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Temporary residence registration: what it is, why it matters, how to obtain it
What is temporary residence registration in Vietnam?
Temporary residence registration at a glance
Document- Vietnamese name
- Khai báo tạm trú, also called đăng ký tạm trú (temporary residence declaration)
- Not to be confused with Thẻ tạm trú, the physical <a href="/documents/temporary-residence-card">Temporary Residence Card</a> issued for longer-stay visa categories
- Who declares it
- Your host — hotel, homestay, landlord, or the management board of your building — normally files it on your behalf
- You (or a Vietnamese-speaking representative) must self-declare if you are staying independently, such as in your own apartment
- Recorded by
- Local ward/commune police (Công an cấp xã/phường), via the national residence database
- Filed online through the <a href="https://xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Ministry of Public Security portal</a> or the VNeID app in most Hanoi wards, or in person at the local station
- When required
- Within 12 hours of arrival in urban wards, 24 hours in rural or mountainous areas
- Article 33, Law No. 47/2014/QH13 on the entry, exit, transit and residence of foreigners in Vietnam, as amended
- Typical cost
- Free — there is no government fee for the declaration itself
- Some serviced buildings fold the admin work into their management fee; ask your building office to confirm
- Validity
- Tied to your length of stay at that specific address
- It must be redone every time you change accommodation, even when moving within the same district
- Language
- Vietnamese for the official record
- The Ministry of Public Security online portal and the VNeID app also offer an English interface
- Governing law
- Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam (No. 47/2014/QH13)
- Amended by Law No. 51/2019/QH14 and subsequent amendments through 2023
- Required for
- Every foreign national staying overnight in Vietnam, including at a property you own
- An immigration formality — not a step in the property purchase itself, and not proof of any ownership or residency right
- Covers family members too
- Any accompanying spouse, children or dependents staying at the same address must each be declared individually
- Include their passport and visa details when the host — or you — files the declaration
- If it is filed late
- The law sets no formal grace period, though a minor, one-off delay is sometimes tolerated in practice by ward police
- Repeated or prolonged lapses are far more likely to draw an administrative fine — see the FAQ below
How temporary residence registration works once you arrive
⏱ Same day, repeated each time you change address
For most stays — hotels, serviced apartments, homestays with an experienced host — the declaration happens automatically in the background and you never need to act on it. It becomes your own responsibility only once you are staying independently: in your own purchased apartment, a private long-term rental, or with a private host unfamiliar with the process.
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Your host or building management declares your arrival
⏱ Within 12–24 hours of arrival◈ Free
Hotels, homestays and most serviced or professionally managed buildings in Hanoi file your temporary residence declaration automatically at check-in, using the details on your passport and your visa or entry stamp.
DocumentsPassport with valid visa or entry stamp
⚠Ask at check-in whether it has been filed — do not assume it, particularly at smaller guesthouses or informal private rentals.
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Self-declare if you are staying at your own property
⏱ Same day online; longer in person if paperwork is incomplete◈ Free
If you own the apartment and are staying there without a managing agent or building service, you — or a Vietnamese-speaking representative — declare directly, either online through the Ministry of Public Security portal or the VNeID app, or in person at the local ward police station.
DocumentsPassport with valid visa or entry stamp · Proof you are staying at the address — Pink Book, lease, or handover minutes
⚠The online portal is built for Vietnamese-language submissions; most foreign owners ask their building management or an expat services provider to file it for them.
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Keep proof for later administrative steps
⏱ On request
No physical certificate is routinely issued for a standard declaration, but a written confirmation can be requested from the ward police if you later need to show proof of residence — for example, when applying for a driving licence or renewing a Temporary Residence Card.
⚠Do not confuse this confirmation with a Temporary Residence Card (Thẻ tạm trú) — the two serve different purposes and are issued through entirely different processes.
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Redeclare every time you change address
⏱ Within 12–24 hours of each move
Moving between serviced apartments, taking handover of a newly completed unit, or simply switching hotels each restarts the clock. The obligation is tied to the address you are sleeping at, not to the validity period of your visa.
