The Short Version
Vietnam’s visa system isn’t complicated — it’s just poorly explained everywhere online. Most expats end up on the wrong visa because they followed outdated Reddit advice or trusted a random agency. This guide breaks down what actually works in 2026, based on real experience navigating the system from inside Vietnam.
Here’s what you need to know: there’s no digital nomad visa. Most remote workers enter on an e-visa or tourist visa and figure out the rest later. That’s not ideal, but it’s the reality. The good news is that Vietnam has been steadily making its visa system more flexible, and there are now legitimate long-term options that didn’t exist a few years ago.
E-Visa — The Starting Point for Most Expats
The e-visa is where 90% of newcomers begin. It’s a 90-day single-entry or multiple-entry visa that you apply for online before arriving. The process takes about 3 business days and costs $25 USD for single entry or $50 USD for multiple entry.
How It Works
You apply through the official Vietnamese immigration portal, upload a passport photo and a scan of your passport bio page, pay by card, and receive your e-visa approval via email. Print it out and bring it with you. It’s genuinely that simple.
The 90-day multiple-entry e-visa is the one most expats choose. It lets you leave and re-enter Vietnam within the 90-day window — useful if you want to take a weekend trip to Thailand or Cambodia without losing your visa status.
What to Watch Out For
The e-visa is not extendable from inside Vietnam. When your 90 days are up, you either leave and apply for a new one, or you switch to a different visa type. Many expats do a “visa run” — a quick trip across the border and back — to reset. We’ll cover that below.
Also, don’t use third-party visa agencies for e-visas. The official government portal works fine, costs less, and doesn’t require giving a middleman your passport details.
Tourist Visa — Still an Option, But Fading
Some nationalities can enter Vietnam visa-free for 45 days. If you hold a passport from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, South Korea, or several other countries, you don’t need a visa at all for stays under 45 days.
This is useful for scouting trips — come for a month, see if Saigon feels right, then go home and plan your real move. But it’s not a long-term strategy. You can’t extend a visa-free entry, and re-entering immediately after leaving on a visa-free stay can raise questions at immigration.
Business Visa (DN) — For Those With a Sponsoring Company
If you’re coming to Vietnam to work for a company — whether it’s a Vietnamese company or a foreign company with a Vietnamese entity — you’ll likely get a DN (business) visa. This is sponsored by your employer and is the first step toward getting a work permit.
How It Works
Your employer applies for the visa on your behalf through the immigration department. You receive a visa approval letter, which you can use to get the visa stamped at a Vietnamese embassy abroad or on arrival. DN visas are typically issued for 3 months, 6 months, or 1 year, with single or multiple entry.
The Work Permit Requirement
Vietnam requires a work permit for anyone employed by a Vietnamese entity. The process takes 1–2 months and requires a criminal background check from your home country (apostilled), a health check done in Vietnam, your degree (also apostilled), and various company documents. Your employer handles most of this, but you’ll need to get the home country documents sorted before you arrive.
A work permit is valid for up to 2 years and is tied to your employer. If you change jobs, you need a new work permit.
Temporary Residence Card (TRC) — The Long-Term Goal
A TRC is the closest thing to permanent residency that most expats can get. It’s a card — not a visa stamp — that lets you live in Vietnam for 1–5 years without worrying about visa runs or renewals every few months.
Who Qualifies
You need a valid work permit, a business investment visa, or a family sponsorship (married to a Vietnamese citizen). The TRC is applied for after you already have one of these underlying statuses. It’s not something you can get directly.
Why It Matters
With a TRC, you can open a Vietnamese bank account more easily, sign long-term leases without complications, and travel in and out of Vietnam freely. It removes the constant background anxiety of visa expiration dates. If you’re planning to stay for more than a year, a TRC should be your goal.
Visa Runs — The Unspoken Reality
Let’s be honest: a significant number of expats in Vietnam maintain their legal status through visa runs. When your e-visa expires, you fly to Bangkok, Phnom Penh, or Kuala Lumpur for a day or two, apply for a new e-visa while you’re there, and fly back.
How It Actually Works
A typical visa run looks like this: book a cheap flight to a neighboring country (Cambodia and Thailand are the most popular), leave Vietnam before your current visa expires, apply for a new 90-day e-visa online while abroad, wait for approval (usually 3 business days), and return to Vietnam on the new visa.
Many expats turn visa runs into mini-vacations. A weekend in Bangkok or Siem Reap every three months isn’t the worst thing in the world. Budget around $150–300 for flights and a night or two of accommodation.
The Risks
Vietnam’s immigration authorities are aware of the visa run cycle and have been gradually tightening enforcement. While it still works for most people, there’s no guarantee it will continue indefinitely. If you’re planning to stay long-term, work toward a more permanent visa solution rather than relying on runs forever.
Digital Nomads — The Gray Area
Vietnam does not have a digital nomad visa. If you’re working remotely for a company outside Vietnam while living in Saigon, you’re technically in a legal gray area. You’re not employed in Vietnam, so you don’t need a work permit. But you’re also not a tourist.
Most digital nomads enter on an e-visa and do visa runs every 90 days. It works, and thousands of people do it. But it’s worth understanding that this isn’t a formally recognized status. Vietnam has discussed creating a digital nomad visa, but as of 2026, nothing has been implemented.
Tax Implications
If you spend more than 183 days in Vietnam in a calendar year, you may be considered a tax resident. This is true regardless of your visa type. In practice, enforcement on remote workers earning from overseas is minimal, but the law exists. If you’re earning significant income, it’s worth consulting a tax advisor who understands both Vietnamese and your home country’s tax obligations.
Common Mistakes
Overstaying your visa — even by one day — results in a fine of around $25 per day and can create problems for future entries. Don’t risk it. Set calendar reminders well before your visa expires.
Using unlicensed visa agents who promise “guaranteed” extensions or special arrangements. These agencies sometimes use fraudulent documents, and if caught, you’re the one who faces consequences.
Not apostilling documents before leaving your home country. If you think there’s even a chance you’ll need a work permit, get your degree and criminal background check apostilled before you come. Doing it remotely after you’ve already moved is expensive and slow.
Practical Steps Before You Arrive
Check your passport has at least 6 months of validity remaining. Apply for a 90-day multiple-entry e-visa through the official Vietnamese immigration portal. Bring printed copies of your visa approval — don’t rely on phone screenshots. If you might work here, bring apostilled copies of your degree and a recent criminal background check. Research whether your nationality qualifies for visa-free entry (you might not even need a visa for your first scouting trip).
The visa situation in Vietnam is manageable once you understand the options. Start with an e-visa, figure out your long-term plan after you’ve been here for a month, and don’t stress about getting everything perfect before you arrive. The system is designed to be navigated step by step.