NG visas are the diplomatic and official visas issued for entry into Vietnam. The law divides NG into four sub-categories — NG1, NG2, NG3 and NG4 (Article 8 of Law 47/2014/QH13 on entry, exit, transit and residence of foreigners in Vietnam, under the consolidated version 62/VBHN-VPQH dated 23/3/2026). NG1–NG4 visas are valid for no more than 01 year (Article 9). A key distinction: NG visas cannot be obtained as e-visas; they are processed through the competent authorities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vietnamese diplomatic missions abroad.
1. Who qualifies for NG1–NG4 visas?
Under Article 8 of Law 47/2014 (consolidated document 62):
- NG1 – members of delegations invited by the General Secretary, the President, the Chairperson of the National Assembly, or the Prime Minister;
- NG2 – members of delegations invited by the Standing members of the Secretariat, the Vice President, the Vice Chairpersons of the National Assembly, Deputy Prime Ministers, the President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, the Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court, the Procurator General of the Supreme People’s Procuracy, the State Auditor General, as well as delegations of equivalent rank invited by Ministers and equivalents, provincial/city Party Secretaries, and Chairpersons of provincial/municipal People’s Councils and People’s Committees;
- NG3 – members of diplomatic missions, consular offices and representative offices of international organizations of the United Nations or intergovernmental organizations in Vietnam, together with their spouses, children under 18 and household employees serving during the term;
- NG4 – persons entering to work with the above agencies and organizations, along with their accompanying spouses and children under 18, and persons visiting members of those agencies.
2. Validity of NG visas
Under Article 9 of Law 47/2014, NG1–NG4 visas are valid for no more than 01 year and must be at least 30 days shorter than the remaining validity of the passport.
3. Application procedure
NG visas are applied for by the inviting or sponsoring agency or organization, which submits a written request to the competent authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Article 15, Clause 2). Note: NG1–NG4 visas cannot be applied for as e-visas (see the note on form NA1a, Circular 22/2023/TT-BCA).
Processing time at Vietnamese diplomatic missions abroad:
- 01 working day for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs channel (Article 17, Clause 1);
- 03 working days for regular sponsorship cases (Article 17, Clause 2).
Visa extensions are processed by the immigration management authority or the competent authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within 05 working days (Article 19).
4. NG3 temporary residence cards
Members of diplomatic missions, consular offices and international organizations, together with their spouses, children under 18 and household employees serving during the term, are eligible for an NG3 temporary residence card (Article 36, Clause 1, Point a). The NG3 card is valid for no more than 05 years and must be at least 30 days shorter than the remaining validity of the passport (Article 38).
5. Fee exemption for diplomatic and official visas
Under Article 5 of Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC (issued 27/3/2026, effective 01/4/2026, replacing Circular 25/2021/TT-BTC), visa fees are waived for diplomatic and official cases including: guests invited by the Party, the State, the Government, the National Assembly or leaders in their personal capacity (including spouses and children); and officials and staff of diplomatic missions, consular offices and international organizations in Vietnam, with their spouses and children under 18 (on a reciprocal basis).
6. Practical notes
Because NG visas run through diplomatic channels, the inviting/sponsoring agency should prepare a complete written request and submit it to the correct competent authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to avoid delays. All provisions cited in this article follow the latest consolidated document 62/VBHN-VPQH (23/3/2026).
For reference only; not legal advice. This content was drafted by AI and reviewed by the QA council of FLAT Law Firm; it is not legal advice from a human lawyer. Regulations may change; please check the current legal texts before relying on this information.
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For reference only, not legal advice. Content quality-checked by the AI Legal Council; not yet reviewed by a human lawyer.