From Tourist to Resident: Your Guide to Long-Term Living in Vietnam

Vietnam‘s long-stay foreign population has grown significantly since 2024, and so has the bureaucratic complexity around staying legally. The 90-day e-visa that most people arrive on is fine for a trial run, but if you’re planning to stay three months, six months, or longer — and especially if you’re working remotely — the tourist-to-resident transition requires real planning. Getting it wrong means visa runs to Bangkok, fines at immigration, or worse, a ban on re-entry. This guide covers how it actually works in 2026.

Visa Reality: What Status Actually Lets You Stay Long-Term

Most people arrive in Vietnam on the standard e-visa, which since 2023 has been valid for 90 days, single or multiple entry. In 2026, this policy remains unchanged, but enforcement around what you do on that visa has tightened in several cities. Immigration officers at apartment buildings and hotels now conduct periodic registration checks — if you’re staying somewhere for weeks without proper registration, both you and the landlord can face fines.

Here’s a plain breakdown of the visa options relevant to people planning a long stay:

• E-Visa (DL visa type): 90 days, multiple entry, extendable once for another 90 days through the immigration portal. Maximum continuous stay: 180 days before you must exit.
• Tourist Visa (B1/B2 equivalent, DN visa): Issued through a sponsoring agency, can be arranged for 3 or 6 months. Not technically for remote work, but widely used by digital nomads who have no Vietnamese employer.
• Business Visa (DN1/DN2): Requires a Vietnamese company to sponsor you. Valid for 1–12 months depending on the sponsor letter. This is the most commonly misunderstood visa — it does not give you the right to work for a Vietnamese employer without a separate work permit.
• Investor Visa: If you have registered capital in a Vietnamese company (minimum 3 billion VND / ~USD 120,000 in 2026), you can access investor visa status, which leads more directly to a Temporary Residence Card.

Remote workers employed by foreign companies exist in a grey zone. Vietnam has no official digital nomad visa as of mid-2026, unlike Thailand or Indonesia. The practical approach used by most long-stayers is a multiple-entry DN or DL visa combined with proper apartment registration and a clear paper trail showing income from abroad, not from a Vietnamese source.

The Temporary Residence Card (TRC): Your Path to Multi-Year Stability

If you’re planning to stay more than six months per year and want to stop managing visa logistics every few months, the Temporary Residence Card (Thẻ Tạm Trú) is the most practical long-term solution for most foreigners. It replaces the need for a visa stamp and is issued for 1 or 2 years, renewable.

The TRC is not available to everyone. In 2026, the main qualifying pathways are:

1. Valid work permit holder: You have a work permit issued by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA). Work permits are employer-specific and role-specific. Exemptions exist for certain roles (senior managers, experts with specialised qualifications), but the exemption still requires documentation.
2. Investor in a Vietnamese company: With documented capital contribution, you can apply for investor status and then a TRC.
3. Spouse or child of a Vietnamese citizen: Requires marriage certificate certified by Vietnamese authorities and a residency declaration from the Vietnamese spouse.
4. Spouse of a foreigner holding a TRC: Derivative status, valid for the same period as the primary holder’s card.

The application goes through the provincial immigration department (Cục Quản lý Xuất nhập cảnh) in the city where you reside. Processing typically takes 3–10 working days. You will need your passport, current visa, a sponsor document (employer letter or company ownership certificate), two passport photos, and proof of residence (your lease agreement, certified by the local ward office).

One process that confuses many newcomers: before your landlord can register you as a resident, they must declare your tenancy to the local People’s Committee (ward level). In major cities this is often done digitally through the VNeID system in 2026, but in smaller provinces it still requires a paper form. If your landlord is reluctant to do this — which happens — find a different landlord. Unregistered accommodation creates problems at every subsequent immigration step.

2026 Budget Reality: What It Costs to Actually Live Here

These figures reflect mid-2026 costs in Vietnam’s three main long-stay cities: Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Hanoi, and Da Nang. Costs vary meaningfully between them.

