Temporary Residence Card Renewal for Foreigners in Vietnam

What Is Temporary Residence Card Renewal?

Temporary residence card renewal is a common term used in practice when a foreign national’s temporary residence card is about to expire and they need to continue staying legally in Vietnam. From a legal perspective, when a temporary residence card expires or is close to expiry, the foreign national may be considered for a new temporary residence card if requirements continue to be met.

Completing the application before the temporary residence card expires helps the foreign national maintain lawful residence status in Vietnam and reduce the risk of overstay, administrative penalties or negative impact on future immigration, employment, investment and residence procedures.

For enterprises, organizations or individuals sponsoring foreigners, monitoring the card validity and preparing the application at the right time is necessary to ensure continuity in work, investment, study or residence in Vietnam.

When Should a New Temporary Residence Card Be Applied For?

Foreign nationals should check the validity of their temporary residence card before expiry to plan the application properly. Current regulations do not provide one fixed timeline applicable to all cases on how many days before expiry the application must be submitted. However, foreign nationals and sponsors should proceed early to allow time for eligibility review, document supplementation and handling of any additional requests.

Preparing the dossier too close to the expiry date may create risks if the documents are incomplete, the work permit is close to expiry, the passport does not have sufficient validity, family documents require consular legalization or temporary residence declaration information is not suitable.

Applicants Eligible for a New Temporary Residence Card

Foreign nationals whose temporary residence cards are about to expire may be considered for a new temporary residence card if they still fall under eligible categories and continue to meet residence conditions in Vietnam.

Common eligible groups include:

• Foreign workers with valid work permits or work permit exemption confirmations;
• Foreign investors in Vietnam under ĐT1, ĐT2 or ĐT3 categories who still meet investment status requirements;
• Representatives of foreign organizations investing in Vietnam if requirements are met;
• Heads of representative offices, branches or projects of foreign organizations in Vietnam under suitable categories;
• Students, trainees or persons studying in Vietnam with valid acceptance documents;
• Family members such as spouse, parents, children or other relatives under cases eligible for temporary residence card consideration;
• Other groups permitted by Vietnamese law to be issued temporary residence cards.

The validity of the new temporary residence card depends on the card symbol, passport validity, documents proving residence category, sponsorship dossier and decision of the competent authority.

Cases Where a New Temporary Residence Card May Not Be Considered

Not every case where a temporary residence card is close to expiry will automatically result in a new card being issued. A foreign national may not be considered for a new temporary residence card if requirements are not met or if there are legal, residence, employment, investment or sponsorship issues.

Cases requiring attention include:

• The passport does not have sufficient validity for the intended temporary residence card duration;
• The foreign national no longer falls under the category eligible for the previously issued card symbol;
• The work permit or work permit exemption confirmation has expired or is no longer suitable;
• The investor no longer meets requirements on capital contribution, investment status or enterprise documents;
• Family relationship documents are incomplete, invalid or not consular legalized/translated as required;
• The foreign national has not completed temporary residence declaration properly;
• The foreign national uses the temporary residence card for an improper purpose;
• The foreign national is subject to criminal prosecution or has obligations to enforce a judgment as prescribed;
• The foreign national has not fulfilled tax obligations or other financial obligations to the Vietnamese State if applicable;
• The sponsor is no longer eligible or suitable to continue sponsorship.

If the temporary residence card is still valid but lost or damaged, the case is usually not handled as a new card due to expiry, but should be reviewed under the procedure for reissuance of a temporary residence card.

Requirements for a New Temporary Residence Card

When a temporary residence card is close to expiry, the foreign national may be considered for a new temporary residence card if the following basic requirements are met:

• Holding a valid passport or international travel document;
• Passport validity being at least 30 days longer than the intended temporary residence card validity;
• Having a current temporary residence card or suitable residence document;
• Having completed temporary residence declaration as prescribed;
• Having a valid inviting/sponsoring agency, organization or individual in Vietnam;
• Having documents proving continued eligibility for temporary residence card issuance;
• The actual residence purpose is consistent with the requested card symbol;
• Not violating Vietnam’s entry, exit, transit and residence regulations;
• Submitting complete documents in the correct forms with consistent information.

Depending on the case, the dossier may need additional review of work permit, work permit exemption confirmation, investment documents, family relationship documents, study documents or other supporting materials.

