How to Replace an Exemption Certification?

Losing or damaging an exemption certification can be worrying. In Vietnam, the procedure to replace an exemption certification — the certificate confirming a foreign employee is not required to obtain a work permit — is clearly regulated to handle these situations.

The employer is the party that submits the application. The foreign employee needs to cooperate in preparing the relevant documents.

📄 When do you need a replacement exemption certification?

Under Article 11 of Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, replacement applies in two groups of cases.

The first group is when the certification is still valid but has been lost or damaged and can no longer be used.

The second group is when there is a change to one of the details stated on the certification.

The details that may change include full name, nationality, passport number, and work location.

A change in the employer’s name, where the employer’s identification code does not change, also falls under the replacement procedure.

Replacement helps ensure the information on the certification matches the employee’s current working situation.

This is especially important when the employee changes their passport or work location.

If you are unsure whether your case falls into this category, you can refer to When Is a Foreign Employee Exempt from a Work Permit?

That article helps distinguish an exemption certification from a work permit in certain specific situations.

🧾 What documents are needed for a replacement application?

Under Article 12 of Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, a replacement dossier consists of three main types of documents.

• ☐ The employer’s written request for replacement of the exemption certification, using Form No. 01 issued with the Decree.
• ☐ Documents proving the change in information, applicable when the full name, nationality, passport number, work location, or employer’s name changes.
• ☐ The still-valid exemption certification that was previously issued, except in cases where it has been lost.

In other words, if the certification has been lost, you do not need to submit the still-valid original.

If the certification is only damaged or the information has changed, the employer still submits the still-valid certification together with the dossier.

Documents proving a change should reflect the new information that needs to be updated.

For example, when the passport number changes, you need a document proving the new passport number.

When the work location changes, you need a document proving the new work location.

The employer should carefully check the information in Form No. 01 before submitting.

The information in the written request should be consistent with the documents proving the change.

This consistency helps make the dossier appraisal process smoother.

You can also refer to the overview in Do Foreigners Working in Vietnam Need a Work Permit or an Exemption Certification?

📋 Steps to replace an exemption certification

Under Article 13 of Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, the replacement procedure is carried out in the following steps.

1. The employer submits the replacement dossier directly, through the public postal service, by hiring a business or individual service provider, or through authorization.
2. The dossier is submitted to the local Public Administrative Service Center where the foreign employee is working.
3. The Public Administrative Service Center forwards the dossier to the competent authority responsible for reissuing the exemption certification under the one-door and interlinked one-door mechanism.
4. Within 03 working days from the date of receiving a complete dossier, the competent authority reissues the exemption certification to the foreign employee.

If replacement is not granted, the competent authority must provide a written response stating the reasons clearly.

The employer should keep this written response to follow up and take the next steps.

The 03-working-day period is counted from the date a complete and valid dossier is received.

Therefore, preparing a complete dossier from the start is very important.

If the dossier is missing documents proving a change, the processing may be affected.

The employer should review the dossier again before submitting to limit the need for supplementary documents.

Submitting through the public postal service or by hiring a service provider also requires ensuring all documents are sent in full.

When submitting through authorization, the process must follow the law on authorization.

⏳ Validity period of the reissued certification

The validity period of a reissued certification is not recalculated from the beginning.

Under the regulations, this period equals the validity period of the previously issued certification minus the time the foreign employee has already worked.

The time already worked is calculated up to the date the replacement application is submitted.

This means the reissued certification only retains the remaining validity period.

The employer needs to note this timeframe when planning the next steps for work.

Information about the validity period of this type of certification is also presented in How Long Is an Exemption Certification Valid?

Understanding the validity period helps avoid confusion between replacement and extension.

Replacement is to substitute a certification that has been lost, damaged, or had its information changed.

Extension is to continue using a certification that is about to expire.

These two procedures have different dossiers and processes.

The employer needs to identify the correct need before submitting an application.

If the certification has already expired, you should check the regulations on extension instead of replacement.

💡 Practical notes when completing the procedure

First, identify correctly whether the case falls under replacement according to Article 11.

Second, prepare all three types of documents according to Article 12.

Third, submit the dossier at the Public Administrative Service Center where the employee is working.

Fourth, follow the processing time of 03 working days from the date a complete dossier is received.

During preparation, the employer should compare the information on the old certification with the new documents.

In particular, the full name, nationality, and passport number should be written consistently.

The work location should also be stated clearly and accurately.

If the employer’s name changes, ensure the identification code remains unchanged as required.

These small details can affect the appraisal of the dossier.

For cases where the certification has been lost, state the reason clearly in the written request.

The employer should store the submitted dossier for reference when needed.

The replacement procedure for a work permit in cases of loss or damage shares similar principles; you can learn more at How to Replace a Lost or Damaged Work Permit?

However, these two procedures still have different dossiers and processing times.

The employer should not apply the dossier of one procedure to the other.

Reading the regulations for each procedure carefully will make the process clearer.

If you still have questions about a specific case, the employer should contact the competent authority at the local level for guidance.

You can also visit https://paa.vn or contact 0347674755 for additional information and advice on related procedures.