How long does the 5-Year Visa Exemption Certificate (Vk) last?

The initial grant runs 5 years. It is not renewable, so plan your next step before it expires.

Can my family come with me on the 5-Year Visa Exemption Certificate (Vk)?

Yes, this route allows dependents.

What does the 5-Year Visa Exemption Certificate (Vk) cost?

The application fee is $20. All in, expect about $50 once supporting documents and filings are counted.

Guide · Visa route · Vietnam

5-Year Visa Exemption Certificate (Vk) for Vietnam (2026 guide)

A five-year multiple-entry visa substitute for overseas Vietnamese and foreign spouses or children of Vietnamese citizens, allowing stays of up to 180 days per entry. Every number below comes from the route itself: the income bar, the documents, the fees, the clock. Check yourself against the real requirements before you commit to Vietnam, so the consulate is a formality instead of a surprise.

Official government source

Processing time

About 1 week

Application fee

$20

Initial duration

5 years

Total estimated cost

$50

7 documentsRequired to file

Section 01

The 5-Year Visa Exemption Certificate (Vk), in numbers

What Vietnam actually asks of you on this route. If a fact is not confirmed in the Nomad knowledge graph, it is not shown here.

Renewable: No
Family can come: Yes
Remote work for a foreign employer: Allowed
Tax treatment: Vk certificate holders who exceed 183 days of presence in Vietnam in a calendar year become Vietnamese tax residents subject to worldwide income at progressive rates up to 35 percent. Many holders use the 180-day-per-entry limit precisely to avoid tax residency.

Section 02 · Documents

The 7 documents your application stands on

Applications rarely fail on eligibility. They fail on one missing paper, discovered at the appointment. Gather these before you book anything and the filing week goes quiet.

Passport 6mo Validity
Marriage Certificate Notarized
Birth Certificate Vietnamese Parent
Household Registration Book Sponsor
Sponsor Vietnamese Passport Or ID
Application Form NA9
Recent Color Photo Vietnam

Section 03

How this route fits your move

A visa is not a decision on its own. It sets your move date, the documents you chase first, and in some cases where your taxes land. The facts above tell you whether the 5-Year Visa Exemption Certificate (Vk) clears your situation on paper. What they cannot tell you is the order: which document to start first because it expires, when to book the appointment, what has to be apostilled before it crosses a border.

That sequencing is where moves stall. If this route fits, work backward from your target date. If the income bar or the document list rules it out, compare the other Vietnam routes below before you rule out the country, because most destinations have more than one way in.

Section 04

Other ways into Vietnam

The full Vietnam guide All Vietnam visa routes

Section 05 · Common questions

The 5-Year Visa Exemption Certificate (Vk), answered

How long does the 5-Year Visa Exemption Certificate (Vk) last?: The initial grant runs 5 years. It is not renewable, so plan your next step before it expires.
Can my family come with me on the 5-Year Visa Exemption Certificate (Vk)?: Yes, this route allows dependents.
What does the 5-Year Visa Exemption Certificate (Vk) cost?: The application fee is $20. All in, expect about $50 once supporting documents and filings are counted.

Your route, your dates

Turn the 5-Year Visa Exemption Certificate (Vk) into a dated plan.

Start a plan and this route becomes dated tasks: each document sequenced backward from your move date, alongside the taxes, the logistics, and everything else Vietnam will ask of you. About 90 seconds to a real plan.

Build my move plan The full Vietnam guide

Free to start. No card required for the plan preview.

Not immigration, tax, or legal advice. Always confirm requirements with the official source before you file.