Documents for a New Temporary Residence Card When the Current Card Is About to Expire

Documents for a new temporary residence card may vary depending on employment, investment, family, study or other categories. In general, the foreign national and sponsor should prepare the following document groups:

Personal Documents of the Foreign National

• Original valid passport;
• Current temporary residence card or residence document;
• Portrait photos in the required format;
• Temporary residence card application form using the suitable form;
• Temporary residence declaration information completed as prescribed;
• Additional documents if requested.

Documents of the Sponsor

For company or organization sponsors:

• Request letter for temporary residence card issuance;
• Enterprise registration certificate, investment registration certificate or corresponding legal documents;
• Seal and signature introduction form if not previously registered or if there are changes;
• Introduction letter or authorization for the person submitting the dossier if submitted directly;
• Other documents required by the competent authority.

For individual sponsors:

• Valid identity document of the sponsor;
• Documents proving relationship with the foreign national;
• Residence information of the sponsor;
• Request letter or form as required;
• Other documents required by the competent authority.

Documents Proving Eligibility for the Card Category

Depending on the application category, corresponding supporting documents should be prepared:

• Employment category: Valid work permit or work permit exemption confirmation.
• Investment category: Investment registration certificate, enterprise registration certificate, documents proving capital contribution or investor status.
• Family category: Marriage certificate, birth certificate or valid proof of family relationship.
• Study category: Acceptance or confirmation document from an educational institution in Vietnam.
• Other categories: Documents proving the corresponding status under each temporary residence card symbol.

Procedure for Applying for a New Temporary Residence Card

The procedure for applying for a new temporary residence card when the current card is about to expire is usually carried out by the inviting or sponsoring agency, organization or individual in Vietnam. Depending on the case, the dossier may be submitted in person, by postal service or through the public service portal if eligible.

Step 1: Check Card Validity and Dossier Conditions

The foreign national and sponsor should check the current temporary residence card validity, passport validity, residence purpose, supporting documents and sponsorship conditions before preparing the dossier.

Step 2: Prepare the Dossier

The dossier must be prepared according to the requested new temporary residence card symbol. Information on passport, current temporary residence card, work permit, investment documents, family documents, temporary residence declaration and sponsorship dossier must be consistent.

Step 3: Submit the Dossier to the Competent Authority

The dossier is submitted to the competent immigration authority or online if eligible. The receiving authority reviews the application and issues an appointment slip if the dossier is accepted.

Step 4: Track and Supplement the Dossier if Requested

During processing, the competent authority may request supplementation or correction if documents are incomplete, not in the correct form or not suitable for the requested card category.

Step 5: Receive the New Temporary Residence Card

If approved, the submitter receives the new temporary residence card according to the appointment or applicable result delivery method. After receiving the card, full name, date of birth, nationality, passport number, card symbol and validity should be carefully checked.

Processing Time for New Temporary Residence Card Applications

Under current administrative procedures, the processing time for temporary residence card issuance is 05 working days from the date the competent authority receives a complete and valid dossier.

It should be noted that this is the competent authority’s processing time after the dossier is complete and valid. It is not the entire actual timeline when clients use Nhị Gia’s dossier support service.

In practice, the total timeline may include:

• Consultation and eligibility check;
• Review of the sponsor’s legal documents;
• Checking passport, current temporary residence card and temporary residence declaration;
• Checking work permit, investment documents, family documents or related materials;
• Form preparation;
• Translation, notarization/certification or consular legalization if needed;
• Dossier submission;
• Result tracking;
• Supplementation or correction if requested;
• Result collection and delivery.

Nhị Gia will advise the estimated timeline after reviewing the client’s specific dossier.

Fees for New Temporary Residence Card Issuance

Temporary residence card issuance fees depend on the validity of the issued card. Under the current fee levels, temporary residence card fees are recorded as follows:

This is the state fee paid to the competent authority. In addition, clients may incur translation, notarization/certification, consular legalization, courier, travel, dossier support service fees or costs for additional requests if any.

