Vietnam Business Visa: How to Get the Right One for a Factory Visit

Planning to visit suppliers in Vietnam? The right visa depends on your passport and your stay. Most buyers need a 90-day business e-visa, which takes 3 to 5 working days.

How to Get the Right One for a Factory Visit?

Which Vietnam visa fits a factory visit?

Visiting a factory, negotiating prices or checking samples counts as a business visit. Three visas allow it. Two questions decide which one fits: is your passport on an exemption list, and will a company in Vietnam sponsor you?

When in doubt, take the e-visa. It works for every nationality.

E-visa: the default for US, Canadian and Australian buyers

Citizens of every country can apply for an e-visa. It allows up to 90 days, with single or multiple entry. The US State Department confirms that a visa is required before travel, and Canada and Australia are on no exemption list. For these buyers, the e-visa is the standard route.

45-day visa exemption: check your passport first

• Any purpose: UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland, until 14 March 2028.
• Tourism only: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland, until 14 August 2028. Business visitors from these countries should take an e-visa.

DN1 and DN2 visas: only with a Vietnamese sponsor

A DN visa lasts up to 12 months, but a company registered in Vietnam must sponsor you and file the application. Processing takes about 5 working days once the file is complete. It suits buyers who open an office or return every month, not a first factory visit.

How to apply for a Vietnam business e-visa

The application is fully online and needs no visit to an embassy. Have your documents ready, then follow these six steps.

1. Fill in the form with your personal details, travel dates and address in Vietnam.
2. Select business as the purpose of entry.
3. Choose a single or multiple entry, and the number of days you need.
4. Select your border checkpoints. The UK government notes that e-visas restrict you to the entry and exit points you choose.
5. Pay the fee online.
6. Print the approved e-visa and carry it with your passport.

Documents to prepare before you start

• A passport valid for 6 months beyond your arrival date, with 2 blank pages.
• A scan of the passport data page.
• A recent 4×6 cm portrait photo in JPG format.
• Your address in Vietnam, such as your hotel.
• The entry airport closest to your factories.

H3: Fees and processing time

The government fee depends on the number of entries, not on the length of stay. It is not refunded if the application is rejected.

Apply at least two weeks before departure, and earlier around the Tet holiday.

What can you do on a business e-visa?

The e-visa covers everything a factory visit involves, as long as you declare business on the form. The visa itself stays the same, so the stated purpose is what matters.

• Allowed: meeting suppliers, auditing factories, reviewing samples, negotiating prices and attending trade fairs.
• Not allowed: taking up employment with a Vietnamese company, which requires a work permit.

Working without the right permit can lead to deportation and a ban on future entry, according to the UK government. Carry your printed e-visa and your meeting schedule when you cross the border.

Do you need an invitation letter?

No. An e-visa or a visa-free entry needs no sponsor, so you can apply on your own. A written visit schedule still helps at the border.

If a local sourcing agent such as Primo Agency books your factory appointments, it can provide one. It should list each factory’s name, address and visit date.

Can you extend an e-visa inside Vietnam?

No. An e-visa cannot be extended from inside the country. If your supplier search runs long, you must leave Vietnam and apply again. Request the full 90 days from the start, and choose multiple entry if your plans may change. The longer period costs nothing extra.