Does Vietnam Have a Digital Nomad Visa in 2026? What Actually Exists for Remote Workers
Vietnam still has no digital nomad visa in October 2026. What remote workers use instead (the 90-day e-visa, visa exemptions, work permits), what the new UĐ1 visa from July 2026 is and isn't, and the tax line at 183 days.
"Is there a nomad visa yet?" comes up in every Hanoi and Da Nang remote-work group, usually with a link to an article promising one "coming soon". As of 20 October 2026 the answer is still no. A new long-stay visa did start in July, but it was written for tech specialists hired here, not for freelancers or people working for a company abroad.
The short answer
- No dedicated digital nomad or remote-work visa. In December 2025, when lawmakers amended the immigration law, the government specifically said a separate start-up or tourist visa wasn't needed, because the existing 90-day e-visa "already meets this demand".
- Most remote workers use the 90-day e-visa, single or multiple entry, from the official portal evisa.gov.vn.
- A new UĐ1 visa (up to 5 years) started on 1 July 2026, but it's for high-quality digital-technology personnel and other cases the law names, not for anyone with a laptop.
- Staying 183 days or more in a year usually makes you a tax resident in Vietnam. That matters more than the visa label for anyone settling in.
Related reading: Working Remotely from Hanoi in 2026: Internet, Cafés, Coworking and the Undersea Cable Problem · Opening a Bank Account in Vietnam as a Foreigner (2026): What Banks Actually Ask For
The 90-day e-visa: what most people use
Since August 2023, citizens of every country can apply for an e-visa valid for up to 90 days. The fee is US$25 for single entry and US$50 for multiple entry, paid on the portal and not refunded if you're refused. Processing usually takes around three working days. Leave a buffer anyway: people regularly report a week or more.
Three details that catch people out:
- Apply on evisa.gov.vn yourself. Agencies with similar-looking sites charge several times the fee for the same form.
- Multiple entry is worth the extra US$25 if there's any chance you'll fly to Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur mid-stay.
- "E-visa" is the format, not the purpose. What counts is the purpose you declare. Most remote workers apply for tourism, and a tourism purpose doesn't cover being employed in Vietnam.
When 90 days run out, the usual pattern is to leave and come back on a new e-visa. That works, but there's no promise it works forever. Immigration officers can ask questions if your passport shows back-to-back long stays.
Visa exemption
Some nationalities can enter without a visa for a set number of days. The list and the length change by decree, so check the Immigration Department's list for your passport the month you travel rather than trusting a blog table, this one included.
Is remote work on an e-visa legal?
Vietnamese law has visa categories for tourism, business, investment and employment by a Vietnamese employer. It has no category for "working online for clients abroad while staying here". Plenty of people in remote-work groups say they do exactly that on e-visas without trouble. That's their experience, not a legal authorisation. The riskier picture, by any reading of the law, is looking like you work locally: taking Vietnamese clients, teaching in a centre, or staying year after year with no other status.
Planning to stay long, earn from Vietnamese clients or sign a one-year lease? Then a Vietnamese immigration lawyer is worth paying, and a visa agent isn't the same thing.
Working for a Vietnamese company
If a company in Vietnam hires you, you need a work permit (or an exemption) and a matching visa or temporary residence card (TRC). The employer applies; you supply degrees, experience letters and a criminal record check, often legalised. A TRC makes renting, banking and daily life much easier. The usual routes to one are employment, investment, or family ties to a Vietnamese citizen or resident; a tourism e-visa doesn't lead to one.
The new UĐ1 visa: what it is and isn't
The amended law passed in December 2025 (Law 118/2025/QH15) added two visa codes from 1 July 2026:
- UĐ1 for "high-quality digital technology industry personnel" and other preferential cases set by law or by resolutions of the National Assembly or its Standing Committee.
- UĐ2 for the spouse and children under 18 of a UĐ1 holder.
- Both last up to 5 years, and the law adds a matching UĐ1 temporary residence card.
During the debate, some lawmakers asked the government to define criteria (field, qualification, experience, project size). The government said that would narrow it too much and that it could ask to add groups later. So the eligibility comes from the digital technology industry law and related rules, with proof of qualifications. Vietnamese law firms describe it as aimed at experts, engineers and researchers in AI, semiconductors, big data, cloud and cybersecurity.
In practice: if you're a senior engineer joining a Vietnamese tech company or research body, ask your employer about UĐ1. If you're a freelance designer or a remote employee of a foreign start-up, it's very unlikely to fit, and anyone selling it to you as a "nomad visa" is overselling.
Tax: the 183-day line
Vietnamese tax rules treat you as a resident if you're in the country 183 days or more in a calendar year, or 12 consecutive months from arrival. They also count you if you have a registered residence or a long lease and can't prove tax residence elsewhere. Note the second test: a lease can make you resident before day 183. Residents are taxed on worldwide income, and how that sits with your home country depends on the tax treaty between the two.
A sensible plan for a 3 to 6 month stay
- Apply for a multiple-entry e-visa on evisa.gov.vn two weeks before you fly.
- Keep your work with clients abroad, and keep records of where your income comes from.
- Track your days in the country; set a reminder at 150.
- If you decide to stay past six months, get proper advice on residence status and tax before day 183, not after.
Last checked: 20 October 2026. Visa rules change by decree, so check evisa.gov.vn and the Immigration Department before you book.
Sources
- Thanh Niên, 22 Dec 2025: two new visa types from 1 July 2026 (Vietnamese)
- Cà Mau Provincial Police: what changes for foreigners from 1 July 2026 (Vietnamese)
- SIGLAW: UĐ1 and UĐ2 visa conditions under Law 118/2025/QH15 (Vietnamese)
- VnEconomy, 20 Feb 2025: Vietnam's e-visa details and fees
- Official e-visa portal
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John Le · Hanoi local · writes about money, work and everyday admin in Vietnam. Spotted an outdated price? Tell us and we will update it.
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