PV1 visa
For foreign correspondents based in Vietnam long term.
- Visa valid up to 12 months
- Residence card up to 2 years
- The card replaces the visa, so no yearly renewal
Press Visa · Vietnam
Press (PV) Visa in Vietnam
The PV visa lets foreign journalists and media professionals come to Vietnam to report, film, and produce, for up to a year. PV1 is for correspondents based in the country; PV2 is for short-term assignments. A Vietnamese organization has to invite you.
Two types, PV1 and PV2Up to 12 monthsSponsor requiredPV1 residence card to 2 years
Overview
What is the Vietnam press visa?
The Vietnam press visa, the PV visa (from Phóng Viên, Vietnamese for reporter), is issued to foreign journalists, reporters, film crews, and media professionals coming to the country for media work. It runs up to 12 months and is usually tied to the length of the assignment. An organization in Vietnam has to invite and sponsor the application.
There are two types. PV1 is for correspondents resident in Vietnam, and PV2 is for journalists on a short-term assignment. The type decides whether you can hold a residence card.
The visa is not the same as permission to report. A PV visa lets you enter the country, but the reporting itself — interviews, filming, and travel for coverage — is arranged separately through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The rules around that are set out below.
The two types
PV1 and PV2 — which type of press visa you need
The two types differ by how long you are based in Vietnam, and that decides your access to a residence card.
PV2 visa
For journalists on a short-term assignment, with no residence card.
- Visa valid up to 12 months
- Single or multiple entry, as approved
- Renewed or reapplied for per assignment
In practice, a PV1 correspondent settles onto the residence card and stays for its term, while a PV2 reporter stays on the visa and handles it assignment by assignment.
What you can do
What the PV press visa allows
It is a working visa for media activity, within the rules that apply to foreign reporting in Vietnam.
Reporting and filming
Traveling within Vietnam to cover stories
Producing articles, video, and documentaries
Attending press conferences and briefings
Working with local media, when disclosed in the application
What it does not cover. The press visa is for media work only. It does not allow employment or paid work in other sectors, or business outside journalism. Reporting on restricted topics or in restricted areas needs prior authorization, and reporting plans and material can be subject to review by the authorities.
Reporting rules
Accreditation and reporting permission
Holding a PV visa is separate from being cleared to report. Foreign journalists working in Vietnam deal with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its Foreign Press Center, which handles accreditation and approves journalistic activity.
Resident correspondents are accredited and issued a press card. Journalists on a short assignment apply for permission covering that specific trip. In both cases, interviews, filming, and travel for reporting can require notice or prior approval, and some topics and locations are restricted. Building these steps into the assignment plan from the start is what keeps it on schedule.
What to prepare
Documents required for the Vietnam press visa
The inviting organization files most of the dossier. You provide your passport, photos, and proof that you work in the media.
- A passport valid for at least six months, with blank pages.
- The visa application form and passport photos.
- Proof of your profession as a journalist or media professional, such as a press or reporter card.
- An invitation and guarantee from the sponsoring organization in Vietnam.
- For PV1, documents showing your status as a resident correspondent; for PV2, the details of the short-term assignment.
- Intended topics and itinerary, where the assignment requires them.
We confirm the exact set for the assignment and prepare it with you.
How Emerhub helps
How to apply for the Vietnam press visa
A PV visa needs a Vietnamese sponsor and runs alongside press accreditation. We help with the visa and residence-card logistics and the local sponsorship; accreditation itself is handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
1
Line up the sponsor
An organization in Vietnam invites and guarantees you for the assignment, which is the basis for the visa.
2
File the entry approval
The sponsor files the approval with the Immigration Department, stating the press purpose and whether you need PV1 or PV2.
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
Arrange accreditation
Reporting work is cleared through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. PV1 correspondents also apply for a residence card at this stage.
Coming to Vietnam for press work?
Tell us about the assignment, who is sponsoring you, and the time you need, and we’ll handle the visa and residence-card logistics so you can focus on the reporting.
Common questions
Vietnam press visa FAQs
The questions journalists and media teams ask most about the PV visa.
What is the PV visa?
It is Vietnam’s press visa, for foreign journalists, film crews, and media professionals coming to do media work. It runs up to 12 months, comes in two types, PV1 and PV2, and requires a Vietnamese organization to invite and sponsor the application.
PV1 or PV2, which applies to me?
PV1 is for correspondents based in Vietnam, and it opens the way to a residence card. PV2 is for journalists on a short-term assignment, with no residence card. The right type depends on whether you are resident in the country or visiting for a specific piece of work.
How long is the press visa valid?
Up to 12 months by law, usually tied to the assignment. A PV1 correspondent can then hold a residence card valid up to two years, which removes the yearly visa renewal. PV2 has no residence card, so it is renewed or reapplied for as the work continues.
Can I get a residence card on the PV visa?
On PV1, yes, up to two years. PV2 does not qualify for a residence card. So a resident correspondent settles onto a card, while a short-term reporter stays on the visa.
Does the visa let me report freely?
The visa lets you enter; the reporting is arranged separately. Foreign journalists are accredited and cleared through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and interviews, filming, and travel for coverage can need prior approval. Some topics and locations are restricted.
Do I need a sponsor for the press visa?
Yes. A PV visa must be invited and guaranteed by an organization in Vietnam, which files the entry approval. We can help arrange local sponsorship and handle the visa and residence-card paperwork.
Can I do other work on the press visa?
No. The PV visa covers media activity only. Employment in other sectors or business outside journalism is not allowed, and would call for a different visa, such as a work or business visa.
Can I report on a tourist or business visa?
No. Journalistic work needs the PV visa together with accreditation. Using a tourist or business visa to report is a breach of the rules and can affect future entry.
Press visa in Vietnam?
Talk to our Ho Chi Minh City team
A free, no-obligation call: thirty minutes with our Vietnam team to confirm the right press visa for the assignment, walk through the sponsor and accreditation steps, and lay out the timeline through to arrival.