Differences between visa card and temporary residence card

What is Visa?

Visa, also known as an entry paper, is an official document that allows foreigners to enter a specific country legally. The visa is usually stamped or glued into the bearer's passport. There are several different types of visas, each of which affords the different bearer rights in the host country.

What is a temporary residence card?

A temporary residence card (TRC) is a card that allows foreigners to temporarily reside and work in Vietnam for a long time without needing to renew their visas. The immigration authorities will issue this card.

When a foreigner has made a temporary residence card in Vietnam whose expiry date remains, he no longer needs to make a visa card. Because a temporary residence card and visa card have the same function, both documents are required for foreigners to come to Vietnam for tourism or residence.

What are the differences between these two cards?

+ Visa card is a card with a short-term stay in Vietnam. In common, a visa card is made for one month, three months, and when the card expires, it will have to be renewed many times. The subjects who should use the visa card are people traveling for business and working in the short-term in Vietnam and tourists.

+ The temporary residence card will have a longer-term, usually from 6 months to 5 years, depending on the subject. When foreigners have a temporary residence card in Vietnam, they only have to apply for a temporary residence extension once every 6 months to 3 years. If a person applies for a temporary residence card, he can freely enter and exit abroad while it is still available.

Suppose you have a visa on entry and exit in Vietnam. In that case, the procedure will be a bit complicated, and you only have 12 days to give a passport to Vietnam.

A temporary residence card will be suitable for those who want to live and work in Vietnam for a long time. Foreigners who have to enter and exit Vietnam many times a year also should use it.

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