Temporary Residence Registration (Tạm trú): step-by-step online guide, fees, timelines, and penalties (2026)

Under Vietnam's Law on Residence 2020, anyone moving into a rental property outside their permanent registered address must register for temporary residence (tạm trú) within 30 days of moving in. This legal obligation applies equally to Vietnamese nationals and all foreign residents living anywhere in the country. Failure to comply exposes both the tenant and the landlord to administrative fines under Decree 282/2025/ND-CP, which took effect in December 2025.

Beyond financial penalties, a missing valid residence certificate can negatively affect employment background checks, local health insurance registration, school admission for children, and other important administrative procedures you will need in your new location. Completing this registration promptly protects your legal status and grants full access to public services you are legally entitled to. It also helps local authorities manage the population more effectively and ensure the safety of the entire neighborhood for all residents.

To register temporary residence smoothly, prepare the following documents before beginning your application. The most essential item is your current National ID card (CCCD) or a verified Level 2 account on the VNeID app. You will also need to complete the official residence change declaration, Form CT01, which is available on the government portal or obtainable at the local ward police office.

A signed rental agreement serves as mandatory legal proof of your right to occupy the specified address and is a required attachment for all applications. Some in-person registrations additionally require a photocopy of the landlord's ID card. If you are applying electronically through VNeID, have clear, high-quality scans of all the above documents ready for upload. Getting everything organized before you start significantly reduces the risk of rejection due to missing information and shortens total processing time.

Since 2025, the entire temporary residence registration process can be completed online through the VNeID mobile app without visiting a police station. After logging in with a Level 2 account, navigate to 'Administrative Procedures' then select 'Register Temporary Residence' and create a new request. Enter your rental unit's full address, your intended length of stay, and your relationship to the household head at that address.

Upload a clear photo of your signed rental agreement, then send an electronic consent request directly to your landlord's VNeID account. Once the landlord approves through the app, your file is automatically forwarded to the local ward police for review. After paying the 10,000 VND government fee via the app's integrated e-wallet, you can track your application's real-time status until official digital approval arrives, typically within three working days.

The government sets temporary residence registration fees at a deliberately low level to maximize public compliance and ensure an accurate national population database. Online registration through the VNeID app or the National Public Service Portal costs just 10,000 VND per application, while in-person registration at the local ward police office is 20,000 VND. Group submissions, where multiple people register together in one batch, cost only 5,000 VND per person.

Once you submit a complete and valid application, the standard legal processing time is three working days. Certain exempt groups, including recognized contributors to the revolution and certified poor households, pay nothing at all under current ministerial regulations. Knowing these specific numbers helps you plan the administrative process confidently after any move, ensuring your legal residency status is always updated promptly at every new property.

Decree 282/2025/ND-CP, effective from December 2025, establishes clear administrative penalties for failing to comply with residence registration requirements. Missing the mandatory 30-day temporary residence registration window can result in a fine of 500,000 to 1,000,000 VND. Staying at a new eligible address for an extended period while deliberately avoiding registration can raise the penalty to as much as 4,000,000 VND per violation, depending on the circumstances documented by the authorities.

Landlords and corporate rental operators who fail to facilitate or report their tenants' registration status may face equivalent or even higher sanctions. Beyond the money, an administrative violation record can complicate later procedures such as banking paperwork, visa renewals, and other official certifications that require clean residence documentation. The safest approach is simple: complete the registration in your first week at the new address and keep digital copies of every submitted form and receipt.

Under Vietnamese law, landlords are expected to assist tenants with temporary residence registration and should not refuse without a valid legal reason. In practice, many landlords will guide you through the paperwork, provide the required property details, or accompany you to the ward office when needed. That support matters because a missing signature, property document, or confirmation letter can delay the entire application even if the tenant has prepared everything else correctly.

When signing the lease, check whether the contract already includes a clause about registration support. If it does not, request the commitment in writing or at least confirm it through a Zalo message you can keep for reference. It also helps to know your exact ward before moving in, because registration happens at the ward-level office where the property is located. That lets you verify local document requirements in advance instead of scrambling after move-in day.

Q: Do foreigners renting in Vietnam need to register temporary residence? A: Yes. Foreign nationals renting private accommodation must register within 3 days of moving in (hotels register guests within 24 hours on behalf of guests). Failing to register can result in a fine and may affect visa status.

Q: How long does a temporary residence registration last? Does it need to be renewed? A: The registration duration matches the rental contract term, up to a maximum of 2 years per registration. When your contract expires or you renew it, you should renew your temporary residence registration at the same time.

Q: What if my landlord refuses to support the registration? A: This constitutes a breach of the landlord's legal duty under the Law on Residence 2020. You can report the issue to the People's Committee of the ward where your rental is located to seek assistance.