. As you’ll learn later from Jon, for a long time, staying in Vietnam was never an issue. One just needs to pay to get a tourist visa for up to 6 months at a time. But thanks to those foreigners conducting vices here (drugs, prostitution, counterfeiting…), the Vietnamese government recently got serious cracking downing on issuing visa on the go. Instead, one will need a proper work permit in order to work in Vietnam. And for those looking to live for long in Vietnam, there’s the temporary and permanent residence card which I’ll cover later on.

Jon: Making photocopies, notarizing and translating documents and badgering people in your home country to help you make photocopies, notaries and translate more documents. Welcome to Vietnam.

I haven’t read much online regarding the new visa crackdown, one which seems deadly serious this time around.

Gone are the heady days of the 6 month business visa, which used to be available to any and all. When approaching the end of the validity of those visas, your passport would be submitted and a new 6 month multiple re-entry visa pasted in there. I myself did this for the nearly five years I have been based in Vietnam.

A restructuring of the system, basically to try and account for all the foreigners working in the country (and the tax they should be paying more importantly) means that no more 6 month business visas will be issued. Those remaining in country on such a visa (such as myself) will be offered one 3 month visa extension (single entry) in which period of time it is expected that the applicant will have (or be applying for) a work permit. My understanding is that as long as the application is in the process of being done then there will be no problems.

To get a work permit, according to a work email, you need:

1. Letter of application (Form No. 3)

2. CV (Form No. 4)

3. Copy of bachelors degree (or higher diploma): the copy must be certified by Consulate General + consular legalized in expat’s country, then translated to Vietnamese by Notary Public

4. Health Check-up Certificate. Note: Validation of Health Check-up certificate: 06 months

5. Criminal Records.

Note: + Criminal Records issued in foreign countries must be certified by Consulate General + consular legalized in Expatriate country + translated to Vietnamese by Notary Public + Validation of Criminal record: 06 months since the date of issue

In case out of date, apply the LY LICH TU PHAP at So Tu Phap (Department of Justice) for the expat. To do this, the expat must provide:

a- 2 certified Passport & visa

b- Attestation of provisional residence, issued by local police

c- Application form (Form No.2/TP/LLTP1)

6. Four (4) color photos, 3*4cm (bareheaded, front side, clear face & ears, without eye-glasses, & taken not more than 01 year ago)

So, for those with no degree certificate or ‘recognized’ qualifications in what they are doing, a work permit is hard to come by.

 

You have a problem getting a Vietnam work permit? Drop us a comment below.