Is Vietnam a good destination for digital nomads as of 2024?

    Hi all!
I tried to research this and I just want my findings to get verified:

So my understanding is that it's not really possible for digital nomads to stay in the country for longer period. This still requires a work permit and business visa / work visa which you can get only if you are working for a Vietnam based company.

So working somewhere else but staying in Vietnam is not really possible right now. Is this correct?

Thanks in advance
   

    -@tomgmu

Just take a short vacation outside the country once every 3 months, then return for another 3 months.

That can be easy or difficult, but not impossible.

It all depends on where you choose to live and how much disposable income you generate from outside Vietnam.

I think as in many places, regulations haven't really got to grips with Digital Nomads. So if you are in Vietnam, doing online work that is not taking work away from a Vietnamese person, that is paid to you in your home country, and taxed in your home country, it seems that you can stay in Vietnam on a 90 day tourism visa (as  OB92107 says) and not get into trouble. But I think you will not be able to open a bank account, so will need to take all your living expenses out in cash from an ATM.

@tomgmu  foreigners can do business or works in Vietnam only through a vietnamese company/spouse sponsorship (it is something you cannot do by yourself). For the rest you will be only a tourist and just be careful of not to do business with any local company, because the local Police, Banks and Labor Inspectors are good detectives

Thanks for the info guys!

I guess visa run is not the best option for me, since I'm not alone, have a family too. Moving 3-4 people every 3 months is not ideal.

Yes all my income is generated elsewhere, doing online work and not taking away the job of a  Vietnamese person.

It's good to know visa run still works in Vietnam  though. No matter how you leave / enter the country? Like no need to go by airplane, like in Thailand?

    Thanks for the info guys!
I guess visa run is not the best option for me, since I'm not alone, have a family too. Moving 3-4 people every 3 months is not ideal.

Yes all my income is generated elsewhere, doing online work and not taking away the job of a  Vietnamese person.

It's good to know visa run still works in Vietnam  though. No matter how you leave / enter the country? Like no need to go by airplane, like in Thailand?
   

    -@tomgmu

Under the latest immigration law updates, you can enter Vietnam by land, sea or air at any authorized immigration checkpoint.

Leaving Vietnam is sometimes restricted or made more difficult by the neighboring nation (China, Laos or Cambodia) so you'd want to double check regarding a certain checkpoint's visa requirements.

In your situation, your choice of where to live would be very important.

You could choose to live in Hà Tiên, Kien Giang province where the Prek Chak, Cambodia checkpoint would be very close by (approximately 12 minutes).

In central Việt Nam, Hội An is the worst option on a 3 month visa, Đà Nẵng is a little bit easier and Huế is the best option of all, if total time for a visa border run is you primary concern.

Hà Nội, Quy Nhơn, Nha Trang, Đà Lạt and Vũng Tàu are just some of the more popular destinations for foreigners where a visa run is especially problematic, if you can't devote an entire day or more to your trip.

While some forum members are reporting that one day trips are still available through certain Visa agents, other foreigner members are reporting that they must physically leave the country before they can apply for their new Evisa.

In the latter case, that would definitely be hard for you to have to arrange staying in the other country overnight or longer.

Good luck with whatever path you choose to explore.