Foreigners temporarily residing in Vietnam must have their temporary residence declared in accordance with the law. Since 21 May 2026, declarations are made uniformly on the Ministry of Public Security’s National Electronic Temporary Residence Declaration System. This guide walks accommodation providers through each online filing step, their responsibilities, and the penalties for non-compliance.
1. Who is responsible for the declaration?
Under Article 33.1 of the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam (Law 47/2014/QH13, consolidated text 62/VBHN-VPQH), a foreigner temporarily residing in Vietnam must declare temporary residence through the person directly managing and operating the accommodation establishment — including hotels, guesthouses, residential areas for foreigners, healthcare facilities, private homes and other lodging facilities — to the commune/ward police or the police post/station of the locality where the establishment is located.
In other words, the declaration duty rests on the accommodation provider, not on the foreigner personally (apart from the foreigner’s duty to present documents so the provider can file).
2. Declaration deadline
- Within 12 hours from the foreigner’s arrival at the establishment.
- Within 24 hours for remote and isolated areas (Article 33.2).
3. Filing online on the single national system
Since 21 May 2026, temporary residence declarations for foreigners are filed uniformly on the National Electronic Temporary Residence Declaration System at https://tbltkbtt.bocongan.gov.vn (operated by the Ministry of Public Security). The old province-level declaration platforms (e.g. <province>.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn, the ASM software) have been discontinued.
A note on accounts: existing declaration accounts remain usable, but the username must be changed to the new structure — a locality prefix attached to the old account name.
4. Step-by-step filing guide
Step 1 — Register a declaration account
The accommodation establishment registers an account on the system, providing the establishment’s details and the details of the representative responsible for declarations.
Step 2 — Log in
Log in with the registered account at https://tbltkbtt.bocongan.gov.vn.
Step 3 — Enter the foreigner’s information
Enter all required fields for each foreign guest: full name, gender, date of birth, nationality, passport number or other valid international travel document, and expected duration of stay. Under Circular 87/2026/TT-BCA, the form adds a field for the validity of the temporary residence certificate, temporary residence extension, or temporary residence card issued by the competent authority.
Step 4 — Confirm and submit
Review the information, confirm and submit the declaration. Commune-level police receive declaration data on the system 24/7.
5. When the system is down
If the electronic system is unavailable, the establishment uses the paper Temporary Residence Declaration Form (Form NA17).
6. Penalties for failure to declare
Article 21 of Decree 282/2025/ND-CP (on administrative sanctions in the fields of security, order and social safety; effective from 15 December 2025, replacing Decree 144/2021/ND-CP) sets the penalties for accommodation establishments that fail to declare temporary residence for foreigners:
- Failure to declare 1 to 3 foreigners: fine of VND 3,000,000 – 5,000,000.
- Failure to declare 4 to 8 foreigners: fine of VND 10,000,000 – 15,000,000.
- Failure to declare 9 or more foreigners: fine of VND 15,000,000 – 20,000,000.
- Letting a foreigner residing unlawfully stay without notifying the competent authority: fine of VND 20,000,000 – 25,000,000.
7. Applicable legal framework (in force at the time of writing)
- Law 47/2014/QH13 (consolidated text 62/VBHN-VPQH) — Article 33 on temporary residence declaration.
- Circular 87/2026/TT-BCA — replaces Circular 53/2016/TT-BCA (expired, no longer applicable).
- Decree 282/2025/ND-CP — replaces Decree 144/2021/ND-CP (expired, no longer applicable).
Frequently asked questions
A hotel forgot to declare one foreign guest — what is the fine?
Under Article 21 of Decree 282/2025/ND-CP, failing to declare 1 to 3 foreigners is fined VND 3,000,000 to 5,000,000.
Does a private homeowner renting to foreigners have to declare?
Yes. A private home hosting foreigners is an accommodation establishment; the manager/operator must declare within 12 hours under Article 33.
Does the online system accept declarations at night?
Yes. Commune-level police receive declaration data on the system 24/7.
Sources
- Article 33, Law 47/2014/QH13 (VBHN 62/VBHN-VPQH).
- Circular 87/2026/TT-BCA of the Ministry of Public Security.
- Article 21, Decree 282/2025/ND-CP of the Government.
- Electronic declaration system: https://tbltkbtt.bocongan.gov.vn
For reference only — not legal advice. This content was quality-checked by the AI Legal Council and has not been reviewed by a human lawyer.
Need legal support on residence and visas for foreigners? Contact FLAT Law Firm.