Common Challenges When Applying for a New Temporary Residence Card Independently

When preparing a new temporary residence card application independently, the foreign national or sponsor may encounter challenges such as:

• Not identifying the correct temporary residence card symbol;
• Passport not having sufficient validity for the intended card duration;
• Work permit, work permit exemption confirmation or investment documents no longer being suitable;
• Family relationship documents requiring translation, notarization/certification or consular legalization but not being prepared correctly;
• Inconsistency among passport, current temporary residence card, sponsorship documents and temporary residence declaration;
• Sponsor’s legal information changing but not yet updated in the dossier;
• Submitting the dossier to the wrong competent authority;
• Uncertainty about additional requests or how to correct the dossier when requested;
• Preparing the dossier too close to the temporary residence card expiry date.

These challenges may extend processing time or affect the foreign national’s residence, work, investment or study plan in Vietnam.

Temporary Residence Card Renewal Service by Nhị Gia

Temporary residence card renewal service at Nhị Gia refers to supporting foreign nationals and sponsors in preparing applications for a new temporary residence card when the current card is close to expiry. The dossier is advised case by case based on card type, residence purpose, supporting documents and the sponsor’s conditions.

With more than 20 years of experience in Vietnam visas, entry approval letters, work permits, temporary residence cards and legal dossiers for foreigners in Vietnam, Nhị Gia supports clients in preparing applications in a complete, consistent and regulation-compliant manner.

Nhị Gia supports clients with:

• Advising on conditions for a new temporary residence card case by case;
• Checking the current temporary residence card validity and passport validity;
• Identifying the suitable temporary residence card type based on residence purpose;
• Reviewing work permit, work permit exemption confirmation, investment documents, family documents or related materials;
• Checking legal documents of the sponsor;
• Guiding preparation of required documents and materials;
• Supporting form completion and dossier standardization;
• Supporting translation, notarization/certification or consular legalization if needed;
• Supporting submission through the suitable method;
• Tracking application status;
• Supporting additional document requests if any;
• Receiving and delivering results according to the service agreement;
• Advising on related procedures such as entry approval, visa extension, work permit, police record or consular legalization if needed;
• Maintaining confidentiality of personal information, enterprise dossiers and client documents.

Nhị Gia does not guarantee outcomes for every application, as the final decision belongs to the competent authority. However, checking eligibility, preparing a complete dossier and reviewing information consistency from the beginning can help reduce errors and support a more proactive residence plan in Vietnam.

Nhị Gia Support Process for Temporary Residence Card Renewal

The support process at Nhị Gia focuses on checking eligibility first, advising on the suitable solution and tracking progress based on each specific case.

• Step 1: Information Collection. Nhị Gia collects information about the foreign national, sponsor, current temporary residence card, passport validity, residence purpose, work permit, investment documents, family documents and continued stay needs in Vietnam.
• Step 2: Eligibility Review and Consultation. Nhị Gia reviews eligibility for a new temporary residence card, suitable card symbol, sponsor documents and related supporting documents. After review, Nhị Gia advises on the suitable application direction for each case.
• Step 3: Document Preparation Guidance and Dossier Completion. Nhị Gia guides clients in preparing required documents, supports form completion, reviews information and standardizes the dossier before submission to the competent authority.
• Step 4: Submission and Result Tracking. Nhị Gia supports submission through the suitable method and tracks processing status. If additional documents are requested, Nhị Gia coordinates with the client to prepare the required revisions.
• Step 5: Result Delivery. After the result is available, Nhị Gia delivers the new temporary residence card and guides the client in checking card information, including full name, date of birth, nationality, passport number, card symbol and validity.

Nhị Gia Service Timeline

The statutory processing time refers to the processing period of the competent authority after receiving a complete and valid dossier. It is not the entire actual timeline when clients use Nhị Gia’s service.
When using Nhị Gia’s service, the actual timeline depends on the sponsor’s dossier status, passport, current temporary residence card, work permit, investment documents, family documents, temporary residence declaration status, how quickly the client provides documents, translation/notarization/consular legalization needs, additional requests if any and the competent authority’s processing progress.
Nhị Gia will advise the estimated timeline after reviewing the client’s specific dossier.

Contact Nhị Gia for Temporary Residence Card Renewal Consultation

If you are an enterprise, organization, individual or foreign national needing to continue lawful residence in Vietnam when the temporary residence card is close to expiry, eligibility and dossier conditions should be reviewed before proceeding.
Please contact Hotline 1900 6654 or email info@nhigia.vn for case-specific consultation from Nhị Gia’s specialists.