Student Visa In Vietnam: The Ultimate Guide

Vietnam isn’t just pho and bustling streets; it’s an academic haven waiting to be explored.

But before hitting those Vietnamese textbooks, there’s the student visa dance to master.

Fear not, young scholar; we’ve got the steps laid out for you.

Let’s dive in!

Study In Vietnam: Student Visas And Permits

A student visa is a government-issued immigration document granted by a consulate general or embassy, which allows you to legally study in a specific country for a specific date range. Typically, a visa is an endorsed sticker or stamp placed on the inside pages of your passport.

Student visas are non-immigrant visas that do not require the holder to obtain citizenship. Any prospective student seeking higher education in another country must obtain a student visa for that country.

In Vietnam it is issued by a competent Vietnamese authority to foreigners who enter for studying or internship purposes. A student visa is symbolized as Visa DH and allows students to be granted a temporary resident card DH.

The visa has a maximum validity of 12 months and it must be 1 month shorter than the validity of foreigners passports.

Where And How To Apply For A Vietnamese Study Visa?

The inviting agency/individual submits documents to the Vietnam Immigration Department or Immigration Office in the province where the applicant is residing. The approval process may take 5 working days.

After 5 working days, if the dossiers are approved, the inviting agency receives the approved entry letter from the Immigration Department.

Foreigners then submit this letter together with other required documents and pay the fee to get a student visa at the Vietnam Embassy/Consulates in the home country.

Some documents are required from foreigners themselves while some must be prepared by the inviting agencies/organizations. Here are all documents needed for the dossiers:

Guaranteeing documents for foreigners (form NA2)
Proof of travel arrangements
Proof of sufficient funds or a scholarship which can cover your tuition fees
A written admission document by a Vietnam school or educational institution
A copy of the passport data page of foreign students with at least 12 months of validity
Notarized copy of documents proving entry purpose of internship or study program
A place to receive Visa and entry date
Letter of introduction/authorization
Student ID card
Students contact information (Name, e-mail address and telephone number)
Scanned passport with validity of above 6 months

You will be notified by the Vietnam Embassy/Vietnam Consulate General about the date and time to receive the visa. All matters relating to the visa application are required to be submitted 2 weeks in advance.

Once your submitted documents are approved, VID-HCMC will fax a copy of visa pre approval to the Vietnam Embassy or Vietnam Consulate General in your home country.

At the same time, you will receive a copy of visa pre-approval from IU via email. This process takes at least 7 working days.

Once you have received the pre-approval confirmation from IU, you are responsible for printing the visa pre-approval and submitting it at the Vietnam Embassy or Vietnam Consulate General in your home country and paying the fee in order to get the visa.

Center (ISSC) is responsible for handing in all documents to Immigration Department

Types Of Visas For Studying

The cost of the visa varies according to the validity and number of entries:

$35 for a single-entry visa with three months validity
$60 for a multiple-entry visa good for three months
$105 for a multiple-entry visa, valid for three to six months
$145 for a multiple-entry visa, usable for six months to a year

It’s advisable to get a multiple-entry Vietnam student visa if you wish to go back to your home country within three or six months. As for the extension of stay permit, you will need to pay another $100.

1. Visa Interview

Legal representatives are not permitted to attend the immigrant visa interview. Only people listed on the appointment letter are allowed in the Consulate. Exceptions are made for the following:

The petitioner.
The parent/guardian of any applicant under the age of 17.
The parent/guardian of any applicant who is mentally/physically challenged (handicapped).
The son/daughter/caregiver of elderly applicants (over 70 years old).
An interpreter if the applicant does not speak English or Vietnamese well enough to participate in an interview.

If you have small children whose names are not on any confirmation letter, you should arrange for alternate childcare during the interview as they will not be allowed in the Consulate.

Any other family members, relatives or friends of the applicant who do not meet one of the conditions above will not be allowed to enter the Consulate.

Due to the large volume of beneficiaries that are processed daily, beneficiaries should plan on being at the consulate for several hours.

