Permanent Residence Card (PRC) in Vietnam

1. Law

- Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam 2014, amended in 2019.

- Circular 31/2015/TT-BCA dated July 6, 2015, of the Ministry of Public Security, guiding a number of contents on food issuance, temporary residence card issuance, exit permit issuance, and regular settlement for foreigners abroad. Vietnam.

2. What is a permanent residence card?

A permanent residence card is a document issued by the immigration management agency to foreigners allowed to reside indefinitely in Vietnam and is valid in lieu of a visa. (According to the provisions of Clause 14, Article 3 of the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam 2014, amended 2019)

- Foreigners are people who carry documents identifying foreign nationality and stateless people entering, exiting, transiting, and residing in Vietnam. (According to the provisions of Clause 1, Article 3 of the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam 2014, amended 2019)

3. Conditions for foreigners to be granted permanent residence cards in Vietnam

- According to the provisions of Article 40 of the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam 2014, amended in 2019, foreigners must meet the following conditions to be considered for a permanent residence card in Vietnam. Vietnam:

- Foreigners specified in Article 39 of the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam 2014, amended in 2019, will be considered for permanent residence cards if they have a legal residence and have the following documents: Stable income ensures life in Vietnam:

(1) Foreigners who have contributed to building and protecting the Vietnamese Fatherland are awarded medals or state honorary titles by the Vietnamese Government.

(2) Foreigners who are scientists and experts temporarily residing in Vietnam.

(3) Foreigners sponsored by their parents, spouses, and children who are Vietnamese citizens permanently residing in Vietnam.

(4) Stateless people who have temporarily resided continuously in Vietnam since 2000.

- Foreigners specified in section (2) must be requested by the Minister, Head of a ministerial-level agency, or an agency under the Government managing the state in that person's field of expertise.

- Foreigners specified in section (3) have temporarily resided in Vietnam for 03 consecutive years or more.

Specifically, foreigners who have temporarily resided in Vietnam continuously for three years or more are determined based on entry verification stamps and exit verification stamps issued at the border gate with a total temporary stay period in Vietnam. 03 years or more in the last 04 years up to the submission date of application for permanent residence card. (Pursuant to the provisions in Point a, Clause 2, Article 5 of Circular 31/2015/TT-BCA).

4. Procedures for granting permanent residence cards to foreigners in Vietnam

4.1. Application for permanent residence card for foreigners in Vietnam

According to the provisions of Clause 1, Article 41 of the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam 2014, amended in 2019, dossiers for issuance of permanent residence cards to foreigners in Vietnam include:

- Application for permanent residence card.

- Judicial record issued by the competent authority of the country of which the person is a citizen.

- Note from the representative agency of the country of which that person is a citizen requesting Vietnam to grant that person permanent residence.

- Certified copy of passport.

- Documents proving eligibility to be considered for a permanent residence card.

- Letter of guarantee for foreigners sponsored by their father, mother, wife, husband, and children who are Vietnamese citizens permanently residing in Vietnam.

According to the provisions of Clause 3, Article 5 of Circular 31/2015/TT-BCA, the place to submit applications for permanent residence is specified as follows:

- Foreigners whose merits and contributions to the cause of building and protecting the Vietnamese Fatherland are awarded medals or state honorary titles by the Vietnamese government or foreigners who are scientists or experts. For temporary residence in Vietnam, submit your application to the Immigration Department.

- For foreigners sponsored by a parent, spouse, or child who is a Vietnamese citizen permanently residing in Vietnam or a stateless person who has continuously temporarily resided in Vietnam since 2000 or earlier, the payment must be made. Documents at the Immigration Management Department of the province or centrally run city where the permanent residence card is applied for.

4.2. Time limit for processing applications for permanent residence cards for foreigners in Vietnam

According to the provisions of Article 41 of the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam 2014, amended in 2019:

- Within 04 months of receiving complete documents, the Minister of Public Security will consider and decide on permanent residence. In cases where additional verification is deemed necessary, it may be extended but not more than 02 months.

- The immigration management agency is responsible for notifying in writing the results of the settlement to the applicant for permanent residence and the Police of the province or centrally run city where the foreigner applies for permanent residence.

- Within 05 working days from the date of receiving the notification from the immigration management agency, the Police of the province or centrally run city where the foreigner applies for permanent residence shall notify the foreigner to be processed. Resident.

- Within 03 months from the date of receiving notice of settlement for permanent residence, foreigners must go to the immigration management agency of the police of the province or centrally run city where they apply for permanent residence to receive a permanent residence card. 

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