A Vietnam business visa for an Indian executive, engineer or trader is the DN1 or DN2, sponsored by a Vietnamese company and issued as an e-Visa at the same fee as a tourist visa: USD 25 for a single entry or USD 50 for multiple entries, up to 90 days per visa, decided in 3 working days once the sponsor's enterprise registration certificate and invitation are uploaded on evisa.gov.vn. Under Decree 219/2025, in force since 7 August 2025, a foreigner working in Vietnam for less than 90 days in a calendar year is exempt from a work permit, so the DN visa covers short technical, sales, audit and commissioning assignments; longer postings need the LD work visa and permit. Investors who contribute VND 3 billion or more use DT visas of one to five years instead.
The compact version with the price card and checklist is on the Vietnam business visa route page. This article explains when the tourist e-Visa is enough, how DN sponsorship works, what the 90-day exemption requires of the host and how the visa converts to work or investor status.
Tourist e-Visa, DN business visa or LD work visa: which one do I need?
| Visa | Purpose | Sponsor | Fee | Work allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist e-Visa (EV) | Meetings, conferences, site visits with no local pay | None | USD 25 / USD 50 | None |
| DN1 / DN2 business visa | Working with a Vietnamese partner, short assignments, negotiations, setting up a presence | Vietnamese enterprise or office | USD 25 / USD 50 (USD 135 for 1 year) | Up to 90 days a year without a work permit |
| LD1 / LD2 work visa | Employment or long postings | Employer with a work permit or exemption | USD 25 / USD 50 plus work permit fee | Full, per the permit |
| DT1 to DT4 investor visa | Capital contribution of VND 3 billion and above | The invested company | USD 25 to USD 155 by validity | As investor; permit-exempt for DT1 to DT3 |
The DN visa matters because Vietnamese authorities treat an Indian engineer commissioning a production line, an auditor reviewing a subsidiary or a trainer running a workshop as working, even when paid in India. DN1 is for people working with organisations that have legal status in Vietnam (a company, branch or representative office); DN2 is for people offering services, establishing a commercial presence or conducting other business, and is the usual category for representatives of foreign companies that have no Vietnamese entity, sponsored by a Vietnamese distributor, customer or law firm. Frequent travellers should hold a multiple-entry DN rather than repeated tourist e-Visas, which border officers flag as pattern business travel.
How does the 90-day work-permit exemption work?
Decree 219/2025 allows a foreigner to work in Vietnam for a total of under 90 days in a calendar year, across unlimited entries, without a work permit, provided the Vietnamese host notifies the provincial Department of Home Affairs (which absorbed the labour departments in 2025) at least three days before the work starts, stating the worker's name, passport, position, dates and location. The notification is free and the host keeps the acknowledgement; without it, the worker is treated as working illegally and both sides face fines of VND 15 to 25 million for the worker and up to VND 75 million for the employer. A new decree announced for 5 December 2026 keeps the framework and updates the forms, so hosts should check the dossier form at the time of filing. Days are counted per calendar year, so an assignment that straddles January can use two allowances.
How much does it cost?
| Item | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| DN e-Visa, single entry (up to 90 days) | USD 25 | Non-refundable |
| DN e-Visa, multiple entry (up to 90 days) | USD 50 | Unlimited entries |
| Multiple-entry visa, 90 days to 1 year (embassy) | USD 135 | With an Immigration Department approval letter |
| Approval letter preparation (sponsor or agent) | VND 1 to 3 million | Agent or law-firm fee |
| Work-permit exemption notification | Free | Filed by the host 3 days before the work |
| Temporary residence card (1 to 2 years), if converting | USD 145 | Only with a work permit or investor status |
Fees are state fees under Circular 25/2021 and are the same for every nationality. Vistolane coordinates the sponsor's invitation and registration certificate, files the e-Visa and charges the USD 25 or USD 50 fee at the official rate, shown on the Vietnam destination page; employers see every traveller's file in Vistolane for business.
How does the application run?
- The sponsor prepares the invitation: the Vietnamese company's enterprise registration certificate and an invitation letter stating purpose, dates, locations and who bears the costs.
- Apply on evisa.gov.vn as DN1 or DN2: upload the passport, photo, invitation and registration certificate, select single or multiple entry and the entry port, and pay USD 25 or USD 50.
- Decision in three working days; download the PDF. For stays or validity beyond 90 days, the sponsor applies to the Immigration Department for an approval letter (five to seven working days) and you collect a sticker at the embassy in New Delhi or the consulate in Mumbai (USD 135 for one year).
- The host notifies the provincial Department of Home Affairs at least three days before any work starts, for the under-90-day exemption.
- Enter through the named port, keep the invitation and your Indian employer's assignment letter, and register residence through the hotel or host within 24 hours.
How long does it take from India?
| Stage | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Sponsor documents | 2 to 5 days |
| e-Visa | 3 working days |
| Approval letter (embassy route) | 5 to 7 working days, then 2 to 3 days at the embassy |
| Conversion to LD | 3 to 5 weeks after the work permit is issued |
Trade-fair visitors and buyers on short trips can use the tourist e-Visa, covered in the Vietnam e-Visa guide; anyone whose host will pay them or put them to work on site should hold the DN visa and the exemption notification.
After arrival: residence registration, work limits and conversion
Every foreigner's stay is registered with the local police within 24 hours of arrival, automatically by hotels and by the host for private stays; unregistered stays are fined. DN holders may attend meetings, supervise, train and negotiate, and may perform work for under 90 days in a calendar year with the host's notification; beyond that the employer must obtain a work permit (10 working days under Decree 219) and the LD visa, as the Vietnam work visa guide explains. The DN visa converts inside Vietnam to an LD visa once the permit exists, or to a DT investor visa once capital of VND 3 billion (about INR 1 crore) is registered, and a one- or two-year temporary residence card (USD 145) follows for DN1 holders representing companies with a Vietnamese presence. Family members then join on TT visas, covered in the Vietnam family visa guide.
Why are Vietnam business visas refused, and what fixes each reason?
Sponsor not eligible. An invitation from an individual or a company without a valid registration certificate. Use the Vietnamese partner's registered entity or a licensed agent as sponsor.
Purpose inconsistent. A tourist e-Visa holder found working at a factory. Hold a DN visa and file the exemption notification; Vistolane pairs the two.
Over 90 days of work. The exemption exceeded in the calendar year. Obtain a work permit and LD visa before the 90th day.
Residence not registered. A fine for staying at a private address without police registration. Have the host register within 24 hours.
Approval letter mismatch. A sticker visa refused because the letter named another port or date. Match the letter, the embassy application and the ticket.
How Vistolane handles it
Vistolane coordinates the sponsor's invitation and registration certificate, files the DN e-Visa on evisa.gov.vn, charges USD 25 or USD 50 at the official rate and arranges the exemption notification with the host. Employers start from Vistolane for business; travellers start with the free eligibility check or the Vietnam business visa route page. Business travellers comparing the region can read the Singapore visa guide and the Malaysia Employment Pass guide.