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Temporary Residence Card holders still redeclare when they move
⏱ Within 12–24 hours of each move
Holding a Temporary Residence Card (Thẻ tạm trú) — issued to work-permit holders, investors and their eligible family members, typically for 1–5 years — does not exempt you from this declaration. The card confirms your broader immigration status; the temporary residence declaration confirms where you are currently sleeping, and Vietnamese authorities track the two separately.
DocumentsTemporary Residence Card
⚠Some longer-stay residents assume the card alone is sufficient — it is not. Each change of address still requires its own, fresh declaration.
Expat services that handle residence declarations in Hanoi
InCorp Vietnam (Ascentium / Cekindo)
★Market entry, création société, legal advisory, comptabilité/fiscalité, RH/paie, recrutement, immigration & expat services
Ho Chi Minh City · EN, VI
Acclime Vietnam
★Corporate services: création société, comptabilité/fiscalité, RH/paie, work permit & immigration (TRC), advisory
Ho Chi Minh City · EN, VI, ZH
Emerhub Vietnam
Enregistrement société (LLC/JSC/RO), tax & payroll, product/trademark registration, importer of record, business visas & work permits
Ho Chi Minh City · EN, VI
Vietnam-visa.com (Vietnam Discovery Travel JSC)
E-visa, visa on arrival, work visa, investor visa, work permit, temporary residence card, fast-track aéroport, légalisation consulaire
Hanoi · EN, VI
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to declare temporary residence in Vietnam?
Yes. Every foreign national must have their temporary residence declared to local police within 12 hours of arrival in an urban ward, or 24 hours elsewhere, each time they stay overnight in Vietnam — whether at a hotel, a rental, or a property they own.
How do I register temporary residence in Vietnam?
In most cases you do nothing — your hotel, homestay or building management files it for you at check-in. If you are staying independently, such as in your own purchased apartment, you or a representative can declare online through the Ministry of Public Security portal or the VNeID app, or in person at the local ward police station.
What do I have to declare when entering Vietnam?
On entry, you present your passport and visa or e-visa as usual. Temporary residence registration is a separate, follow-on step once you have an address to stay at — it records where you are staying, not your entry into the country, and is normally handled by your host.
What does "committed to declare temporary residence according to the provisions of Vietnamese laws" mean on a visa form?
It is a standard commitment clause found on Vietnamese immigration paperwork, such as visa or Temporary Residence Card applications, by which you acknowledge the legal obligation to have your temporary residence declared. Ticking it does not complete the declaration itself — you or your host still need to file it once you have an address.
Who is responsible for the declaration — me or my landlord or hotel?
The obligation is typically discharged by whoever is hosting you: a hotel, homestay, landlord, or a building's management board. If you own your apartment and live there without an intermediary, filing the declaration falls to you.
What happens if temporary residence is not declared?
Undeclared stays can lead to administrative fines for the foreign national, the host, or both, and can complicate later immigration steps such as visa extensions or Temporary Residence Card renewals. It is a low-cost, low-effort formality that is not worth skipping.
Does temporary residence registration affect my property purchase or grant me residency?
No. It is an immigration formality entirely separate from property ownership. Buying an apartment in Hanoi grants you no right of residence, and you must already hold a valid visa and have entered Vietnam legally before you are able to purchase.
Sources
- Law No. 47/2014/QH13 on entry, exit, transit and residence of foreigners in Vietnam, as amended by Law No. 51/2019/QH14 — the legal basis for the 12/24-hour temporary residence declaration requirement.
- Vietnam Immigration Department (Cục Quản lý xuất nhập cảnh), Ministry of Public Security — official portal for residence and visa procedures.
- Housing Law 2023 (No. 27/2023/QH15) — governs foreign ownership rights, kept separate from residence status.
- Land Law 2024 (No. 31/2024/QH15) — governs the land-use rights underlying Vietnamese property ownership.
- Decree 95/2024/ND-CP detailing the implementation of the Housing Law 2023.
Not sure who should file your declaration?
Our Hanoi advisory desk coordinates residence declarations, visa questions and building management for clients who own or are buying property here — ask for an independent second opinion and we will respond within 24 hours.