Vietnam UD1 and UD2 High-Quality Digital Technology Visa
A talent visa created in 2026 for senior digital technology staff, researchers and investors attached to approved organisations, chiefly inside Vietnam’s International Financial Centre.
It is also the least documented route in the country. The law took effect on 1 July 2026 and the guidance was still thin in October 2026, with no published fee schedule or service standard. Treat any “UD1 package” sold by an agent as unverified unless a named sponsoring organisation is attached.
Programme snapshot
| Item | Current rule |
|---|---|
| Main audience | High-quality digital technology manpower, experts and senior researchers, key investors and managers at organisations registered in the International Financial Centre, plus spouse and children under 18 on UD2 |
| Route family | Skilled work |
| Validity | Visa up to 5 years, multiple entry. Temporary residence card up to 10 years for qualifying IFC personnel |
| Stay per entry | Continuous while the card is valid |
| Threshold | No published capital or salary figure, 2026. Selection is by sector, employer and approval of the competent authority |
| Renewal | The law allows extension, but no fee schedule or service standard was published as of October 2026 |
| Settlement | Discretionary. The IFC track is reported to include a permanent residence pathway for qualifying investors and scientists |
| PR clock | Not published |
| Citizenship clock | None |
| Family | Yes. UD2 covers spouse and dependent children under 18 on the same terms |
| Local employment | Yes, for the sponsoring employer or IFC-registered organisation |
| Tax headline | Not yet clarified for UD1 holders. Assume ordinary resident rules after 183 days |
| Processing | Reported 3 working days after approval. The approval runs through the IFC authority, not the immigration counter |
Application flow
- Confirm the employer or organisation is registered inside the approved structure, normally the International Financial Centre.
- Have the organisation obtain the competent authority’s approval for the role. This is where the discretion sits.
- File the visa application with the immigration department once approval is issued.
- Enter, then apply for the temporary residence card if the role qualifies for one.
- Include spouse and children under 18 on UD2 at the same stage.
Good fit
A senior technologist, researcher or executive hired by an IFC-registered firm or a priority project, who can point to a named sponsor and an approved role. It is the only Vietnam route with a plausible non-capital path to a long card.
Poor fit
Freelancers, remote workers, and anyone without a Vietnamese sponsoring entity. Also anyone who reads “digital technology” as “works in tech”. The category is manpower inside an approved structure, not a skills list.
Watchpoints
- The guidance is thinner than the law. No published fee schedule, no service standard, and no public criteria beyond sector and employer approval. Anyone charging for a package is selling a guess.
- “Digital technology manpower” is not a synonym for “tech worker”. The applicant needs an employer inside the approved structure. A strong CV from outside it qualifies for nothing.
- The 10 year card is for IFC personnel, not every UD1 holder. The base visa is 5 years, and the longer card depends on the IFC track.
- The permanent residence pathway is reported, not documented. Do not plan around it until a circular or a decided case exists.
- It changes nothing for remote workers. The route still requires a Vietnamese organisation.
Sources
- Law 118/2025/QH15 amending ten laws on security and order, official text, checked 2026-10-22
- Vietnam Immigration Department, visa symbols and temporary residence procedures, checked 2026-10-22