Short answer: for meetings, negotiations, trade fairs, conferences and site visits of up to 90 days, most business travellers simply use the eVisa. It covers business purposes, needs no sponsor or invitation letter, and costs $25 single or $50 multiple entry. A sponsored DN business visa is for longer or repeated engagements hosted by a Vietnamese company. Neither one lets you do paid work in Vietnam: that needs a work permit. And if your passport is visa-free, check that your exemption actually covers business. For 12 European countries it does not.
Which route fits your trip
| Your trip | Usual route |
|---|---|
| Meetings, negotiations, a conference or trade fair, up to 90 days | eVisa, or a visa exemption that covers business |
| Visiting a factory or supplier, quality checks, market research | eVisa, or a visa exemption that covers business |
| Several trips a year, or longer than 90 days, hosted by a Vietnamese company | DN visa through that company as sponsor |
| Setting up or investing in a Vietnamese company | eVisa for the first trip, then an investor visa through the company |
| Taking a job, or being paid to work for a Vietnamese employer | Work permit and LĐ work visa through the employer |
The visa-free trap for European business travellers
Vietnam's 45-day visa exemption comes in two groups, and they do not work the same way:
- Exempt for any purpose, business included: the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Russia, Japan and South Korea (Resolution 44/NQ-CP, until 14 March 2028).
- Exempt for tourism only: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland (Resolution 229/NQ-CP, 15 August 2025 to 14 August 2028).
So a Dutch, Belgian, Polish or Swiss traveller visiting a supplier or attending a trade fair should travel on an eVisa, not the exemption. Many company travel desks still assume "visa-free means visa-free", and the gap only shows when an immigration officer asks why you are visiting. An eVisa costs $25 and removes the question.
The ASEAN exemptions and the other visa-free agreements have their own rules. See do I need a visa for Vietnam?
Business trips on the eVisa
Since August 2023 the eVisa is open to every nationality, for up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, and it can be issued for business as well as tourism. You apply online on evisa.gov.vn without a sponsor or an invitation letter.
- Purpose of entry: choose the business purpose that matches your trip, not "tourism". Your answer should match what you tell the officer at the border.
- Your contact in Vietnam: the form asks about the organisation you will deal with in Vietnam. Give your host or partner company's name, address and phone number. A hotel address alone looks odd for a business trip.
- Multiple entry is worth the extra $25 if your trip includes Singapore, Bangkok or a factory across the border in Cambodia or China and you come back through Vietnam.
- Dates: trade fairs and meetings get moved. Ask for enough days to absorb a change. 30 and 90 days cost the same, and an eVisa can't be extended inside Vietnam.
The rest of the form is the same as for any traveller: the name exactly as in the passport, a usable photo and passport scan, and a full address. Step by step: how to fill in the eVisa form.
What to carry at the border
None of these is a formal requirement for an eVisa, but they make a business entry quick if you are asked:
- A short letter or email from your Vietnamese host confirming the meeting or event.
- Your return or onward ticket.
- Your hotel booking.
- A printed copy of your eVisa, with the PDF on your phone too.
Arriving at Tan Son Nhat, Noi Bai, Da Nang, Cam Ranh or Phu Quoc? Complete the free online pre-arrival declaration first.
When a DN business visa makes more sense
The DN visa is issued with a Vietnamese company as sponsor. DN1 covers working with a Vietnamese enterprise or organisation, and DN2 covers offering services or setting up a commercial presence. The sponsor files the application with the Immigration Department, and the visa is then issued at an embassy or on arrival. It can be valid for longer than an eVisa, up to 12 months.
It is the better choice when a Vietnamese partner formally hosts you for a long project, when you come and go regularly over many months, or when your company wants the visa tied to its Vietnamese entity. For a single trip of a few days, it is usually more paperwork than you need.
Where business ends and work begins
This is the line that matters most. Meeting, negotiating, inspecting, attending and selling on behalf of a company abroad count as business visits. Being employed or paid by a Vietnamese company, or doing hands-on work for one, counts as work and normally needs a work permit, or a written confirmation that you are exempt from one, plus an LĐ work visa.
Grey areas, such as installing equipment, training local staff or a short technical assignment, depend on the details and on Vietnamese labour rules. Ask your Vietnamese host to confirm with the labour authorities before you travel, rather than guessing at the border.
If you entered on an eVisa and then take a job, Vietnamese law allows a change to a work visa inside Vietnam in some cases, once you hold a work permit or an exemption confirmation. Your employer handles that application.
Already have an APEC Business Travel Card?
If your APEC Business Travel Card lists Vietnam as an approved economy, you can enter for business without a separate visa. Check that Vietnam appears on the card itself. A pending approval doesn't count.
Short-notice business trips
Meetings get called at short notice. If you need a visa within days or hours, our urgent options run from the next working day down to about 1.5 hours on Vietnam working days. See the urgent eVisa guide. Applying for a team? We check each passport and photo before anyone pays, and you get a payment receipt for expense claims.
Travelling for business?
Tell us your dates and who you are meeting. We set the right purpose, entry type and dates, and check everything before you pay.
Start application Ask on WhatsAppQuick answers
Can I attend business meetings on a Vietnam eVisa?
Yes. The eVisa can be issued for business purposes, including meetings, negotiations, conferences and trade fairs, for up to 90 days.
Do I need an invitation letter for a Vietnam business eVisa?
No. The eVisa needs no sponsor or invitation letter. Carrying a short letter from your host still helps if the officer asks about your visit.
Can I work in Vietnam on an eVisa?
No. Paid work for a Vietnamese employer needs a work permit, or an exemption confirmation, and a work visa arranged through the employer.
I am Dutch. Can I visit a supplier visa-free?
The Netherlands exemption covers tourism only. For a business visit, get an eVisa.
I am British. Do I need a visa for a business meeting?
Not for up to 45 days. The UK exemption covers any purpose, business meetings included. Paid work still needs a work permit. See Vietnam visa for UK citizens.
How much does a Vietnam business visa cost?
The eVisa costs $25 single or $50 multiple entry in government fees. Sponsored visas longer than 90 days cost more. See Vietnam visa fees.
This guide is general information. Vietnam visa rules and processing times change — always check the current requirements. evisavietnamexpress.com is a private visa assistance service, not the official government portal.