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Pathway

Vietnam Investor Visa

Vietnam Residency
Pathway overview

At a glance

Vietnam’s investor visas depend on a formally documented local investment and its legal category. Higher tiers can support temporary residence cards and eligible family members, while work permission and permanent residence require separate assessment.

ĐT1
At least VND 100 billion or qualifying incentives; card up to 10 years
ĐT2
VND 50 billion to under VND 100 billion or qualifying incentives; card up to five years
ĐT3
VND 3 billion to under VND 50 billion; card up to three years

Summary

Vietnam’s investor categories let qualifying investors stay in connection with an accepted local investment. The visa and residence categories depend on documented investment and Vietnamese-dong thresholds, rather than general savings. DT1 covers at least VND 100 billion or an investment in a government-designated investment-incentive industry or location; DT2 covers VND 50 billion to under VND 100 billion or an industry the Government has designated as encouraged for investment and development; DT3 covers VND 3 billion to under VND 50 billion; and DT4 covers under VND 3 billion. DT4 is a short visa category and does not qualify for an investor temporary residence card under the same rules.

Only the three higher tiers, ĐT1–ĐT3, support investor temporary residence cards. Savings or an ordinary personal home purchase do not qualify by themselves, and work permission has separate rules.

Could this pathway work for you?

Eligibility

Match the documented investment to the correct tier

Category Investment basis Maximum visa Maximum investor residence card
ĐT1 At least VND 100 billion, or a government-designated investment-incentive industry or location 5 years 10 years
ĐT2 VND 50 billion to under VND 100 billion, or an industry officially encouraged for investment and development 5 years 5 years
ĐT3 VND 3 billion to under VND 50 billion 3 years 3 years
ĐT4 Below VND 3 billion 12 months Not available under this investor category

These are legal ceilings. Passport validity, investment records, and the authority’s decision can shorten the period issued.

Prove the investment, not just a plan to invest

You must be a legally documented investor or qualifying representative. Depending on the structure, evidence can include Investment and Enterprise Registration Certificates, capital-contribution or share-purchase records, the company charter, shareholder or member records, and proof of lawful payment of the registered capital.

The documents differ for a new business, investment in an existing company, share acquisition, or another approved structure. Company, banking, tax, ownership, and investment records should show the same person, amount, and arrangement.

For an incentive-based ĐT1 or ĐT2 application, obtain confirmation from the investment-registration authority. Calling a project “technology,” “green,” or “priority” does not establish its official classification. The two tiers’ incentive rules are different.

The immigration application also needs the correct sponsor or inviting organization, passport, lawful entry or stay, and records matching the investment.

Work and family are separate checks

Decree 219/2025/ND-CP provides a work-permit exemption for specified investors with at least VND 3 billion contributed who are either:

Both the contribution and company role matter. Follow the required notification or exemption-confirmation procedure. A visa alone is not a general work permit, and an investor below VND 3 billion does not meet this exemption.

ĐT1–ĐT3 holders can support TT family applications for a spouse and children under 18, subject to the required evidence. ĐT4 is not listed for that family sponsorship.

Residence through a documented Vietnamese investment
  1. Confirm the investment structure and approvals Check the actual capital, investor role, and any official incentive classification.
  2. Document the investment and select the tier Align company, banking, ownership, and immigration records.
  3. Apply for the supported visa or card Check work permission and family eligibility separately and maintain the investment.

Investment tiers use official records and Vietnamese-dong amounts, not planned budgets or rough currency conversions.

What This Route Allows

The visa permits entry and stay for the approved investment purpose. Eligible ĐT1–ĐT3 holders may separately obtain an investor temporary residence card, supporting residence and re-entry while the investment and documents remain valid.

Ownership and management activity must also follow company, investment, and labor laws. Review changes to capital, investor identity, company or project status, and passport promptly because they can affect your immigration category.

What This Route Is Not

This is not residence based on a bank balance, an informal promise to invest, or a personal property purchase. A lawful, formally recorded share or capital purchase can qualify if it meets the rules; the legal structure and records matter more than a “passive” or “active” label.

ĐT4 does not provide an investor residence card or the benefits of a higher tier while additional capital is only planned. Other work may still require a work permit even where you hold investor status.

There is no general permanent-residence route based simply on years with an investor visa or card. Permanent residence has separately listed categories, and investor temporary residence does not start the five-year permanent-residence period used for standard naturalization.

Next Steps

  1. Identify the investment, recorded investor, exact Vietnamese-dong contribution, and intended ownership or representative role.
  2. Check investment approvals, foreign-ownership limits, conditional business activities, and any official incentive classification.
  3. Complete consistent company, investment, banking, and tax records, then have the appropriate organization prepare the immigration application for the correct tier.
  4. Check any work exemption separately, request the visa or card your records support, and assess each family member’s eligibility without assuming permanent residence will follow.

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