Immigration, emigration, and residence policies for foreigners in the International Financial Center.

This Decree provides for the issuance of visas and temporary residence cards to foreign nationals who are key investors, experts, managers, and highly qualified workers working for agencies or organizations headquartered at the International Financial Centre in Vietnam (hereinafter referred to as the International Financial Centre), and their accompanying family members.

At the same time, it provides for the consideration of permanent residence for foreign nationals who are key investors, experts, scientists, persons with special talents, and senior managers working on a long-term basis for agencies or organizations headquartered at the International Financial Centre.

Subjects of application include:

1. Foreign nationals falling into the following categories:

a) Key investors, experts, managers, and highly qualified workers working for agencies or organizations headquartered at the International Financial Centre, and their accompanying family members.

b) Key investors, experts, scientists, persons with special talents, and senior managers working on a long-term basis for agencies or organizations headquartered at the International Financial Centre.

2. Relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals

Criteria for determining foreign nationals eligible for preferential issuance of visas, temporary residence cards, and consideration for permanent residence

Article 3 of this Decree stipulates that the criteria for determining key investors eligible for preferential issuance of visas, temporary residence cards, and consideration for permanent residence shall be applied in accordance with the regulations of the Executive Authority of the International Financial Centre (hereinafter referred to as the Executive Authority) on criteria for identifying strategic investors.

The criteria for determining foreign nationals who are managers, senior managers, experts, and highly qualified workers eligible for preferential issuance of visas, temporary residence cards, and consideration for permanent residence shall be applied in accordance with Article 3 of Decree No. 219/2025/NĐ-CP dated 07 August 2025 of the Government on foreign workers working in Vietnam, as follows:

a) The criteria for determining managers shall be applied in accordance with Clause 1, Article 3 of Decree No. 219/2025/NĐ-CP dated 07 August 2025;

b) The criteria for determining senior managers shall be applied in accordance with Clause 2, Article 3 of Decree No. 219/2025/NĐ-CP dated 07 August 2025;

c) The criteria for determining experts shall be applied in accordance with Clause 3, Article 3 of Decree No. 219/2025/NĐ-CP dated 07 August 2025;

d) The criteria for determining highly qualified workers shall be applied in accordance with Clause 4, Article 3 of Decree No. 219/2025/NĐ-CP dated 07 August 2025.

The criteria for determining foreign nationals who are scientists or persons with special talents eligible for consideration for permanent residence shall be applied in accordance with one of the criteria for identifying foreign nationals subject to special preferential visa exemption for entry into Vietnam as prescribed in Section II of Appendix I (List of criteria for identifying special subjects eligible for preferential visa exemption for entry into Vietnam in service of socio-economic development) promulgated together with Decree No. 221/2025/NĐ-CP dated 08 August 2025 of the Government on time-limited visa exemption for foreign nationals subject to special preferential treatment for socio-economic development.

Issuance of visas and temporary residence cards

Article 4 of this Decree provides for the issuance of visas and temporary residence cards to foreign nationals at the International Financial Centre, specifically as follows:

1. Foreign nationals who are key investors, experts, managers, and highly qualified workers working for agencies or organizations headquartered at the International Financial Centre and meeting the criteria prescribed in Article 3 of this Decree shall be issued a visa or temporary residence card bearing the symbol UĐ1, with a validity of up to 10 years, upon the request of the Executive Authority.

2. Foreign nationals who are the spouses and children under 18 years of age of the foreign nationals specified in Clause 1 of this Article shall be issued a visa or temporary residence card bearing the symbol UĐ2, upon the request of the Executive Authority, with a validity corresponding to that of the visa or temporary residence card bearing the symbol UĐ1 issued to their foreign relatives as specified in Clause 1 of this Article.

The order and procedures for invitation, sponsorship for entry, application for visa issuance, and issuance of temporary residence cards for foreign nationals specified in this Article shall be implemented in accordance with Articles 16, 19, and 37 of the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam; the processing time shall not exceed 03 working days from the date of receipt of complete dossiers.

Conditions for consideration for permanent residence

Article 5 of this Decree stipulates that foreign nationals who are key investors, experts, scientists, persons with special talents, and senior managers working on a long-term basis at agencies or organizations headquartered at the International Financial Centre and meeting the criteria prescribed in Article 3 of this Decree shall be considered for permanent residence in Vietnam upon satisfying the following conditions:

• Having documents proving long-term employment at agencies or organizations headquartered at the International Financial Centre and having worked continuously for at least 03 years at such agencies or organizations.

• Being recommended by a Minister, Head of a ministerial-level agency or Government-affiliated agency managing the relevant specialized field, or by the Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City or the Chairman of the People’s Committee of Da Nang City.

Procedures for settlement of permanent residence

This Decree stipulates that the Executive Authority shall carry out procedures to request the settlement of permanent residence for foreign nationals with the immigration management authority. The dossier includes:

a) An application for permanent residence submitted by the foreign national;

b) A judicial record issued by the competent authority of the country of which the person is a citizen;

c) A diplomatic note from the representative agency of the country of which the person is a citizen requesting Vietnam to grant permanent residence to such person;

d) A certified copy of the passport or a photocopy of the passport upon presentation of the original for comparison;

dd) A written request using Form NT-01 promulgated together with this Decree and documents proving eligibility for consideration for permanent residence as prescribed in Article 5 of this Decree.

Within 02 months from the date of receipt of complete dossiers, the Minister of Public Security shall consider and decide on granting permanent residence; in cases where additional verification is deemed necessary, the time limit may be extended but shall not exceed 01 additional month.

Within 02 months from the date of receipt of the notice on the settlement of permanent residence, the foreign national must appear at the immigration management authority to receive the permanent residence card.

Every 10 years, foreign nationals with permanent residence status shall appear at the immigration management authority for renewal of their permanent residence cards. Dossiers for renewal or reissuance of permanent residence cards shall be implemented in accordance with Article 43 of the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam.

Source: Báo chính phủ