A temporary residence card may be revoked or cancelled by the immigration authority when a foreigner violates immigration and residence laws, or when the card no longer has a valid sponsorship basis. This article explains the revocation grounds under current law and how to appeal a revocation decision.
1. Revocation grounds under Article 6 of consolidated document 62
Article 6 of consolidated document 62/VBHN-VPQH provides that a foreigner’s immigration, exit, and residence documents (including the temporary residence card) shall be revoked or cancelled upon any of the following violations:
(a) Acts listed in clauses 3, 4, 5 and 6 of Article 5: illegal entry, exit, transit, or residence; forging or using forged documents; providing false information or documents to obtain entry or residence; abusing immigration or residence to oppose the State or infringe upon the lawful rights and interests of agencies, organizations, or individuals; buying, selling, renting, borrowing, erasing, or altering the contents of immigration or residence documents.
(b) Clause 3 of Article 21: forging documents or making false declarations to obtain immigration, exit, or residence documents.
(c) Point b, clause 2, Article 44: engaging in activities in Vietnam inconsistent with the purpose of entry (for example, working on a tourist entry, or working outside the registered occupation).
2. Which authority revokes the card?
The immigration management authority — the authority competent to issue the documents — carries out revocation: the Immigration Department (Ministry of Public Security) or the provincial immigration office.
3. Common practical case: sponsor terminates sponsorship
A frequent real-world scenario: when the sponsoring agency or organization terminates its sponsorship (due to dissolution, cessation of operations, or no longer needing to sponsor), it must notify the immigration authority in writing (point e, clause 2, Article 45 of consolidated document 62). The foreigner’s residence documents then lose their sponsorship basis — the foreigner must exit Vietnam or switch to a new sponsorship arrangement to remain lawfully.
4. How to appeal a revocation decision
A decision revoking a temporary residence card is an individual administrative decision directly affecting the foreigner’s right of residence. The affected person may appeal under the Law on Complaints 02/2011/QH13:
First complaint is filed with the very person who issued the revocation decision (Article 7 of the Law on Complaints).
If dissatisfied with the first-level decision, the complainant may file a second complaint with the direct superior of the person who resolved the first complaint (Articles 17–18 of the Law on Complaints).
The complaint deadline is 90 days from the date the administrative decision is received or becomes known (Article 9 of the Law on Complaints); periods of illness, natural disaster, or other objective obstacles are not counted toward the deadline.
Beyond administrative complaints, the affected person may also initiate an administrative lawsuit at the Court under the Law on Administrative Procedures. Resolution timeframes for complaints are prescribed separately for each level by the Law on Complaints; to track a specific case, the complainant should contact the authority handling it directly.
5. What to do while waiting for the outcome
While awaiting the appeal outcome, the foreigner should proactively arrange to exit or switch to another lawful residence status, to avoid overstaying — overstays are penalized under Article 21 of Decree 282/2025/ND-CP.
For reference only; this is not legal advice.
Had your temporary residence card revoked and need help appealing? Contact FLAT Law Firm for advice.
For reference only, not legal advice. Content quality-checked by the AI Legal Council; not yet reviewed by a human lawyer.
