Vietnam has four legal long-stay routes in 2026, and the right one depends entirely on why you’re here. Employed by a Vietnamese company? The work permit → LD2 visa → TRC route gives you a residence card of up to 2 years. Investing capital? The DT investor route grants a TRC of 3 to 10 years with no work permit needed. A DN business visa maxes out at 12 months and, since February 4, 2026, no longer converts straight to a TRC. And the 90-day e-visa is not a long-stay option at all.
I’ve been based in Da Nang for several years and help people through Vietnamese immigration regularly. The mistake I see most often is picking the path first and checking the rules second - someone flies in on a business visa expecting to “upgrade” to a residence card, then hits the February 2026 wall. This guide compares the routes by who they actually fit.
Vietnam long-stay routes compared at a glance
Here is the honest side-by-side. The single most important column is the last one - whether the route leads to a TRC (the card that ends visa runs) or dead-ends at a visa.
| Route | Who it fits | Max validity | Basis | Work permit needed? | Leads to TRC? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Work Permit + LD2 | Employees of a VN company | WP 2 yrs; TRC up to 2 yrs | Employment contract | Yes | Yes |
| Investor visa DT1 | Large investors (≥ VND 100B) | Visa 5 yrs; TRC up to 10 yrs | Capital ~$3.9M+ | No | Yes |
| Investor visa DT3 | Mid investors (VND 3B-<50B) | Visa 3 yrs; TRC up to 3 yrs | Capital ~$118K-$2M | No | Yes |
| Investor visa DT4 | Small investors (< VND 3B) | Visa 12 months only | Capital < ~$118K | No | No |
| DN business visa | Company-sponsored visitors | Up to 12 months | Invitation letter | N/A | Not directly (must convert) |
| E-visa (contrast) | Tourists, short trips | 90 days | None | No | No |
For most working expats the answer is the work permit route. For entrepreneurs putting real capital into a Vietnamese company, the DT route is faster on residence and skips the work permit entirely.
Who should take the work permit + TRC route?
If you’re employed by a Vietnamese company or a foreign business operating here, the work permit path is your route. You need a work permit whenever you’re a foreigner doing paid work for more than 30 days; you must be at least 18, qualified for the role, and have a clean police check. The work permit itself is valid for up to 2 years and is renewable.
Budget realistically for time. Official issuance is 10 working days once the dossier is complete, but the full journey - document legalization abroad, translations, then processing - runs about 3 to 4 months end-to-end. Your employer pays a small state fee; agency and translation costs are separate. Once you hold the work permit and an LD2 visa, the TRC application follows.
See the full mechanics in my Vietnam TRC step-by-step guide.
Who should take the DT investor route?
Choose the investor route if you’re putting capital into a registered Vietnamese company and want long residence without an employer. The DT category is tiered by how much you invest, and - this is the part most guides get wrong - the smallest tier gives you nothing durable. DT4, under VND 3 billion (about $118,000), grants only a 12-month visa, no TRC, and no right to sponsor family.
The tiers that actually give a card: DT3 (VND 3 billion to under 50 billion) grants a 3-year TRC; DT2 (roughly VND 50-100 billion) a 5-year TRC; DT1 (VND 100 billion and up) a TRC of up to 10 years. Investors are exempt from the work permit, and the TRC itself processes in about 5 working days once you qualify, with a government fee around $145-165.
Picking the wrong tier or missing the conversion step is what sends people back to square one, so this is where I usually get involved. Tell me whether you’re employed, investing, or married in, and I’ll map the exact route, the documents it needs, and the February 2026 LD2 conversion so you don’t get turned away at the office. Message me on Telegram with your situation and I’ll lay out the path.
Why the DN business visa is a dead end for residence
A DN visa is company-sponsored and lets you stay up to 12 months on business, but on its own it does not make you a resident. Before February 2026, some people used a DN1 visa as a stepping stone to a TRC. That door is now closed: since February 4, 2026, TRCs go only to LD2 or TT holders.
So a DN visa now has to be converted to LD2 before any TRC application, which means you still need the underlying work permit anyway. If your plan was “fly in on a DN visa, then get a residence card,” rebuild it around the work permit from the start. The DN visa is fine for repeated long business trips, but it’s not a residence strategy in 2026.
The February 2026 rule that breaks the old path
This is the change that catches people out, and it’s recent enough that most competing guides haven’t updated. Effective February 4, 2026 - flagged in a 2026 alert by corporate immigration firm Fragomen - the Department of Immigration only processes TRC applications for holders of LD2 (work) or TT (dependent) visas.
In plain terms: arriving on a tourist e-visa, a DN business visa, or a visa-run stamp no longer lets you apply for a TRC directly. You must first do a visa-purpose conversion to LD2, which adds roughly two weeks to the timeline. The old “get work permit → apply for TRC” flow now has a mandatory conversion step wedged in the middle for anyone not already on an LD2.
Which is the best long-stay path for you?
There’s no single best route - there’s the one that matches your basis for being here. Three quick decision rules:
- You have a job with a Vietnamese employer → work permit + LD2 + TRC (up to 2 years).
- You’re investing real capital in a company → DT investor visa; pick the tier that clears VND 3 billion so you actually get a TRC, not just a 12-month DT4 visa.
- You’re married to a Vietnamese citizen → TT card up to 3 years, work-permit-exempt under Decree 219/2025. Simplest path if it applies.
If none of those fit yet - you’re a remote worker or a long-term tourist - there is no clean long-stay visa for you in 2026. The realistic bridge is repeat 90-day e-visas and visa runs while you build one of the three bases above. And whichever route you choose, sort out a Vietnamese bank account early - the government fees often can’t be paid on a foreign card.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a work permit, a TRC, and an investor visa in Vietnam? A work permit (LD) authorizes employment; a TRC is the residence card that lets you live here 1-10 years without visa runs; an investor visa (DT) is a residence route based on capital, with no work permit required. Employees stack work permit + LD2 visa + TRC; investors go straight to a DT visa and TRC.
How much do I need to invest for a Vietnam investor TRC in 2026? It scales with TRC length. DT4 (under VND 3 billion) gives only a 12-month visa and no card. DT3 (VND 3 billion to under 50 billion) grants a 3-year TRC, DT2 (roughly VND 50-100 billion) a 5-year TRC, and DT1 (VND 100 billion and up) a TRC of up to 10 years.
Can I get a Vietnam TRC on a business (DN) or e-visa in 2026? Not directly. Since February 4, 2026, TRCs are issued only to LD2 or TT visa holders. On a DN or e-visa you must first convert your visa purpose to LD2, adding about two weeks, before applying for a TRC.
Do investors need a work permit in Vietnam? No. Foreign investors, owners, and registered board members are exempt from the work permit. Skipping that process is a core advantage of the DT route over employment.
Is the 90-day e-visa a way to live in Vietnam long-term? No. It caps at 90 days, can’t be extended in-country, and bans paid work, running a company, or study. It’s a short-stay document, not a residence route.
Sorting out your long-stay path in Vietnam?
- Best Bus - danangvisarun.com - visa runs, e-visa, and transfers booked directly on the site
- Telegram @learnx1000 - message me for visa, e-visa, work permit and residence questions (not for tours - that’s a different channel)
- WhatsApp - message here if you don’t use Telegram