Monthly Accommodation

• Budget (basic furnished apartment, local area): 5,000,000–9,000,000 VND/month (~USD 200–360)
• Mid-range (serviced apartment or modern studio, expat-friendly building): 12,000,000–22,000,000 VND/month (~USD 480–880)
• Comfortable (larger apartment, central district, building with gym/pool): 25,000,000–50,000,000 VND/month (~USD 1,000–2,000)

Monthly Living Costs (excluding rent)

• Food (local restaurants and markets): 3,000,000–5,000,000 VND/month (~USD 120–200)



• Food (mix of local and Western restaurants): 7,000,000–12,000,000 VND/month (~USD 280–480)
• Transport (motorbike fuel + ride-hail apps): 800,000–2,000,000 VND/month (~USD 32–80)
• Utilities (electricity, water, internet — note: AC usage pushes electricity bills high): 1,500,000–4,000,000 VND/month (~USD 60–160)
• Health insurance (international plan, see below): 2,500,000–6,000,000 VND/month (~USD 100–240)

Total Monthly Budget Estimates

• Budget lifestyle: 15,000,000–20,000,000 VND/month (~USD 600–800)
• Mid-range lifestyle: 28,000,000–40,000,000 VND/month (~USD 1,120–1,600)
• Comfortable lifestyle: 55,000,000–90,000,000 VND/month (~USD 2,200–3,600)

Da Nang runs roughly 15–20% cheaper than HCMC for accommodation. Hanoi sits between the two depending on the district. These figures do not include visa costs, international flights, or savings contributions.

Finding and Securing Long-Term Accommodation

Short-term rentals listed on Airbnb are legal for landlords but expensive for stays beyond a month, and the host may not be willing or able to register you with the ward office — which you need for visa purposes. For stays of three months or more, a direct lease with a Vietnamese landlord is almost always the better path.

In practice, most long-stayers find apartments through Facebook groups specific to their target city (search “HCMC Expat Housing 2026” or equivalent), through local real estate agents (môi giới), or through referrals from other foreigners in the same building. Dedicated expat property platforms now exist in Vietnamese cities but listings are inconsistent.

Key things to sort before signing any lease:

• Lease term: Minimum 6 months is standard for expat-facing apartments. 12-month leases usually come with a modest discount. Month-to-month is possible but rare and more expensive.
• Deposit: Typically 2 months’ rent. This is not regulated — negotiate if you can.
• Electricity billing: Some landlords charge above the state rate for electricity. The legal maximum surcharge in 2026 is capped but not always enforced. Confirm the rate in writing before signing.
• Ward registration clause: Ask explicitly whether the landlord will register you. Get this commitment in writing as part of the lease or as a separate signed document.
• Lease language: Your lease will almost certainly be in Vietnamese. Pay a certified translator or a bilingual lawyer to review it before signing. This costs around 500,000–1,500,000 VND (~USD 20–60) and is worth every dong.

The smell of fresh paint and the hum of a new air conditioning unit are pleasant at first viewing — but always check the building’s water pressure, mobile signal strength inside the unit, and whether the building management allows foreign tenants to register. Some older buildings in central districts have not updated their registration processes to the digital VNeID system, which creates downstream problems.

Health Insurance and Medical Access for Long-Stay Foreigners

Vietnam’s public health insurance system (BHYT) is theoretically available to foreigners holding work permits and paying into the Vietnamese social insurance system. In practice, public hospital care for foreigners without Vietnamese language skills is difficult to navigate, and waiting times at public facilities are long.

The realistic options for most long-stayers in 2026 are:

• International health insurance (recommended): Plans from providers like Cigna, AXA, Pacific Cross, and Allianz are widely used by foreign residents. A standard plan with outpatient and inpatient coverage, no pre-existing condition exclusions, and a Southeast Asia-wide network costs approximately 2,500,000–6,000,000 VND per month (~USD 100–240) depending on age and coverage level. Plans covering medical evacuation to Singapore or Thailand cost more.
• Local private hospitals: HCMC, Hanoi, and Da Nang all have private hospitals with English-speaking staff and international standard care for common conditions. A GP consultation runs 400,000–800,000 VND (~USD 16–32). Without insurance, a hospitalisation event can cost tens of millions of VND quickly.
• Vietnamese social insurance (BHXH): If you hold a work permit and your employer contributes, you will have mandatory social insurance contributions. As of 2026, the employer contributes 17.5% of your declared salary and you contribute 10.5%. This covers state hospital care but is generally supplemented with private insurance by most foreigners.

Do not arrive in Vietnam for a long stay without health coverage in place. The gap between needing emergency care and not having insurance is a financial risk that makes everything else in this guide irrelevant.

