GUIDELINES FOR TEMPORARY RESIDENCE REGISTRATION FOR FOREIGNERS IN VIETNAM
Vietnam is an attractive destination for more and more foreigners to work, study and live. Therefore, the Vietnamese Government has issued procedures for temporary residence registration for foreigners, in order to strengthen population management and ensure security and social order. These new regulations not only directly affect individual foreigners but also affect organizations and businesses that employ foreign workers or provide accommodation services. In order to help individuals and organizations fully grasp information about the temporary residence registration process, DHT would like to introduce an article with the topic: "Guide to temporary residence registration for foreigners in Vietnam".
1. REGULATIONS FOR TEMPORARY RESIDENCE REGISTRATION FOR FOREIGNERS IN VIETNAM
1.1. Regulations on temporary residence registration for foreigners in Vietnam
According to Article 33 of the 2014 Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam (amended and supplemented 2023), the regulations on temporary residence registration for foreigners in Vietnam are as follows:
“Any foreigner that temporarily resides in Vietnam shall, via the person directly managing and operating the operation of the accommodation establishment, declare his/her temporary residence to the police of the commune, ward, and township or at the local police authority/station where the accommodation establishment is located. The accommodation establishment shall be responsible for requesting the foreigner to present his/her passport or international laissez-passer, and documents related to residence in Vietnam to register temporary residence before admitting him/her. If the border guard post/station receives the declaration of temporary residence of the foreigner under regulations of an international treaty to which Vietnam is a signatory, the border guard post/station shall immediately notify the police of the commune, ward, township or the police authority/station where the foreigner temporarily resides.”
This means that before agreeing to accommodate a foreigner, the lodging establishment must request the foreigner to present their passport or documents related to their residence in Vietnam to complete the temporary residence registration with the competent authorities.
1.2. Forms of temporary residence registration for foreigners
Currently, to register a temporary residence for foreigners in Vietnam, the owner of the lodging establishment can carry out the registration in one of the following two ways:
- Temporary residence declaration registration via the web portal:
For lodging establishments that are hotels, the temporary residence declaration for foreigners must be done online through the information portal of the Immigration Department of the provincial/city police.
- Temporary residence declaration by a registration form:
For other lodging establishments, depending on their conditions, they can choose to declare temporary residence by submitting a declaration form at the commune-level police station or perform the temporary residence declaration online through the information portal of the Immigration Department of the provincial/city police.
1.3. Deadline for temporary residence registration for foreigners
The owner of the lodging establishment must carry out the declaration immediately when the foreigner registers for temporary residence. Specifically:
- For online declarations, the owner of the lodging establishment must declare immediately when the foreigner registers for temporary residence. The Immigration Department of the provincial/city police will receive the temporary residence registration information of foreigners 24/7 via the online information portal.
- For declarations by declaration form, the declarant must submit the temporary residence declaration form to the duty officer at the commune-level police station where the lodging establishment is located within 12 hours. In remote areas, the deadline is 24 hours from when the foreigner registers for temporary residence.
2. GUIDELINES FOR TEMPORARY RESIDENCE REGISTRATION FOR FOREIGNERS IN VIETNAM.
2.1. Online temporary residence registration
- Step 1: Access the website of the Immigration Department
The lodging establishment accesses the website of the provincial/city Immigration Department at the following link: https://tentinh.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/.
Replace "tentinh" with the name of the province or centrally-governed city where the lodging establishment is located, such as hanoi, danang, hochiminh, baria-vungtau, thainguyen, hanam, etc.
- Step 2: Register an account for temporary residence registration
Each lodging establishment (hotel, homestay, guesthouse) is allowed to register only one account for the purpose of registering the residence of foreigners.
The lodging establishment must fill out information about the establishment and the account registrant on the Immigration Department's system. This includes details such as the name, type, address, phone number, and email of the lodging establishment, as well as personal information of the representative of the lodging establishment, including ID card/citizen ID/passport number, etc.
After entering all the information, select "Complete registration."
*Note: Account registration is only done once. If you already have an account, simply log in without needing to create a new account.
- Step 3: Log in to the website
The lodging establishment logs in to the registered account to register the residence information for foreigners.
- Step 4: Register temporary residence for foreigners
After successfully logging in, go to the "Function" section, select "Enter temporary residence registration," and then select "Add new" to input the temporary residence registration information for foreigners. The screen will display a form where you need to accurately fill in the foreigner's information to complete the temporary residence registration.
2.2. Direct registration of temporary residence
- Step 1: Request for a temporary residence registration form for foreigners
The owner of the lodging establishment needs to contact the duty officer at the commune/ward police station where the establishment is located to obtain a temporary residence registration form for foreigners (Form NA17 according to Circular 04/2015/TT-BCA).
- Step 2: Fill out the information
The person declaring temporary residence must fill out all required information on the registration form, including the name of the lodging establishment, address, phone number, and the foreigner’s personal information.
- Step 3: Submit the temporary residence declaration form
Submit the temporary residence declaration form to the duty officer at the commune/ward police station. The form can be sent in advance via fax or the information can be communicated by phone to the commune-level police before submitting the form within the stipulated time frame. The commune-level police will check the legality and content of the registration.
- Step 4: Receive the result receipt
The declarant receives the temporary residence registration form with confirmation from the commune/ward police.
3. IS THERE A PENALTY FOR NOT REGISTERING TEMPORARY RESIDENCE FOR FOREIGNERS?
According to the provisions in point (d), clause 4, Article 9 of Decree No. 144/2021/ND-CP, the failure of the owner of accommodation to declare temporary residence for foreigners can be subject to administrative fines ranging from 4,000,000 VND to 6,000,000 VND.
Additionally, according to Article 18 of Decree No. 144/2021/ND-CP, other violations related to the temporary residence declaration for foreigners can also be subject to fines ranging from 3,000,000 VND to 5,000,000 VND, including:
- Accommodation establishments such as hotels that do not connect their internet network to the electronic information portal of the immigration management agency of the provincial/city-level police to perform the temporary residence declaration for foreigners;
- Accommodation establishments that provide overnight stay for foreigners but do not perform the temporary residence declaration or do not update the temporary residence declaration information for foreigners as required;
- Foreigners who do not provide information or provide false information to the accommodation establishment to perform the temporary residence declaration.
In addition to the administrative penalties, foreigners who violate the regulations on temporary residence declaration can also be deported from Vietnam according to the law.
These are all the details related to the procedures for temporary residence registration for foreigners in Vietnam. Our company, Dai Ha Thanh Law Firm, with a team of lawyers and legal advisors professionally trained both domestically and internationally, is committed to providing professional legal services to our valued clients. If you need detailed consultation, please contact us to receive professional and effective legal advisory services.
