Conference Visa · Vietnam
Conference (HN) Visa in Vietnam
The HN visa is for attending a conference, seminar, or similar event in Vietnam, for up to 90 days. A Vietnamese organizer invites you, and the visa is pre-approved before you travel. It covers the event itself, not work, business, or a longer stay.
For conferences and seminarsUp to 90 daysOrganizer invitationSingle or multiple entry
Overview
What is the Vietnam conference visa?
The HN visa, from Hội nghị (Vietnamese for conference), is issued to foreign nationals attending a conference, seminar, or similar event in Vietnam. It runs up to 90 days and is pre-approved before you travel, on an invitation from the organizer in the country.
It is a short-stay visa, single or multiple entry, tied to the event you are attending. It does not lead to a residence card or a longer stay.
The HN visa is for the event, nothing more. It does not allow employment, paid work, or business activity such as signing contracts, and it cannot be turned into a residence card or a long-term stay. Those each call for a different visa, such as a business (DN) visa, a work visa, or the investor (DT) visa.
What you can do
What the HN conference visa allows
It covers taking part in the event and the activities around it.
Attending the conference or seminar
Taking part in educational or scientific research events
Networking at the event
Presenting or speaking about your work
Short courses connected to the conference
What it does not cover. The HN visa does not allow employment or paid work, or business activity such as management, contracts, or negotiations. It is not for a degree or long-term study program, for settling in Vietnam, or for an extended tourism trip. Each of those needs its own visa.
Which route
Conference visa or e-visa, which one fits?
Attending an event does not always need a sponsored HN visa. Vietnam’s e-visa covers up to 90 days, is applied for online, and needs no invitation, which is enough for many delegates. The HN visa is the right route when a Vietnamese organizer formally invites or sponsors you, or arranges entry for a group.
| Conference visa (HN) | E-visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Validity | Up to 90 days | Up to 90 days |
| Invitation | From a Vietnamese organizer | None |
| How it is issued | Pre-approval, then a mission abroad or on arrival | Online |
| Best for | A sponsored or organizer-arranged event | Attending on your own |
Both are for attending the event, and neither lets you work or do business in Vietnam.
What to prepare
Documents required for the HN conference visa
The organizer provides the invitation and helps with the approval. You provide your passport and photos.
- A passport valid for at least six months.
- An invitation letter from the conference or seminar organizer in Vietnam.
- The entry approval letter, issued by the Immigration Department once the invitation is verified.
- A visa application form and passport photos.
We confirm the exact set, and where you need a local sponsor, arrange it with you.
How Emerhub helps
How to apply for the Vietnam conference visa
An HN visa runs on the organizer’s invitation, so the process starts there. If you need a Vietnamese sponsor, we can act as one.
1
Get the invitation
The Vietnamese organizer invites you to the conference or seminar, which is the basis for the visa.
2
Secure pre-approval
The organizer files for the entry approval with the Immigration Department, stating the event and your details.
3
Collect the visa
With the approval letter, you have the visa stamped at a Vietnamese mission abroad or on arrival, depending on the approval issued.
4
Attend the event
You enter for the event, for up to 90 days, single or multiple entry as approved.
Attending an event in Vietnam?
Tell us about the event and dates, and we’ll confirm whether you need a conference visa or a simpler e-visa, act as your Vietnamese sponsor where one is required, and handle the approval.
Common questions
Vietnam conference visa FAQs
The questions delegates and event organizers ask most about the HN visa.
What is the HN visa?
It is Vietnam’s conference visa, for foreign nationals attending a conference, seminar, or similar event. It runs up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, and is issued on an invitation from the Vietnamese organizer.
Do I need the conference visa, or can I use an e-visa?
If you are simply attending and have no formal sponsor, the e-visa covers up to 90 days online, with no invitation, and is usually enough. The HN visa is the route when a Vietnamese organizer formally invites or sponsors you, or arranges entry for a group.
How long is the HN conference visa valid?
Up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, as approved. It is a short-stay visa, so it does not extend into a residence card or a long-term stay.
Do I need an invitation?
Yes. An HN visa is issued on an invitation from the organizer of the conference or seminar in Vietnam, who also files for the entry approval. If you have no local sponsor, Emerhub can act as one.
Can I work or do business on the conference visa?
No. The HN visa covers the event only. Employment, paid work, and business activity such as signing contracts or negotiations are not allowed, and would need a work or business visa.
Can I stay longer or get a residence card?
No. The HN visa is short-term and does not qualify for a residence card. For a longer stay you move to the visa that fits the purpose, such as a work, business, or investor visa, before the longer stay begins.
Where do I collect the conference visa?
Once the entry approval is issued, you have the visa stamped at a Vietnamese embassy or consulate abroad, or on arrival at an international airport, depending on the approval. It is not limited to your home country.
Can Emerhub sponsor a conference visa?
Yes. Where you or your delegates have no Vietnamese organizer to act as sponsor, Emerhub can issue the invitation, file the approval, and arrange the visa.
Conference visa in Vietnam?
Talk to our Ho Chi Minh City team
A free, no-obligation call: thirty minutes with our Vietnam team to confirm whether you need a sponsored HN visa or just an e-visa for your event, and to arrange the invitation and approval if you do.