Finding a good immigration agent in Vietnam

For an e-visa, a tourist trip, or a single straightforward work-permit sponsorship handled by your employer, you don't need an immigration agent. For an investor visa, a TRC switch, a complex family-dependent case, or any scenario where your visa cycle has wobbled — the right agent is worth their fee and a bad one costs you weeks.

This page is about picking the right one. The substance of each visa class is covered in the visa section.

Not legal advice. Immigration outcomes depend on individual circumstance; even the best agent cannot guarantee approval. Verify any agent's track record and credentials before paying significant fees.

When you actually need an agent

Use an agent if any of these apply:

• Switching visa classes from inside Vietnam (e.g. tourist → marriage TT)
• Investor visa (DT1–DT4) — the documentation is heavy and provincial DPI requirements differ
• TRC application when your sponsor's company is new or your role is borderline
• Family dependents especially with non-standard relationships (step-children, adopted)
• Returning resident with a complex history (prior overstays, visa cancellations)
• You don't speak Vietnamese and the relevant office (PA61 / PA72 / DOLISA) doesn't have English-speaking staff

You don't need an agent for:

• 90-day e-visa applications (use the official portal at evisa.gov.vn — never a third-party site)
• Single visa runs
• Sponsored work-permit applications where your employer handles the paperwork
• Marriage registration where the legalisation is straightforward (Vietnamese spouse, both parties resident, no complications)

What a good agent costs

Anything dramatically below these ranges is either a stripped scope (e.g. you do the apostille; they only file) or a corner-cutting operation. Anything dramatically above is paying for a brand premium, not better outcomes.

Four filter questions

Before paying anything:

1. How many of [this exact visa class] have you handled in the past 12 months? A serious agent quotes specific numbers without hedging. Vague answers mean they don't actually specialise.
2. Will you provide receipts for the government fees separately from your service fee? Government fees are published. Padding government fees into the service line is the classic over-charge dodge.
3. What's your refund / re-application policy if my case is rejected? A confident agent will commit to refunding their fee or re-applying free of charge on a rejection that isn't your fault. Less-confident agents won't.
4. Can you show me the application checklist and timeline up front? A serious agent will walk you through it before invoicing.

If they can't answer any of these calmly and specifically, find a different agent.

Where to find them

• Through your employer's HR or legal team — companies that sponsor several foreign hires usually have a tested panel of 2–3 agencies.
• Through international law firms with a Vietnam office — Russin & Vecchi, Frasers Law, ACSV Legal, Tilleke & Gibbins, Dezan Shira. Expensive but reliable for high-value cases.
• Mid-tier specialist agents — Emerhub, BBCIncorp, Premia TNC, Indochine Counsel, Asia Visa, Saigon Immigration Center. Wide range; ask for case-similar references.
• Facebook expat groups — HCMC Expats, Hanoi Massive, Vietnam Visa & Immigration. Useful for sentiment but treat strong recommendations cautiously: the loudest voices aren't necessarily the most accurate.
• The Vietnamese embassy in your country — sometimes maintains a list of agents who handle pre-arrival visa applications.

Red flags

• Guaranteed approval. No agent can guarantee. If they do, walk away.
• "You qualify for the DTV." Vietnam has no confirmed Thailand-style DTV. Read the reality check. Agents pitching this product are either unaware or actively misselling.
• Cash-only / no receipt. A legitimate agency issues invoices, accepts bank transfer, and provides receipts for both their fee and any government fees.
• Pressure to sign immediately. Real visa cases have weeks of lead time; pressure to commit in 24 hours is a sales tactic.
• Refusal to give specific case references when asked for similar handled cases (anonymised, no personal data needed).
• Significantly cheaper than peers without clear scope difference. The savings are usually paid in mistakes that take weeks to fix.
• Located only in a coffee-shop / chat-app. A real agency has a registered office address and a Vietnamese business licence (number visible on invoices).

What you do as the client

A good agent will tell you exactly what you need to provide. You should:

• Sign a clear engagement letter or service contract (in English).
• Get a numbered checklist with deadlines for each document you owe them.
• Keep copies of every document you provide.
• Pay by bank transfer, not cash. Save the receipts.
• Track the case via the agent's case-number / immigration receipt — never just trust verbal updates.
• Ask for the immigration receipt (biên nhận) every time a step is filed.

When to fire your agent

• They blew a deadline without telling you and without a clean explanation.
• They asked for additional fees mid-case that weren't in the engagement letter.
• They go quiet for 10+ days without proactive update on an in-progress case.
• They suggest you sign anything that misrepresents your situation (e.g. a fake employment letter, an inflated capital figure).

If you have to fire mid-case, ask formally in writing for return of all original documents (passport, original apostilled certificates) and any government receipts already filed in your name. A clean handover to a new agent typically takes 2–4 weeks.

Related

• Vietnam visa section
• Arrival week checklist
• Registering tax residency as a new arrival
• Digital nomad / 5-year visa reality check
• First 90 days checklist