Temporary Residence Card in Vietnam: How to Get One in Da Nang (2026)
A temporary residence card (TRC) is valid in place of a visa, and lasts far longer than one: from 2 years for LĐ1, LĐ2 and PV1 up to 10 years for ĐT1, UĐ1 and UĐ2 — versus the 90-day cap on a DL or EV visa.
A temporary residence card (TRC) — thẻ tạm trú — is issued by the immigration authority or a competent Ministry of Foreign Affairs office to a foreigner allowed to live in Vietnam for a fixed period, and it’s valid in place of a visa for as long as it runs.
Which visas qualify for a TRC
Diplomatic and consular staff of a foreign mission in Vietnam — plus a spouse, children under 18, and accompanying domestic staff during the posting — get a TRC marked NG3.
Everyone else who entered on an LV1, LV2, LS, ĐT1, ĐT2, ĐT3, NN1, NN2, DH, PV1, LĐ1, LĐ2 or TT visa is considered for a TRC carrying that same symbol. Under a law that took effect 1 July 2026, that list expanded to also cover holders of the new UĐ1 and UĐ2 visas.
Either way, you first have to fall under one of the cases Article 36 sets out for who’s entitled to a card at all.
How long each tier lasts
Validity depends on the visa symbol you hold, and it must also fit inside your passport: a TRC’s own term has to run at least 30 days shorter than your passport’s remaining validity.
- NG3, LV1, LV2, LS, ĐT2 and DH: up to 5 years
- NN1, NN2, ĐT3 and TT: up to 3 years
- LĐ1, LĐ2 and PV1: up to 2 years
- ĐT1, UĐ1 and UĐ2: up to 10 years, since Law 118/2025/QH15 amended this tier from 1 July 2026
When your card expires, there’s no automatic rollover — you’re considered for a fresh card.
Who files the application
Your sponsor — the inviting organisation or individual — files the dossier itself, at the immigration office where the organisation is based or where the individual lives. For visas and stay extensions, a Vietnamese individual sponsor must be your grandparent, parent, spouse, child or sibling, and prove the relationship — a friend cannot sponsor you.
What goes into the dossier
The law lists three items: your sponsor’s written request, the TRC declaration form with a photo attached, and your passport. The declaration is form NA8, not the NA5 form used to extend a stay.
What it costs
The government fee is set by the card’s validity tier: US$145 for a card valid up to 2 years, US$155 for one valid over 2 to 5 years, and US$165 for one valid over 5 to 10 years. If you’re found ineligible or decline the result after paying, the fee isn’t refunded. A lost, damaged or expired card that needs reissuing is charged the same as a new one. For every other visa and extension fee, see the Vietnam immigration fee table.
Processing time
Once your dossier is complete, the statutory processing time is 5 working days.
Where to file in Da Nang
The procedure — officially “Cấp thẻ tạm trú cho người nước ngoài tại Việt Nam tại Công an cấp tỉnh,” code 1.003460 — can be filed in person, online, or by post, and the stated outcome is the card itself.
78 Lê Lợi, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng · Open in Google Maps
If your sponsor is based or lives in Da Nang, that’s the Immigration Management Division at 78 Lê Lợi, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng. The office follows the sponsor, so one agency guide’s claim that TRCs are only handled in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang doesn’t match the law.
For the mechanics of a related but separate procedure, see how to extend a visa in Da Nang and how the Da Nang immigration office works.
If you’re weighing whether to handle this yourself or pay someone else to manage it, visa extension agent vs DIY breaks down what a service actually saves you.
Step by step
- Confirm your visa qualifiesCheck your visa symbol against Article 36: NG3 for diplomatic and consular staff, or LV1, LV2, LS, ĐT1, ĐT2, ĐT3, NN1, NN2, DH, PV1, LĐ1, LĐ2 and TT for everyone else, plus UĐ1 and UĐ2 since 1 July 2026.
- Put the dossier togetherThe dossier is your sponsor's written request, the TRC declaration (form NA8) with a photo attached, and your passport.
- Pay the fee for your card's validity tierThe fee depends on how long the card will run: US$145 up to 2 years, US$155 for 2 to 5 years, US$165 for 5 to 10 years — not refunded if you're refused or decline the result.
- Your sponsor files the dossierYour sponsor files it under procedure 1.003460 at the immigration office where it is based or lives, in person, online or by post.
- Wait for your cardProcessing takes 5 working days from a complete dossier, and the result is the card itself.
Common questions
How long does a temporary residence card last in Vietnam?
It depends on your visa symbol: 2 years for LĐ1, LĐ2 and PV1, 3 years for NN1, NN2, ĐT3 and TT, 5 years for NG3, LV1, LV2, LS, ĐT2 and DH, and up to 10 years for ĐT1, UĐ1 and UĐ2.
Who files my TRC application — me or my sponsor?
Your sponsor files it, not you: the inviting organisation or individual submits the dossier itself, at the immigration office where it is based or lives.
What goes into a TRC application?
Three things: your sponsor's written request, the TRC declaration form with a photo attached, and your passport. The declaration is form NA8.
How much does a TRC cost?
US$145 for a card valid up to 2 years, US$155 for one valid over 2 to 5 years, and US$165 for one valid over 5 to 10 years.
How long does it take to get a TRC once I apply?
5 working days from the date your dossier is complete.
Does my TRC renew automatically when it expires?
No. You're considered for an entirely new card, not an automatic rollover.
Which relatives can act as my individual TRC sponsor?
For visas and stay extensions, a Vietnamese individual sponsor must be your grandparent, parent, spouse, child or sibling, and prove it. No source I found sets a different rule for the card.
Where do I file a TRC application in Da Nang?
If your sponsor is based or lives in Da Nang, it files at the Immigration Management Division, 78 Lê Lợi, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng, in person, online or by post.
General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. How these guides are checked: about Da Nang Oi.