Complete visa guide for Vietnamese passport holders — requirements, documents, fees, and application process
Covers tourism, family visits, business and transit stays of up to 90 days — this nationality must obtain a visa before travelling.
Study, work, family reunification, permanent residence and other stays longer than 90 days. These always require a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and a visa, regardless of visa-free status for tourism.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Consular visa fee — Single entry | ~VND 3,000,000 | ¥15,000 equivalent (paid in VND at the embassy); 5× worldwide increase from 1 Jul 2026 — confirm the posted local rate |
| Consular visa fee — Multiple entry | ~VND 6,000,000 | |
| Consular visa fee — Transit | ~VND 700,000 | |
| Accredited agency service fee (for eVisa packaged tours) | VND 500,000–2,000,000 | Varies by agency |
| Document translation / notarization | VND 300,000–800,000 | For supporting documents into Japanese/English |
Individual tourists apply at the Embassy in Hanoi or Consulates in HCMC / Da Nang directly. Typical documents: valid passport (2 blank pages, 6 months validity), MOFA visa form with 4.5×4.5 cm photo, confirmed round-trip flight, hotel reservations, bank statements (3 months), employment certificate with income, and detailed Japan itinerary. Processing: 5–7 working days. Visa stamp valid 3 months from issue, max 90 days stay.
Vietnamese nationals residing in Vietnam can use JAPAN eVISA ONLY when joining a packaged tour organized by a designated travel agency. The period of stay is capped at 15 days — NOT the 90 days that self-application tiers receive. Individual (FIT) tourists cannot use eVisa and must file directly at the embassy/consulate. eVisa is fully digital (no sticker, display notice on device at airport, online payment only).
The Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) program is the fastest-growing Japan work route for Vietnamese nationals. Requires: (a) passing a sector-specific skills test (construction, caregiving, food service, manufacturing, agriculture, etc.) AND (b) Japanese language test (JFT-Basic or JLPT N4+). After passing both, a Japanese employer files the COE (1–3 months). SSW Type 1 allows up to 5 years stay, renewable; Type 2 in select sectors allows long-term with family bringable. Note: SSW Type 1 years do NOT count toward the 5-year qualifying work-visa subset for permanent residency.
Vietnam is the #1 source country of Technical Intern Trainees. Trainees work in a designated Japanese workplace for up to 5 years total across three phases (Training 1 / 2 / 3). Selection goes through a Vietnamese sending organization (送り出し機関) partnered with a Japanese supervising organization (監理団体). Note: Technical Intern years do NOT count toward the 5-year qualifying work-visa subset for permanent residency. Many trainees transition to SSW after completion, enabling longer-term settlement.
Vietnamese students enrolling in Japanese language schools, vocational schools (専門学校), undergraduate or graduate programs need a COE filed by the school in Japan (2–3 months processing). Then the student applies for the visa at the embassy with: passport, COE original, enrollment letter, sponsor financial proof (bank statements showing tuition + ~¥100,000/month living expenses), sponsor employment/income, and photo. Language school admissions usually require JLPT N5+; university programs typically require N2+ (Japanese medium) or IELTS/TOEFL (English medium).
Under the Japan–Vietnam Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), a specific number of Vietnamese nurses (看護師) and caregivers (介護福祉士) are invited each year. Candidates receive Japanese language training before and during placement, then take the Japanese national board exam within 3–4 years. Passing the exam leads to long-term residence prospects. The annual quota is published by MHLW Japan.
Milestones for a Vietnamese worker moving to Japan via Specified Skilled Worker (特定技能) or Technical Intern Training (技能実習) — by far the most common Vietnamese paths. Total: 4–9 months from initial recruitment to Japan arrival, depending on language/skills test readiness.
