Do foreigners registering a motorbike/car in Vietnam need a referral letter?

Based on Article 9 Circular No. 58/2020/TT-BCA stipulated as follows:

Vehicle owner's documents

1. The vehicle owner is Vietnamese: Present your ID card or Citizen ID card or Household registration book. For the armed forces: Present the People's Police ID card or People's Army ID card or confirmation from the head of the agency or work unit from the regiment, department, district police or equivalent level. or more (in case there is no identification card of the armed forces).

2. The vehicle owner is a Vietnamese residing abroad living and working in Vietnam: Present the temporary residence book or household registration book or Passport (still valid) or other valid documents in lieu of Passport.

3. The car owner is a foreigner:

a) Foreigners working in diplomatic missions, consulates, representative agencies of international organizations: Letter of introduction from the Department of State Protocol or Department of Foreign Affairs and presentation of ID card diplomatic or official ID card (still valid);

b) Foreigners working or studying in Vietnam: Present a visa valid for one year or more or other valid documents in lieu of a visa.

Thus, only these foreigners work in diplomatic missions, consulates, or representative agencies of international organizations, you must have a letter of introduction from the Department of State Protocol or the Department of Foreign Affairs.

In case you do not work at the above agencies, you do not require a letter of introduction, but must present a visa valid for one year or more or another valid document in lieu of a visa.