The visa labels of two experts at the same factory can read differently: LD1 on one, LD2 on the other. The difference is not seniority but the legal basis on which each is allowed to work in Vietnam — one holds a work permit, the other is permit-exempt and carries an official confirmation of that status.
LD1 for permit holders, LD2 for the permit-exempt
Under the classification of Law 51/2019/QH14, the LD1 visa is issued to a foreigner entering to work in Vietnam who already holds a work permit; the LD2 visa goes to a foreigner entering to work who falls outside the work-permit requirement and has obtained a written confirmation from the competent authority. Typical exempt groups include capital-contributing members and owners of limited liability companies, board members of joint stock companies, persons entering to work for under 30 days no more than three times a year, foreign lawyers holding a practice licence, and spouses of Vietnamese citizens living in Vietnam.
The practical consequence is that the two routes start from opposite first steps. For LD1, the company must complete the labour demand explanation and obtain the work permit under Decree 219/2025/ND-CP before applying for the visa or converting to LD1. For LD2, the company seeks a confirmation of permit exemption — lighter in conditions, but still a mandatory document; without it there is no basis to issue an LD2 visa.
Validity: every labour document is anchored to the permit
A labour visa runs for no more than two years, and a labour residence card is likewise capped at two years. The reason is the shared anchor: under clause 3, Article 22 of Decree 219/2025/ND-CP a work permit lasts at most two years and may be extended only once. The expert’s whole residence chain — LD visa and residence card — cannot outlive the labour basis underneath it.
For LD2, the anchor is instead the term of the exemption confirmation and of the relationship grounding the exemption, such as a board term or the investment registration period. Companies should keep one joint tracking sheet for each expert’s three documents so that permit renewal, visa conversion and card re-issuance are triggered in a single rhythm, avoiding a card that outlives an expired permit.
Converting to LD status and changing employers
An expert already in Vietnam on another visa — including an e-visa — who has obtained a work permit or an exemption confirmation with a sponsoring organisation falls within the exceptions allowing conversion of visa purpose to the labour category under Article 7 of the amended entry and residence law, without exiting to apply for a fresh visa. This mechanism keeps locally arising hires from suffering a residence break.
When an expert moves to a different company, labour documents do not travel with them: a work permit is tied to a specific employer and position, so the new employer must obtain a new permit and the residence category is adjusted accordingly. The handover window must be planned so the current visa or card does not expire mid-transition; any gap pushes overstay and unauthorised-work risk onto both sides.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do LD1 and LD2 differ?
By the basis for working: LD1 is issued to a person who already holds a work permit; LD2 to a person outside the permit requirement who has an official exemption confirmation (capital contributors, board members, short stints under 30 days up to three times a year, licensed foreign lawyers, and similar). Both are labour categories, not ranks.
Who applies for LD2?
A person in a work-permit-exempt category under labour law who has been granted a written exemption confirmation by the competent authority (the Department of Home Affairs). The sponsoring company must still complete that confirmation step before the visa application; without the confirmation there is no basis for an LD2 visa.
How long are they valid?
Both the labour visa and the labour residence card run for no more than two years, anchored to the work permit — itself capped at two years and renewable once under clause 3, Article 22 of Decree 219/2025/ND-CP. LD2 is anchored to the term of the exemption confirmation and the underlying relationship.
What if the expert changes jobs?
The labour basis must be rebuilt: a work permit is tied to one employer and one position, so the new employer obtains a fresh permit and the residence category is adjusted. If the expert is already in Vietnam with the new permit or confirmation and a sponsor, conversion of visa purpose to LD is an exception case that does not require exit.
This article has been quality-reviewed by the FLAW AI Legal Council