Sponsored DH study/training route; Chinese document authentication changed in September, while admission and immigration approval remain separate.
Route overview
School admission
Typical timeline / duration: 2-5 months
Important notes
Be accepted by a Vietnamese school, university, language centre, or other eligible educational institution for the approved study programme.
Have the educational institution or another eligible Vietnamese sponsor provide the invitation or guarantee and support the correct DH student visa procedure.
Submit a valid passport, visa application, photograph, admission or enrolment evidence, and any health, financial, or accommodation documents requested for the case.
Register temporary residence after entry and renew or change the visa or temporary-residence document through the sponsoring institution before it expires.
The DH category is for study and training purposes and follows the duration authorised by the immigration authorities and education sponsor.
Student status is not a general work permit. Paid work requires a separate lawful basis and should be checked under the current foreign-worker rules before starting.
From 11 September 2026, qualifying Chinese public documents use an Apostille instead of consular legalisation. Vietnamese translation and document acceptance remain separate; commercial/customs exclusions may apply. Earlier legalised documents need not be redone.
Decree 286/2026 was signed on 17 July and took effect on 15 September 2026. The register describes inter-agency immigration coordination; its title alone does not establish a new visa ban or automatic residence entitlement.
The legacy immigration portal announces new eVisa domains from 11 November 2024. An eVisa application channel is not itself a substitute for the sponsored investor/DH procedure.
Preparation checklist
Obtain admission/enrolment evidence from the approved education provider.
Have the school confirm its sponsorship and the current DH visa/residence procedure.
Check Apostille eligibility for each China-issued public document and arrange the required Vietnamese translation.
Prepare identity, application and school-requested supporting documents against the actual checklist.
Arrange temporary-residence declaration after entry and track permission expiry.
Confirm a separate lawful basis before undertaking paid work.