Guide · 2026
Health check for Vietnam work permit: a step by step guide
Health check for Vietnam work permit applications means one thing in practice: you need a health certificate from a licensed medical facility, and it must be recent when your employer files. This guide walks through the steps as the rules stood in August 2026.
Rules change, so confirm the current wording on the official government portal before you book anything. This is a plain-language guide, not legal advice.
Why the certificate is needed
Decree 219/2025/ND-CP covers foreign workers in Vietnam. The Government issued it on August 7, 2025. It replaced Decree 152/2020 and Decree 70/2023. Article 18 of the decree lists what goes into a work permit file, and a health certificate is on that list.
The same health certificate rule appears in the files for work permit extensions and for exemption certificates. So you may need one more than once during your time in the country.
There is one shortcut. The certificate is not needed if your health exam result is already connected and shared on the official information system. Ask your employer or the clinic whether your result can be shared that way.
Step 1: Pick a licensed facility
Circular 32/2023/TT-BYT says a check-up must be done at a medical examination and treatment establishment that holds a licence under the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment. That law is No. 15/2023/QH15 and was passed on January 9, 2023. The circular took effect on January 1, 2024.
In plain terms, choose a hospital or clinic that is licensed to do general health exams. Ask them one question before you pay: is this certificate accepted for a work permit file? Clinics that serve foreign workers hear this often.
Step 2: Bring what the clinic asks for
For adults, the circular requires Form No. 01 from Appendix XXIV. The form carries a 4 by 6 cm portrait photo on a white background. The photo must have been taken within 6 months before you submit it.
Bring your passport and a few spare photos. Many clinics also ask you to list past illnesses or surgeries on the form. Answer honestly and fully.
Step 3: Go through the exam
The check-up follows the contents printed on Form No. 01. The circular says each specialty on the form must be examined fully. If a case is unclear, the doctor may ask for a consultation or extra tests to reach a clear finding.
The exact items depend on the form and on what the doctor decides is needed. This guide does not list tests, because the clinic follows the form, not a fixed list from us. Expect questions about your history and a physical exam by several departments, and expect some lab work.
At the end, a concluding practitioner named by the facility gives the overall health classification. That person signs the certificate, writes their full name and adds the facility's official seal. Check that all three are there before you leave.
Step 4: Watch the validity window
Circular 32/2023/TT-BYT says a medical certificate is valid for 12 months from the date the health conclusion is signed. Decree 219 also sets a 12 month limit for certificates from foreign facilities, counted back from the date the application is filed.
The practical lesson is to time the exam. If you get checked too early, the certificate may be too old by the time the work permit file is ready. If you wait too long, you slow the whole process. Many people ask their employer for the expected filing date first and then book the exam.
If your certificate was issued abroad
Decree 219 accepts a certificate from a foreign medical facility only if Vietnam and that country or territory have a mutual recognition treaty or agreement. It must also be issued no more than 12 months before filing. A law firm alert dated August 18, 2025 noted that the list of accepted places was still pending clarification.
That is why many workers simply repeat the exam in Vietnam. If you still want to use a foreign certificate, ask the employer's legal team to confirm in writing that your country qualifies.
Two more rules may apply to papers from abroad. Article 5 of the decree says documents issued by foreign authorities must be consularly legalised, with some exceptions such as treaties. The decree does not say clearly whether a medical certificate counts as such a document, so ask before you assume. Documents that are legalised must also be translated into Vietnamese and the translation certified under the law, after the copies are certified as true copies.
A short checklist
- Ask your employer when the work permit file will be filed.
- Book a licensed facility and confirm it knows the work permit use.
- Bring your passport and a recent white background photo.
- Check the signature, name and seal on the certificate.
- Keep the certificate within 12 months of filing.
- For a foreign certificate, confirm recognition, legalisation and translation first.
Before you act, check the latest text of the decree and circular on the official portal, because the authorities can change forms and details.