If your application is approved, you will submit your passport for visa printing.

2. Registration At The Resident’s Registration Office

Vietnam is a popular destination for foreign visitors, whether for business or leisure activities. Unlike most Western countries, Vietnam applies strict requirements for stay registration upon your arrival, such as:

Gather required documents
Visit the local police station
Submit the documents and pay the fees
Wait for approval
Receive the police residence certificate

If you are staying in rented accommodation, your landlord can assist you in the process of registering for a temporary residence. They can provide you with a copy of their ID or lease agreement, and they may also be able to guide you through the process of registering with the local police.

3. Important Things To Know As A Visa Applicant

Additional documents can be required by the visa officer upon the visa interview

Appear in person in the visa interview
Be cautious about your passport validity, it needs to be valid for your entire period of stay
Bear in mind that an incomplete visa application can be refused
Don’t take anyone with you to the Embassy or Consulate during a visa interview
Every applicant is authorized to take legal actions against the embassy or consulate decision on her/his visa application

4. Vietnam’s Student Visa Fee

The major difference between a single entry visa and a multiple entry visa for Vietnam is the number of entries into the country.

While a single entry visa is valid for one stay in Vietnam during the visa validity, the multiple entry visa is valid for several stays in Vietnam during the visa validity. The types of visas are:

1-month single entry visa
1-month multiple entry visa
3 months single entry visa
3 months multiple entry visa
6 months multiple entry visa
1-year multiple entry visa

When you apply to extend (single entry type only) visa, A fee shall be applied for every 6 month extension.

Visa Renewal Extension

For those who hold a student visa, once they have entered Vietnam, they will need to request for a visa renewal/extension. The school will serve as the visa sponsor. You should prepare to apply before your current visa expires in 3 weeks.

In case your application is after the visa’s expiry date, a penalty fee shall be applied regarding the regulations of the Immigration Department. Students are obligated to pay this penalty fee at Vietnam State Treasury HCMC by themselves.

On top of that, students are required to pay the tuition fees of the forthcoming semester. A proof of payment is requested in order to apply for visa extension/ renewal.

The application form (N5) for issuance, replacement, modification, or stay extension is to be completed by the temporary resident foreigners in Vietnam.

You are required to have an original passport with the validity above 6 months, original certificate of temporary residence in Vietnam, original student ID card and one ID photo.

In case your institution doesn’t offer this service, you may file for an extension of stay at the following locations:

Hanoi Immigration Office in Ba Dinh District
Danang Immigration Office in Hai Chau
Ho Chi Minh Immigration Office in District 3

These offices are open Mondays to Fridays. The minimum extension period is one month, while the maximum is six months. That said, you will need to apply for a Vietnam student visa extension multiple times while studying in Vietnam.

How Long Does It Take For Vietnam’s Student Visa To Process?

Many applicants experience delays in their visa applications due to errors in the information they submitted on the official website, such as low-quality photos or incorrect names that do not match ICAO guidelines. For those who need a faster processing time, an expedited service is available.

Processing time for a student visa can take 6-12 weeks from the date of application.

Why Should You Apply For A Student Visa

Vietnam is not only famous for its beautiful landscape, and easy-going people, but also an attractive land appealing to a lot of foreign investors.

Workers who are looking for job opportunities, and especially students who crave a good and safe studying environment also find many opportunities in Vietnam.

That is why many internationals continue to believe that Vietnam is the best place for pursuing their higher education further. Also, their literacy rate is over 95%.

Based in Southeast Asia, Vietnam is an up-and-coming student destination. Not only is it rich in culture and history, but it also boasts of affordable tuition fees.

The choices are plentiful too. To date, the country is home to 419 universities that offer a variety of programs. From Engineering to Accounting, you can pursue your dream course here.

Conclusion

So, with knowledge on securing that coveted student visa, Vietnam’s educational odyssey is now within your grasp. Pack those bags, polish your notes, and prepare for an enriching journey.

Study Sorted!

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