| # | Phase | Handled by | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Register with a licensed Vietnamese sending organization (送り出し機関 / DOLAB-licensed); pay training deposit | Applicant | Day 0 |
| 1 | Pre-departure Japanese language + skills training in Vietnam | Sending organization | 3–6 months (SSW candidates need JFT-Basic or JLPT N4 + sector skills test pass) |
| 2 | Sector-specific skills test (SSW only): 介護, 建設, 外食, 製造, 農業, etc. | Applicant via Prometric or PROMETRIC VN | Scheduled monthly; result in 1–2 weeks |
| 3 | Matching with a Japanese employer (supervising organization 監理団体 for TIT, direct employer for SSW) | Sending org + Japan receiving side | 1–3 months |
| 4 | Japanese employer files COE at local Immigration Bureau | Japanese employer | Same day |
| 5 | ISA reviews COE (avg ~2–3 months for SSW, 1–2 months for TIT) | Immigration Services Agency | 1–3 months |
| 6 | COE issued and couriered to Vietnam | ISA → employer → sending org | 3–5 business days |
| 7 | Applicant submits visa application at Embassy of Japan Hanoi, CG HCMC, or CG Da Nang | Applicant (via sending org) | 1 day submission |
| 8 | Embassy / consulate issues visa sticker | Embassy / Consulate-General | 5–7 working days |
| 9 | Fly to Japan; receive residence card at airport; sending org / supervising org picks up and delivers to workplace | Applicant + receiving org | Departure + 1 day |
| 10 | Register address at city office within 14 days; enroll in national health insurance + pension | Applicant | First 2 weeks in Japan |
Vietnamese candidates still completing the JFT-Basic or JLPT N4 and the sector skills test should budget an additional 3–6 months for scheduling and results. For Technical Intern, total capped at 5 years (Type 1 + 2 + 3); for SSW Type 1, 5 years max. Neither counts toward the 5-year qualifying subset for permanent residency — transitioning to SSW Type 2 (where available), HSP, or 技人国 is necessary for a long-term PR path.
Japan remains the most attractive salary destination for Vietnamese blue-collar workers, significantly higher than Taiwan, Korea, or Malaysia in absolute JPY take-home. Workers who transition from 特定技能 1号 to 2号 (available in construction, shipbuilding, food service, etc.) see lifetime earnings nearly double. Ranges below are 2025–2026 market data across 特定技能, 技能実習, EPA, and 技人国 streams, published by DOLAB and JITCO.
| Role / sector | Vietnam entry (₫/mo) | Japan entry (¥/mo) | Japan senior / Type 2 (¥/mo) | Typical employer / supervising org |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caregiver / 介護 (SSW) | 5–8M ₫ | ¥170–210K | ¥260–330K | SOMPO Care, Nichii Gakkan, Tsukui | 特定技能 介護 |
| Construction / 建設 (SSW & TIT) | 7–12M ₫ | ¥180–240K | ¥320–480K (SSW 2号) | Obayashi, Kajima, Shimizu, local general contractors | 特定技能 建設 / 技能実習 |
| Manufacturing / 素形材 / 産業機械 | 6–10M ₫ | ¥170–220K | ¥250–320K | TOYOTA sub-contractors, Panasonic, Aisin group | 特定技能 / 技能実習 |
| Food service / 外食 (SSW) | 5–8M ₫ | ¥170–210K | ¥240–310K | Skylark, Watami, Saizeriya, hotel F&B | 特定技能 外食業 |
| Agriculture / 農業 (SSW & TIT) | 5–8M ₫ | ¥160–200K | ¥230–290K | JA cooperatives, Hokkaido and Kyushu farms | 特定技能 農業 / 技能実習 |
| Shipbuilding / 造船 (SSW 2号 open) | 8–13M ₫ | ¥200–260K | ¥350–500K (SSW 2号) | Imabari Shipbuilding, Mitsubishi Heavy | 特定技能 造船 |
| EPA nurse / 看護師 | 8–15M ₫ | ¥200–260K (candidate phase) | ¥280–380K (licensed) | Hospitals accepting EPA cohort (MHLW list) |
| IT engineer / 技人国 | 15–40M ₫ | ¥280–400K | ¥500–800K | FPT Japan, Rikkeisoft, Rakuten, CMC Japan | 技術・人文知識・国際業務（技人国） |
特定技能 (SSW) Japanese language requirement is JLPT N4 or JFT-Basic; 介護 additionally requires the 介護日本語評価試験. Transition from SSW Type 1 (5-year cap) to SSW Type 2 (long-term, family-bringable) is available in 11 sectors as of 2024–2026 expansion. Only SSW Type 2 years count toward the 5-year qualifying subset for permanent residency.
Our expert consultants can guide you through the entire application process.
