Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam 2014

LAW

ENTRY, EXIT, TRANSIT, AND RESIDENCE OF FOREIGNERS IN VIETNAM

Pursuant to the Constitution of Socialist Republic of Vietnam;

The National Assembly promulgates the Law on Entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam.

Chapter I

GENERAL REGULATIONS

Article 1. Scope

This Law deals with the rules, conditions, procedures , rights and obligations of foreigners who enter, leave, and reside in Vietnam; rights and obligations of Vietnamese authorities and other entities to foreigners’ entry, exit, and residence in Vietnam.

Article 2. Regulated entities

This Law deals is applied to foreigners who enter, leave, transit through, and reside in Vietnam, Vietnamese authorities, relevant Vietnamese and foreign entities.

Article 3. Interpretation of terms

In this Law, the terms below are construed as follows:

1. Foreigners are those who carry papers proving their foreign nationalities, or those without nationalities who enter, leave, transit through, or reside in Vietnam.

2. Papers proving foreign nationalities are papers issued by foreign authorities or the UN, including passports or passport substitutes (hereinafter referred to as passports).

3. International laissez-passer means a document issued by a competent authority of a country to a person without nationality who is residing therein, and is accepted by Vietnamese authorities.

4. Entry means a foreigner’s entering into Vietnam through a Vietnam’s border checkpoint.

5. Transit means a foreigner’s passing or staying within the area for transit passengers at a border checkpoint of Vietnam before going to a third country.

6. Exit means a foreigner’s leaving Vietnam through a Vietnam’s border checkpoint.

7. Suspension of exit means a decision of competent person of Vietnam to suspend a foreigner residing in Vietnam from leaving Vietnam for a certain period of time.

8. Compelled exit means a decision of competent person of Vietnam to compel a foreigner residing in Vietnam to leave Vietnam through a Vietnam’s border checkpoint.

9. Residence means a foreigner’s permanent or temporary residence in Vietnam.

10. Border checkpoint is a place where foreigners are granted entry, exit, or transit.

11. Visa means a document issued by a competent authority of Vietnam to a foreigner to grant entry into Vietnam.

12.  Temporary residence permit means a certification by a Vietnamese authority of the period over which the foreigner may temporarily reside in Vietnam.

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Chapter IX

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 53. Transitional regulations

Unexpired entry/exit/residence permits issued before the effective date of this Law are still effective until they expire.

Article 54. Effect

1. This Law takes effect on January 01, 2015.

2. The Ordinance No. 24/1999/PL-UBTVQH10 on entry, exit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam is annulled as from the effective date of this Law.

Article 55. Guidelines

The Government shall provide guidelines for the Articles and Clauses assigned thereto.

This Law has been passed by the 13^th National Assembly of Socialist Republic of Vietnam during the 7^th session on June 16, 2014.