Other Purposes Visa · Vietnam
SQ (Other Purposes) Visa in Vietnam
The SQ visa is an ‘other purposes’ category, issued for up to 30 days by a Vietnamese mission abroad. It is limited to specific cases tied to Vietnamese missions and diplomatic channels. For ordinary tourism, family visits, or treatment, most visitors use an e-visa instead.
Other purposes categoryUp to 30 daysSpecific cases onlyIssued by a mission abroad
Overview
What is the Vietnam SQ visa?
The SQ visa is Vietnam’s ‘other purposes’ category. It is issued by the head of a Vietnamese diplomatic mission abroad, for up to 30 days, to foreign nationals coming for a market survey, tourism, a family visit, or medical treatment. The number of entries depends on what the mission approves.
What sets it apart is who can use it. The SQ is not a general visa for any visitor. It is limited to a few cases connected to Vietnamese missions, the host country’s foreign ministry, or foreign diplomatic offices, set out below.
For an ordinary visit, you probably want an e-visa. If you are coming to tour, see family, or get treatment and have no link to the cases below, Vietnam’s e-visa covers all nationalities for up to 90 days, online and without a mission’s involvement. The SQ applies only in the specific situations described here.
Eligibility
Who the SQ visa is for
The SQ visa covers four purposes — a market survey, tourism, visiting relatives, and medical treatment — but only for foreign nationals who fall into one of these cases:
- A working relationship with a Vietnamese visa-issuing mission abroad, along with your spouse and children.
- A written request from a competent agency of the host country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- A guarantee diplomatic note from a foreign diplomatic mission or consulate in the host country.
If none of these applies, the SQ is not your route, and an e-visa or another category is.
What you can do
What the SQ visa covers
Within the cases above, the visa is issued for these purposes.
Conducting a market survey
Tourism
Visiting relatives
Medical treatment
What it does not cover. The SQ 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, or for settling in Vietnam. Each of those needs its own visa.
Which route
SQ visa or e-visa, which one fits?
The purposes the SQ covers — tourism, family visits, market surveys, and medical treatment — are the same ones the e-visa handles, without the eligibility conditions. For nearly everyone, that makes the e-visa the practical choice.
| SQ visa | E-visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Validity | Up to 30 days | Up to 90 days |
| Who can use it | Specific diplomatic-linked cases | All nationalities |
| How it is issued | Through a Vietnamese mission abroad | Online |
| Best for | The cases listed above | An ordinary visit |
The SQ is the right route only when you are connected to a Vietnamese mission or a diplomatic channel. Otherwise the e-visa is simpler and longer.
What to prepare
Documents required for the SQ visa
Beyond your passport, the SQ rests on the document that establishes your eligibility.
- A passport valid for at least six months.
- The document for your case: proof of a working relationship with the Vietnamese mission and your family link; a written request from the host country’s foreign ministry; or a guarantee diplomatic note from a foreign mission or consulate.
- A visa application form and passport photos.
Applications are made through the Vietnamese mission abroad, which issues the visa.
How it works
How to apply for the Vietnam SQ visa
The SQ is issued by a Vietnamese mission abroad, so the process runs through that mission rather than a sponsor in Vietnam.
1
Check that a case applies
Confirm you fall into one of the SQ cases: a mission working relationship, a foreign-ministry request, or a diplomatic guarantee note.
2
Apply through the mission
Submit your passport and the document for your case to the Vietnamese embassy or consulate abroad.
3
Collect the visa
The mission issues the SQ visa for up to 30 days, for the entries it approves.
Common questions
Vietnam SQ visa FAQs
The questions that come up most about the SQ ‘other purposes’ visa.
What is the SQ visa?
It is Vietnam’s ‘other purposes’ visa, issued for up to 30 days by a Vietnamese mission abroad. It covers a market survey, tourism, visiting relatives, or medical treatment, but only for foreign nationals in specific diplomatic-linked cases.
Who can get an SQ visa?
Three groups: people with a working relationship with a Vietnamese mission abroad, with their spouse and children; people with a written request from the host country’s foreign ministry; and people holding a guarantee diplomatic note from a foreign mission or consulate. Outside these, the SQ does not apply.
Should I use the SQ or an e-visa?
For an ordinary visit, the e-visa. It covers the same purposes for all nationalities, runs up to 90 days, and is applied for online. The SQ is only the route if you fall into one of the diplomatic-linked cases.
How long is the SQ visa valid?
Up to 30 days, single or multiple entry as the mission approves. It is a short-stay visa, so it does not lead to a residence card or a longer stay.
Can I work or do business on the SQ visa?
No. The SQ visa is for the purposes listed only. Employment, paid work, and business activity such as contracts or negotiations are not allowed, and would need a work or business visa.
Where do I apply for the SQ visa?
Through a Vietnamese embassy or consulate abroad, which issues the visa. Applicants are advised to contact the mission directly for its instructions, as the SQ rests on documents tied to that mission or to diplomatic channels.
Can Emerhub help with an SQ visa?
The SQ runs through diplomatic channels rather than a local sponsor, so it sits outside what we handle directly. What we can do is confirm whether the SQ is even the right category for you, and arrange the visa that is, which for most visitors is an e-visa or another type.
Not sure which visa you need?
Talk to our Ho Chi Minh City team
Tell us why you are coming and for how long, and we’ll point you to the right visa. For most visits that is an e-visa or another category rather than the SQ, and we’ll set you on the correct route.