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Student visa for Vietnam, for students from United States
As a citizen of United States you will normally need a student visa or residence permit for Vietnam before your course starts. Some nationalities may enter Vietnam without a visa and apply for the residence permit there instead; check the official page below for the rule that applies to your passport.
The numbers
- Money you must show
- No fixed amount: the school that admits you sponsors your DH visa
- Visa fee
- USD 25 single entry; USD 135 multiple entry up to one year; residence card USD 145 (up to 2 years) or USD 155 (2 to 5 years)
- Work while you study
- No general right to work; paid work needs a work permit
- Stay after you graduate
- No post-study visa; working needs a work permit and a work (LĐ) visa
Vietnamese law issues study (DH) visas at the request of the inviting institution; no minimum balance is set in the law.
Law 47/2014/QH13 on foreigners' entry and residence, checked 2026-11-07
Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC, in force from 1 April 2026.
Government of Viet Nam news portal, 1 April 2026, checked 2026-11-07
A DH visa is issued to study or do an internship.
Law 47/2014/QH13 on foreigners' entry and residence, checked 2026-11-07
The residence card for students is tied to the course.
Law 47/2014/QH13 on foreigners' entry and residence, checked 2026-11-07
The visa
Vietnam's DH visa is for foreigners who come to study or do an internship. It is issued at the request of the inviting institution: your university applies to the Immigration Department, and you collect the visa at a Vietnamese embassy or consulate.
- A DH visa lasts up to 12 months (Article 9 of the Law on foreigners' entry and residence).
- Holders of a DH visa can be issued a temporary residence card with the DH symbol, valid for up to five years (Articles 36 and 38), so you do not need to renew a visa every year. The card cannot outlast your passport or your course.
No minimum bank balance is set in the law; the institution's sponsorship is what counts. Some universities ask for proof that you can pay fees and living costs.
Where to apply
At the embassy or consulate of Vietnam that covers the United States, or through the visa application centre it names. Book early: in the busiest months appointments can be weeks away. Apply only through the official website; nobody can sell you a faster place in the queue.
Official pages: hanoi-be.mfa.gov.tr · en.baochinhphu.vn. Checked 2026-11-07. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you apply.
Questions students ask
Do students from United States need a visa to study in Vietnam?
As a citizen of United States you will normally need a student visa or residence permit for Vietnam before your course starts. Some nationalities may enter Vietnam without a visa and apply for the residence permit there instead; check the official page below for the rule that applies to your passport.
How much money do I need to show for a Vietnam student visa?
No fixed amount: the school that admits you sponsors your DH visa. Vietnamese law issues study (DH) visas at the request of the inviting institution; no minimum balance is set in the law. (source: Law 47/2014/QH13 on foreigners' entry and residence, checked 2026-11-07).
Can I work while I study in Vietnam?
No general right to work; paid work needs a work permit.
This page is general information from official sources, not immigration advice. For a decision about your own case, the official source or a regulated adviser is where that belongs.