Lessons · Level 3
3-4. Housing ④ Temporary Residence Registration — The Landlord's Duty and Visiting the Police
Khai báo tạm trú cho người nước ngoài
🎯 Goal Know what temporary residence registration is, check with your landlord that it's done, and handle the conversation at the police office · about 40 min
What is temporary residence registration (khai báo tạm trú)?
Foreigners living in Vietnam must have the address where they stay registered with the police (công an). This is called khai báo tạm trú (temporary residence registration).
- Who? — Not the foreigner, but the owner of the accommodation (landlord, hotel). The law treats private homes as 'accommodation (cơ sở lưu trú)' too.
- When? — Within 12 hours of the foreigner's arrival (24 hours in remote areas).
- Where? — The ward police (công an phường) where the home is. After the 2025 reorganization, former District 2 is covered by the An Khánh, Bình Trưng and Cát Lái ward police. It can be done online or with a declaration form (phiếu khai báo).
- What's needed — passport, visa (or temporary residence card), a copy of the lease, etc.
- If it isn't done? — The landlord, who has the duty, gets fined. But it can cause you problems with visa extensions, the residence card and banking, so make sure it's done.
Don't mix them up: khai báo tạm trú (address registration) and thẻ tạm trú (TRC, temporary residence card) are different things. The TRC is a card issued by the immigration authorities, and you need proof of address registration to apply for it.
Registration words
| Vietnamese | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| khai báo tạm trú | temporary residence declaration | khai bao tam choo |
| người nước ngoài | foreigner | ngew-ee new-uhk ngwai |
| chủ nhà | landlord | choo nya |
| công an phường | ward police | kohng ang few-uhng |
| hộ chiếu | passport | hoh chee-oo |
| thị thực | visa | tee tewk |
| thẻ tạm trú | temporary residence card | teh tam choo |
| phiếu khai báo | declaration form | fee-oo khai bao |
| bản sao | copy | bang sao |
| xác nhận | confirmation | sak nyuhng |
| khai báo trực tuyến | online declaration | khai bao chewk twee-uhng |
| bị phạt | to be fined | bee fak |
| gia hạn visa | visa extension | ya hang visa |
Checking with your landlord
| Vietnamese | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Anh khai báo tạm trú cho em chưa? | Have you declared my temporary residence yet? | an khai bao tam choo chaw em chew-uh? |
| Anh cần giấy tờ gì của em? | What documents do you need from me? | an kuhng yuhy tuh yee koo-uh em? |
| Em gửi anh bản sao hộ chiếu và visa qua Zalo nha. | I'll send you copies of my passport and visa on Zalo. | em gew-ee an bang sao hoh chee-oo ya visa wa Zalo nya. |
| Khai báo xong anh chụp màn hình gửi em giùm nha. | When you're done, please send me a screenshot. | khai bao sawng an choop mang hin gew-ee em yoom nya. |
| Em cần giấy xác nhận tạm trú để gia hạn visa. | I need a residence confirmation to extend my visa. | em kuhng yuhy sak nyuhng tam choo day ya hang visa. |
| Em đi công tác vài ngày, về rồi có cần khai báo lại không? | If I go on a business trip for a few days, do I need to re-declare? | em dee kohng tak yai ngai, yay roy kaw kuhng khai bao lai khohng? |
At the police office
| Vietnamese | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Em muốn hỏi về khai báo tạm trú cho người nước ngoài. | I'd like to ask about temporary residence declaration for foreigners. | em moo-uhng hoy yay khai bao tam choo chaw ngew-ee new-uhk ngwai. |
| Đây là hộ chiếu và hợp đồng thuê nhà của em. | Here are my passport and lease agreement. | duhy la hoh chee-oo ya huhp dohng tway nya koo-uh em. |
| Chủ nhà em đã khai báo chưa ạ? | Could you check whether my landlord has declared me? | choo nya em da khai bao chew-uh a? |
| Em cần mang thêm giấy tờ gì không ạ? | Do I need to bring any other documents? | em kuhng mang tem yuhy tuh yee khohng a? |
| Anh chị nói chậm lại giúp em được không ạ? | Could you speak a little slower, please? | an chee noy chuhm lai yoop em dew-uhk khohng a? |
Real conversation — Checking with the landlord → visiting the ward police
While preparing to extend his visa, Minsu calls his landlord Thanh to check whether his temporary residence was registered, then goes to the An Khánh ward police office.
| Minsu | Alô anh Thanh, em Min-su đây. Anh khai báo tạm trú cho em chưa anh? | Hello Thanh, it's Minsu. Have you declared my temporary residence? |
| Thanh | À, anh quên mất. Hôm nay anh làm liền. | Oh, I forgot. I'll do it today right away. |
| Minsu | Dạ, em cần giấy xác nhận để gia hạn visa. | Okay, I need the confirmation to extend my visa. |
| Thanh | Vậy chiều nay mình gặp nhau ở công an phường An Khánh nha. | Then let's meet at An Khanh ward police this afternoon. |
| Police officer | Chào anh. Anh cần gì? | Hello. What do you need? |
| Thanh | Tôi muốn khai báo tạm trú cho người nước ngoài thuê nhà tôi. | I want to declare temporary residence for a foreigner renting my house. |
| Police officer | Cho tôi xem hộ chiếu, visa và hợp đồng thuê nhà. | Please show me the passport, visa and lease agreement. |
| Minsu | Dạ, đây ạ. | Yes, here they are. |
| Police officer | Lần sau anh nhớ khai báo trong mười hai giờ nha. Trễ là bị phạt đó. | Next time, remember to declare within 12 hours. If you're late, you'll be fined. |
| Thanh | Dạ, tôi biết rồi. Cảm ơn chị. | Yes, I understand. Thank you. |
| Minsu | Chị ơi, khi nào em nhận được giấy xác nhận ạ? | When can I get the confirmation? |
| Police officer | Khai báo xong là có trên hệ thống. Anh cần giấy thì làm đơn nha. | Once declared, it's in the system. If you need a paper, fill in an application. |
Check every time you move or re-enter
- You may need to be registered again when you move to a new home, when you re-enter from abroad and when your passport or visa changes. Each time, ask your landlord: 'Anh khai báo tạm trú cho em chưa?'
- Once the landlord has registered you, get a screenshot or confirmation and keep it. You may need it for visa extensions or a TRC application.
- It's a good idea to add a clause to the lease saying 'the landlord will register temporary residence' (Lesson 3-3).
- Hotels and serviced apartments usually register you automatically at check-in.
Watch out
- If registration isn't done, the landlord (accommodation operator) is fined. Media reported that the amounts changed under a new decree from December 2025, so check the exact amount with the ward police.
- It's best to avoid landlords who say 'foreigners don't need to register'. Later, you will be the one with problems over visas and banking.
- When you go to the police office, bring your original passport, visa and lease, and dress neatly.
- Procedures and the office in charge can change. Calling the ward police before you go, or going with your landlord, is the surest way.