Banking, Money, and Getting Paid in Vietnam

Opening a Vietnamese bank account as a foreigner is possible but requires a valid visa with at least three months remaining and, in most banks, a temporary residence certificate from your ward. Banks commonly used by expats include Techcombank, VPBank, and HSBC Vietnam. The process takes one visit and 30–60 minutes if your documents are in order.

With a local account you can pay rent by transfer, set up autopay for utilities, and receive VND transfers without currency conversion fees. However, if you’re paid in USD, EUR, or AUD from abroad, you’ll receive foreign wire transfers and convert at the bank’s daily rate. In 2026, exchange rates at bank counters remain competitive — typically within 0.5% of the interbank rate for major currencies.

Wise (formerly TransferWise) continues to be used by many remote workers for receiving international payments and converting to VND. The Wise account linked to a Vietnamese bank works smoothly for most use cases. Note that large inbound transfers (above approximately USD 5,000 in a single transaction) may trigger a documentation request from your Vietnamese bank asking for the source of funds — this is routine, not a red flag.

ATM withdrawals from foreign cards are subject to per-transaction limits (usually 3,000,000–5,000,000 VND per transaction) and fees. For long-term living, having a local account is practical rather than optional.

Tax Obligations: When Vietnam Considers You a Resident

This is the section most long-stayers ignore until it becomes a problem. Vietnam’s tax law defines a tax resident as someone who spends 183 days or more in the country in a calendar year, or who has a permanent place of abode in Vietnam (such as a registered long-term rental). Tax residents are subject to Vietnamese personal income tax (PIT) on worldwide income at progressive rates ranging from 5% to 35%.

Non-residents are taxed at a flat 20% on Vietnam-sourced income only.

If you are employed by a foreign company and paid outside Vietnam, and you cross the 183-day threshold, you are technically a Vietnamese tax resident liable for PIT on your global income — even if that income never touches a Vietnamese bank account. In practice, enforcement for remote workers paid entirely offshore is inconsistent in 2026. However, if you are applying for a TRC or extending your visa through a company sponsor, the sponsoring entity may be asked about your tax compliance.

The practical steps most long-stayers take:

1. Consult a local tax advisor or accounting firm before the 183-day mark. Fees for a basic consultation run 1,000,000–3,000,000 VND (~USD 40–120).
2. Check whether your home country has a double tax agreement (DTA) with Vietnam — many do, which prevents you being taxed twice on the same income.
3. If you hold a work permit and are paid by a Vietnamese employer, your employer will handle PIT withholding automatically through the Vietnamese payroll system.

Ignoring this doesn’t make it disappear. If you eventually apply for a TRC renewal, investor visa, or any status that requires clean documentation, outstanding tax obligations will surface.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely for a foreign company while in Vietnam on a tourist or e-visa?

Technically, Vietnamese law does not explicitly authorise remote work for foreign employers on a tourist or e-visa. In practice, remote workers doing this are common and enforcement is low. The risk increases if you’re earning Vietnamese-sourced income or working visibly for a Vietnamese client. As of 2026, there is no official remote work or digital nomad visa category.

How long does it take to get a Temporary Residence Card approved?

Processing at provincial immigration offices typically takes 3–10 working days once your full application is submitted. Delays occur when documents are incomplete — especially the ward-certified residence proof. Allow at least two weeks from starting the process to receiving the card, and apply well before your current visa expires.

Do I need a Vietnamese bank account to rent an apartment long-term?

Not legally required, but practically essential. Most landlords for leases of three months or more prefer bank transfers. A Vietnamese account also lets you pay utilities, internet, and other services without cash. Most major banks will open an account for foreigners with a valid visa of at least 3 months remaining and a ward residence certificate.

What happens if I overstay my visa in Vietnam?

Overstaying results in a fine of 1,000,000–3,000,000 VND per day of overstay (roughly USD 40–120/day), payable at the airport or border on departure. Serious overstays — typically beyond 30 days — can trigger a re-entry ban of 1–5 years. Since 2025, the immigration database is more integrated across land, sea, and air exits, making undetected overstays rare.

Is Vietnam a good base for long-term living compared to other Southeast Asian countries in 2026?

Vietnam offers lower overall cost of living than Thailand’s major cities and better urban infrastructure than most regional alternatives. The main disadvantage is the absence of a formal long-stay or digital nomad visa pathway. Those who prioritise visa clarity often prefer Thailand’s LTR visa. Those who prioritise cost and lifestyle often choose Vietnam despite the visa complexity.

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📷 Featured image by Hieu Do Quang on Unsplash.