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Permanent Residence Card: what it is, why it matters, how to obtain it

What is a Permanent Residence Card in Vietnam?

A Permanent Residence Card (thẻ thường trú) lets a foreigner live in Vietnam indefinitely without a visa. It is granted only under narrow immigration-law categories — spouse of a Vietnamese citizen, long-term sponsored residents, individuals of recognised merit — never simply for buying property. Owning a Hanoi apartment neither requires nor grants this card.

Permanent Residence Card at a glance

Document
Vietnamese name
Thẻ thường trú
Literally “permanent residence card”; not to be confused with the Temporary Residence Card (thẻ tạm trú)
Issued by
Immigration Department, Ministry of Public Security (Cục Quản lý Xuất nhập cảnh)
Applications are filed through the provincial Public Security office covering your place of residence in Vietnam
Who can apply
Only foreigners meeting one of a short list of immigration-law categories
Spouse, parent or child of a Vietnamese citizen; a foreigner sponsored by a Vietnamese agency after 3+ continuous years of legal temporary residence; individuals with recognised merit toward Vietnam; certain long-term stateless residents
Typical cost
A modest one-off government fee, payable in VND
Set by the Immigration Department's official fee schedule and unrelated to property value — confirm the current amount before applying
Validity
Card valid 10 years, renewable
The underlying permanent-residence status itself has no expiry unless revoked by the authorities
Language
Vietnamese only
No official English version is issued; commission a certified translation if you need the card recognised abroad
Governing law
Law No. 47/2014/QH13 on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam, as amended by Law No. 51/2019/QH14
Sets the eligibility categories, the dossier requirements and the review timeline described below
Required for property purchase
No — neither a prerequisite nor a consequence of buying
Foreign buyers only need a valid, legally stamped entry into Vietnam to purchase real estate

Annotated facsimile of a Vietnamese Permanent Residence Card (thẻ thường trú) — for illustration only, SPECIMEN watermark, fictitious data, no real seals or personal details. Gold callouts mark the fields worth checking on a genuine card: the issuing authority, the validity/renewal date and the card number referenced in your dossier.

Scarica il facsimile (PDF)
Annotated facsimile of a Vietnamese Permanent Residence Card (thẻ thường trú) — for illustration only, SPECIMEN watermark, fictitious data, no real seals or personal details. Gold callouts mark the fields worth checking on a genuine card: the issuing authority, the validity/renewal date and the card number referenced in your dossier.Scarica il facsimile (PDF)

How a Permanent Residence Card is obtained

⏱ About 4–6 months once a complete dossier is filed, longer if documents need to be re-submitted

There is no route from buying an apartment to this card — the process runs entirely through immigration law, independent of any property purchase. The exact dossier depends on which eligibility category applies to you, and applicants who arrived in Vietnam on a work, investment or spousal visa will each file a different supporting file; the sequence below is the general shape once you qualify under one of them.

  1. 1

    Confirm which eligibility category applies to you

    ⏱ Varies — often the longest step

    Check whether you fall under one of the recognised categories — married to, or the parent or child of, a Vietnamese citizen; sponsored by a Vietnamese agency or organisation after at least three continuous years of legal temporary residence; or recognised for meritorious contribution to Vietnam. Years of visiting, or owning property, do not count toward any category.

    DocumentsPassport · Current visa or Temporary Residence Card, if any

    ⚠Assuming property ownership, frequent visits, or a long-term rental lease qualifies you — none of these are recognised categories.

    → law firms
  2. 2

    Assemble the supporting dossier

    ⏱ 2–6 weeks to gather and legalise documents

    Gather the application form, passport, evidence of the qualifying relationship or sponsorship, a health declaration, photographs, and — for any foreign-issued document such as a marriage or birth certificate — a certified translation, notarisation and consular legalisation.

    DocumentsApplication form · Passport · Relationship or sponsorship evidence · Health declaration · Photographs

    ⚠A foreign-issued certificate without full legalisation is the single most common reason a dossier is returned.

  3. 3

    File the dossier with the Immigration Department

    ⏱ Filed in a single visit, once the dossier is complete

    Submit the complete dossier at the provincial Public Security immigration office covering your place of residence in Vietnam, or through the Immigration Department directly. Staff issue a receipt confirming the dossier is complete and under review.

    → law firms
  4. 4

    Await the Ministry of Public Security's decision

    ⏱ Up to 4 months, extendable◈ Government fee payable on approval

    The Ministry reviews the file and replies in writing; by law it has up to four months to decide, extendable by a further two months where additional verification is needed. No paid fast-track exists — treat any promise of a guaranteed shorter timeline with caution.

    ⚠No expedited processing route is available — budget for the full timeline.

  5. 5

    Collect the card and register your address

    Once approved, collect the physical card and register your permanent residential address with the local police — the same step Vietnamese citizens complete for household registration. Keep the card with your passport when travelling; border officials will ask to see both, and you will need to re-register if you change your address within Vietnam.

    DocumentsApproval decision · Proof of accommodation / address

Frequently asked questions

How hard is it to get permanent residency in Vietnam?

Vietnam grants permanent residence sparingly. Outside marriage to, or being the parent or child of, a Vietnamese citizen, most applicants must show at least three continuous years of legal temporary residence under a Vietnamese sponsor, or a recognised contribution to the country. There is no route based on income, savings or property ownership alone.

How do I get a Permanent Residence Card in Vietnam?

You confirm which recognised immigration-law category applies to you, assemble and legalise the supporting dossier, and file it with the provincial Public Security immigration office. The Ministry of Public Security then has up to four months, extendable, to decide before you collect the card.

Can I get Vietnamese permanent residency by investing in property?

No. Vietnam has no residency-by-property-investment (“golden visa”) programme. Buying an apartment, at any price, does not count toward any of the recognised eligibility categories and does not shorten the process — it is an entirely separate legal track from a real estate purchase.

Is a Permanent Residence Card free?

No — a government fee applies, set by the Immigration Department's official schedule and payable in VND when the card is issued. It is a modest administrative fee, unrelated to property value or income, not a free service.

What is the difference between a Temporary Residence Card and a Permanent Residence Card?

A Temporary Residence Card (thẻ tạm trú) is tied to a specific purpose — work, investment, marriage — and is renewed periodically, typically every 1–5 years. A Permanent Residence Card carries no such tie and, once granted, does not expire unless revoked; only the physical card is renewed, every 10 years. See our guide to the Temporary Residence Card for the comparison.

What are the benefits of holding a Permanent Residence Card?

Holders can live in Vietnam indefinitely without renewing a visa or a work permit tied to a single employer, and re-enter the country more freely. It does not, on its own, change your property ownership rights, your tax treatment as a buyer, or the 30% per-building foreign quota and 50-year renewable ownership term that apply to any foreign real estate purchase.

Do I need a Permanent Residence Card to buy property in Hanoi?

No. A foreign buyer only needs to have entered Vietnam legally, with a passport bearing a valid entry stamp, to purchase eligible real estate. A Permanent Residence Card is not required — and, as above, buying property does not lead to one either.

Sources

Considering long-term residency in Vietnam?

If a Permanent Residence Card is part of your plans alongside a Hanoi purchase, our advisory desk can put you in touch with licensed immigration counsel to assess your eligibility — a separate process from your property transaction. We reply within 24 hours, no obligation.

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