Circular 04/2025/TT-BNG amend Circular 04/2016/TT-BNG procedures for grant of visas, temporary residence cards for foreigners in Vietnam

CIRCULAR

Amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ Circular No. 04/2016/TT-BNG of June 30, 2016, guiding procedures for grant of visas, extension of temporary residence duration and grant of temporary residence cards for foreigners in Vietnam under the competence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Decision No. 2985/2007/QD-BNG of November 29, 2007, promulgating the Regulation on organization and operation of the Fund for Assisting Overseas Vietnamese Citizens and Legal Entities
 

Pursuant to the June 16, 2014 Law on Foreigners’ Entry into, Exit from, Transit through and Residence in, Vietnam; the December 16, 2019 Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on Foreigners’ Entry into, Exit from, Transit through, and Residence in, Vietnam; and the June 24, 2023 Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on Exit and Entry of Vietnamese Citizens and the Law on Foreigners’ Entry in, Exit from, Transit through, and Residence in, Vietnam;

Pursuant to the February 19, 2025 Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents;

Pursuant to the June 18, 2009 Law on Representative Missions of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, which was amended and supplemented on November 21, 2017;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 28/2025/ND-CP of February 24, 2025, defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 64/2015/ND-CP of August 6, 2015, on the mechanism for coordination among ministries, ministerial-level agencies and provincial-level People’s Committees in managing foreigners’ entry into, exit from, transit through, and residence in, Vietnam;

Pursuant to the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 119/2007/QD-TTg of July 25, 2007, on the establishment of the Fund for Assisting Overseas Vietnamese Citizens and Legal Entities;

At the proposal of the Director of the Consular Department;

The Minister of Foreign Affairs promulgates the Circular amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ Circular No. 04/2016/TT-BNG of June 30, 2016, guiding procedures for grant of visas, extension of temporary residence duration and grant of temporary residence cards for foreigners in Vietnam under the competence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Decision No. 2985/2007/QD-BNG of November 29, 2007, promulgating the Regulation on organization and operation of the Fund for Assisting Overseas Vietnamese Citizens and Legal Entities

Article 1. To amend, supplement, and annul a number of articles of the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ Circular No. 04/2016/TT-BNG of June 30, 2016, guiding procedures for grant of visas, extension of temporary residence duration and grant of temporary residence cards for foreigners in Vietnam under the competence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

1. To replace the phrase “the Directorate of State Protocol” in Clause 2, Article 3; Point d, Clause 2 and Point c, Clause 3, Article 5; Clauses 3, 5 and 6, Article 6; Clauses 2 and 3, Article 8; and Article 10 with the phrase “the Directorate of State Protocol and External Interpretation”.

2. To amend and supplement a number of clauses of Article 3 as follows:

a/ To amend and supplement Clause 2 as follows:

“2. The Directorate of State Protocol and External Interpretation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall receive and process requests for grant of temporary residence cards for foreigners specified in Clause 3, Article 8 of the Immigration Law (except members of foreign consulates headquartered in the provinces and cities from Da Nang city southward and their spouses, under-18 children and maids accompanying them during their term of office).”

b/ To amend and supplement Clause 3 as follows:

“3. The Ho Chi Minh City Department of External Relations under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (below referred to as the Ho Chi Minh City Department of External Relations) shall:

a/ Receive and process requests for/notices of grant of visas and extension of temporary residence duration for foreigners specified in Clauses 1, 2, 3 and 4, Article 8 of the Immigration Law in the provinces and cities from Da Nang city southward;

b/ Receive and process requests for grant of temporary residence cards for foreigners who are members of foreign consulates in the provinces and cities from Da Nang city southward and their spouses, under-18 children and maids accompanying them during their term of office.”

3. To annul Point b, Clause 3, Article 4.

4. To amend and supplement Clause 4, Article 5 as follows:

“4. A foreigner entering Vietnam without a visa as specified in Clause 1, 2, 3 or 4, Article 8 of the Immigration Law may be considered for single or multiple extension of temporary residence duration or visa grant by the Consular Department or the Ho Chi Minh City Department of External Relations, with each extension not exceeding the previously granted temporary residence duration on the basis of the submitted dossier specified in Clause 2 of this Article, unless otherwise provided by a treaty to which Vietnam is a contracting party.”

5. To amend and supplement Clause 4, Article 6 as follows:

“4. The validity duration of a temporary residence card, which has the symbol of NG3, must not exceed 5 years and be at least 30 days shorter than the validity duration of the passport.”

Article 2. To amend, supplement and annul a number of articles of the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ Decision No. 2985/QD-BNG of November 29, 2007, promulgating the Regulation on organization and operation of the Fund for Assisting Overseas Vietnamese Citizens and Legal Entities

1. To annul Point c, Clause 1, Article 5, Clause 2, Article 6, and Clause 3, Article 7.

2. To amend and supplement Clause 1, Article 8 as follows:

“1. The Citizen Assistance Fund shall keep a golden book of honor and may request competent agencies to commend and reward domestic or overseas organizations, collectives and individuals for their outstanding merits in the establishment and development of the Fund or great contributions to the assistance of overseas Vietnamese citizens and legal entities.”

Article 3. Effect

1. This Circular takes effect on July 13, 2025.

2. Any obstacles or problems arising in the course of implementation of this Circular shall be promptly reported to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for prompt guidance.-

The Minister of Foreign Affairs

BUI THANH SON