Inventive Legal|Inventive Legal

By capital tier

Investor TRC matrix

Investor category	Capital contribution	Investor visa	Maximum TRC validity	Typical fit
DT1	VND 100 billion or more, or qualifying special-incentive project	ĐT1	Up to 10 years	Large or strategically important investment
DT2	VND 50 billion to under VND 100 billion, or qualifying encouraged project	ĐT2	Up to 5 years	Substantial investment
DT3	VND 3 billion to under VND 50 billion	ĐT3	Up to 3 years	Most medium-sized foreign investors
DT4	Below VND 3 billion	ĐT4	Generally not eligible for an investor TRC	Smaller investment requiring periodic visa renewal

Investors holding DT1, DT2, or DT3 status may generally apply for the corresponding TRC; DT4 holders generally remain on a renewable short-term investor visa. The capital must be tied to the investor's qualifying contribution or investment project. Personal net worth, an uncompleted capital commitment, or a proposed amount that has not been properly recorded may not be sufficient.

Other TRC routes

A foreigner may also qualify through:

LĐ1: work-permit-exempt foreign worker.
LĐ2: foreign worker holding a work permit.
TT: qualifying family member of a foreigner with an eligible residence status or of a Vietnamese citizen.
Other specialized categories for diplomatic, official, or designated investment environments.

A founder who does not meet the investor threshold may need to use a work-based route if they actively work for the Vietnamese company. A person who qualifies as an exempt investor may have both an investor-based residence route and a work-permit exemption, but these are separate legal analyses.

Core application file

The sponsoring company or authorized representative will typically prepare:

Passport and current visa.
Investor visa or other eligible visa status.
Enterprise Registration Certificate.
Investment Registration Certificate or project documents, where applicable.
Evidence of capital contribution or ownership.
Company's invitation, sponsorship, or guarantee documents.
TRC application form and photographs.
Residence declaration or accommodation information.
Family relationship documents for dependent applications.
Legalized and Vietnamese-translated documents where required.

TRC vs. work permit

Two different documents

Question	TRC	Work permit
Main purpose	Legal residence in Vietnam	Authorization to perform employment
Who issues it	Immigration authority	Competent labor authority
Does it authorize work?	Not by itself	Yes, within the approved employer, role, location, and duration
Can an investor have it?	Yes, if eligible for DT1–DT3	May be exempt if the investor satisfies the statutory exemption
Can an employee have it?	Yes, usually through LĐ1/LĐ2 or another route	Usually required unless exempt

Do not assume that an investor TRC automatically authorizes employment. The immigration document and labor authorization should be reviewed together.

Before you choose

Practical investor checklist

Before choosing the TRC route, confirm:

Whether the capital has actually been contributed and recorded.
Whether the investor qualifies as an owner, capital-contributing member, or shareholder.
Whether the company's investment and enterprise records match the immigration application.
Whether the investor will actively manage or work in Vietnam.
Whether a work permit or work-permit exemption is separately required.
Whether family members qualify for TT status.
Whether the passport has enough validity for the requested card period.
Whether the business suspension, restructuring, transfer, or reduction of capital could affect the TRC basis.

The practical rule is: DT1–DT3 can support a long-term investor TRC; DT4 generally supports only a short-term investor visa. For a foreign founder contributing less than VND 3 billion, do not build the residence plan around an investor TRC — assess a work-based or family-based route instead.