Thanks to its fast-growing economy and top-rated services for digital nomads, Vietnam is becoming a popular destination for remote workers from all over the world. There are many cities in Vietnam that are ideal for a digital nomad lifestyle.
Needless to say, it is the low cost of living that puts Vietnam among the top countries for digital nomads.
Is there Digital Nomad Visa for Vietnam?
Unfortunately, Vietnam is not among those countries offering official digital nomad visas. Many digital nomads are keenly waiting for the Vietnamese government to launch the special digital nomad visa.
That said, visa alternatives exist for digital nomads to work and live in Vietnam. The good news is that most Vietnamese visas can be extended up to a year and, in some cases, up to 5 years.
What are the visa alternatives for digital nomads willing to relocate to Vietnam?
If you’re a citizen of Chile and Panama, you can live in the country for 90 days without a visa. Citizens of many countries can apply for a tourist visa and stay up to 30 days. Citizens of countries like Spain, Germany, Finland, Italy, France, Denmark, and Sweden can travel to Vietnam for 15 days without a visa.
Similarly, citizens from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Cambodia can enter the country for 30 days without a visa. Passport holders of 25 countries do not need to follow visa procedures and can stay in Vietnam for a certain period of time.
You can apply for a tourist visa if your country is not on the list. Rest assured, obtaining a tourist visa for Vietnam is pretty straightforward.
Please keep in mind that you will not be allowed to work while on a tourist visa. Most nationalities can opt for a visa on arrival (VOA), which is a simpler and cheaper alternative. The other option digital nomads have is Vietnam Evisa, which comes with 30-day validity and single entry.
Citizens of 80 countries can apply for this visa, which costs only $25 USD. You must wait 3 business days for the processing of your application.
Which is the best visa option for digital nomads?
The most convenient way to obtain a visa to work remotely in Vietnam is to apply for a tourist visa. Vietnam’s tourist visa is the most popular visa for travelers and digital nomads alike. A tourist visa will allow a digital nomad to stay in the country for 30 days, which can be extended for a longer stay.
There are two ways to apply for a tourist visa: online application and applying in-person at the Vietnam embassy/consulate. The major drawback of this visa is that tourist visa holders cannot work or do business activities during their stay in Vietnam.
What are the Vietnam tourist visa requirements?
To get a Vietnam tourist visa, make sure to check the following requirements:
- A valid passport for at least 6 months
- Two passport-sized photos for online application and a hard copy photo when you apply at the Vietnam embassy
- Visa fee
- A completed Vietnam tourist visa form
How to extend a Vietnam tourist visa?
Currently, there is no provision for extending the tourist visa. However, opt to do a visa run, used by thousands of expats to extend their stay in Vietnam.
A visa run is a trip you must take just before your visa expires. That means you have to fly to a neighboring country like Thailand and re-enter Vietnam with a new visa.
One perk of the visa run is that it’s cheaper. You can do your visa run either via Vietnam international airports or land borders.