How to Move to Vietnam

Vietnam Visa Options

Vietnam offers several pathways for long-term residence. The standard Work Permit is the most common route, requiring employer sponsorship and categorizing workers as managers, executives, experts, or technical workers. Experts need a bachelor's degree plus 2 years of experience, while technical workers need 3 years of experience. The Investor Visa is available to capital contributors who invest VND 3 billion or more (roughly $120,000) in a Vietnamese LLC, and these investors are exempt from the work permit requirement. The Temporary Residence Card (TRC) is issued to work permit holders and their families, providing multi-entry convenience for the duration of their employment. Vietnam does not yet have a formal digital nomad visa, though many remote workers operate on business visas while the government considers a dedicated program.

• Work permits process in about 2 weeks (10 working days)
• Investors with VND 3 billion+ are exempt from work permit requirements
• Temporary Residence Cards match work permit duration, up to 2 years
• Permanent residence possible after 3 years of continuous temporary residence
• No formal digital nomad visa yet, though business visa options exist

Cost of Living in Vietnam

Vietnam is one of the most affordable countries in Asia for expats. Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi are the two main hubs, with one-bedroom apartments in the city center running 8 to 15 million VND per month ($320 to $600). A comfortable lifestyle including rent, dining out, transportation, and entertainment costs roughly $1,000 to $1,500 per month for a single person. Street food meals cost 30,000 to 60,000 VND ($1.20 to $2.40), while mid-range restaurant meals run 150,000 to 300,000 VND. Da Nang and other smaller cities are 20 to 30 percent cheaper than the two capitals. Motorbike ownership and ride-hailing apps (Grab) keep transportation costs low.

Language Requirements

Vietnam has no formal language requirements for work permits or temporary residence. Vietnamese proficiency at roughly B1 level is required for naturalization, though no standardized exam is specified. In practice, English is widely spoken in business environments, tech companies, and tourist areas in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Outside major cities and in government offices, Vietnamese is essential. Vietnamese uses a Latin-based script (quoc ngu), which makes reading signs and menus more accessible than in other Southeast Asian countries, but the tonal system (six tones) presents a significant challenge for most learners.

Credential Recognition

Foreign academic credentials in Vietnam are evaluated by the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) or Vietnam National University. For work permit applications, your degree must be apostilled or legalized by your home country, authenticated by the Vietnamese embassy, and translated into Vietnamese by a certified translator. Regulated professions including medicine, pharmacy, and law require additional Vietnamese licensing. The authentication chain can take 4 to 8 weeks, so start the process well before your intended move date. Employers typically handle work permit document submission, but the credential authentication is the applicant's responsibility.

Visa Application Process

The work permit process in Vietnam is employer-driven. Your employer applies to the Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (DOLISA) in their province. Processing takes about 10 working days under Decree 219/2025. Required documents include a clean criminal record check from your home country (apostilled), a medical fitness certificate from a Vietnamese-approved hospital, your authenticated degree, and proof of work experience. The Temporary Residence Card is applied for separately through the Immigration Department after the work permit is issued. Investor visas require business registration documents and proof of capital contribution. All foreign documents must be legalized and translated into Vietnamese.

Path to Permanent Residence and Citizenship

Permanent residence in Vietnam requires 3 years of continuous temporary residence, a clean criminal record, financial stability, and evidence of ties to Vietnam. The permanent residence card is valid for an unspecified period but can be revoked. Vietnamese citizenship requires 5 or more years of residence, Vietnamese language proficiency, and renunciation of your original citizenship in most cases. Vietnam does not formally allow dual citizenship, though enforcement varies and a 2014 amendment created limited exceptions for overseas Vietnamese. Naturalization is uncommon and discretionary. Most long-term expats maintain their status through renewable work permits and temporary residence cards.

Your First Days in Vietnam

Register your temporary address with local police within 48 hours of arrival (your hotel or landlord usually handles this). Opening a bank account requires your passport, visa, and temporary residence card or work permit. Vietcombank, Techcombank, and MB Bank are commonly used by expats. Get a Vietnamese SIM card immediately, as mobile banking, Grab (ride-hailing), and most delivery services require a local number. Register for a tax code through your employer, which is necessary for salary payments and social insurance contributions.

Moving with Family

Spouses and children of work permit holders can obtain dependent Temporary Residence Cards. Spouses who wish to work must obtain their own work permits through a separate employer. International schools are available in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang, with annual fees ranging from $8,000 to $25,000 depending on the curriculum (British, American, IB, Australian). Vietnamese public schools are free but instruction is entirely in Vietnamese. Many expat families choose bilingual schools as a more affordable alternative to full international schools, typically costing $3,000 to $8,000 per year.

Healthcare in Vietnam

Vietnam has a two-tier healthcare system. Public hospitals are affordable but often overcrowded and primarily Vietnamese-speaking. Private hospitals and international clinics in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi (FV Hospital, Vinmec, Family Medical Practice) offer quality care with English-speaking staff. A specialist consultation at a private facility costs roughly $50 to $100. Private health insurance is strongly recommended for all expats, with comprehensive policies starting at $500 to $1,200 per year for healthy adults. Employees contribute to Vietnam's social insurance system, which provides basic public healthcare coverage, but most expats rely on private insurance for quality care.

Taxes in Vietnam

Vietnam taxes residents on worldwide income using a progressive scale from 5% to 35%. You become a tax resident if you are present in Vietnam for 183 or more days in a calendar year, or if you have a permanent residence registered in Vietnam. Non-residents are taxed at a flat 20% on Vietnamese-sourced income. Social insurance contributions total about 10.5% of salary for the employee (capped at 20 times the base salary). Employer contributions add another 21.5%. Vietnam has double taxation agreements with over 80 countries. There is no capital gains tax separate from income tax, and VAT is 10% on most goods and services.