Vietnam E-visa requirements
Vietnam has no retirement visa: retirees use the e-visa, up to 90 days with multiple entries for $50, then leave and apply again from abroad.
What the law asks for, what the government charges, and how the application runs. Checked against Vietnam's official sources on Oct 8, 2026.
- Minimum income
- None Vietnam sets no retirement visa and no income or savings minimum. The e-visa asks only for a passport and a clean entry record: you must not fall under the diplomatic and official visa categories or the grounds for refusing entry in the immigration law. Immigration Department. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
- Residency
- Up to 90 days per visa Immigration Department; Law 23/2023/QH15; Law 51/2019/QH14. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
- Lawyer
- Not required Immigration Department. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Who qualifies for the E-visa
Vietnam has no retirement visa and no visa based on a pension or savings. Most retirees come on the e-visa, which any passport holder can request online from outside Vietnam for up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, with no proof of income. To stay longer you leave Vietnam and apply for a new e-visa; a temporary residence card comes only through investment, work or a family tie.
Vietnam sets no retirement visa and no income or savings minimum. The e-visa asks only for a passport and a clean entry record: you must not fall under the diplomatic and official visa categories or the grounds for refusing entry in the immigration law.
Since 15 August 2023 the e-visa can be issued for up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, instead of 30 days single entry.
Citizens of countries that Vietnam exempts from visas on its own initiative get a 45-day stay on arrival.
An e-visa holder already in Vietnam can get a new visa only if invited or guaranteed by an authority, organisation or individual in Vietnam.
Show your e-visa at the border even if your nationality could enter visa-free, and check the stay stamped in your passport; report any mistake to the border officers straight away.
The e-visa does not allow work: foreigners working in Vietnam need a work permit or a confirmation that they do not need one.
E-visa documents
This visa
- Passport valid at least 30 days longer than the e-visa you ask for
- Recent portrait photo, 4x6 cm, front facing, no hat or glasses, white background, as a JPG under 2 MB
- Photo of the passport data page, from which the system fills in your details
- First address where you will stay in Vietnam, and every trip to Vietnam in the past year with its dates
- Credit or debit card to pay the fee online
Immigration Department. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
E-visa fees
| E-visa, multiple entry, up to 90 days | $50 |
| E-visa, single entry, up to 90 days | $25 |
Immigration Department. Checked Oct 8, 2026. Lawyer and agency fees are not set by law; ask for a fixed written quote.
How the application runs
- Apply online from abroadUse only evisa.gov.vn or thithucdientu.gov.vn, up to one year before you travel. The e-visa is for people outside Vietnam, so you cannot apply while you are in the country.
- Upload photo and passportUpload your portrait and passport photos, check the details the system reads from the passport, and answer every question in English, including your trips in the past year.
- Pay the feePay $50 for a multiple-entry e-visa or $25 for a single entry by card through the portal. The fee is not refunded if the visa is refused.
- Receive the e-visaThe result arrives by email, or look it up on the portal's search page with your file code, date of birth and email address.
- Enter at a listed border gateEnter and leave through one of the international border gates the government lists for e-visas, including the airports of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Cam Ranh and Phu Quoc. Show the e-visa to the immigration officer and check the stay stamped in your passport.
- Leave and apply againBefore the e-visa ends, leave Vietnam and apply for a new one from outside. Wherever you stay, the accommodation declares your temporary residence, each time you move.
Spouses and children
An e-visa has no dependants: your spouse and children each apply and pay for their own. A foreigner who is the parent, spouse or child of a Vietnamese citizen can instead get a TT visa and a temporary residence card of up to 3 years.
Immigration Department; Law 51/2019/QH14. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Other ways to live in Vietnam
Investor visa and temporary residence card (DT1 to DT3)
Foreigners who invest in Vietnam get a temporary residence card matching their capital: DT1 for 100 billion dong or more (card up to 10 years), DT2 for 50 to under 100 billion (up to 5 years) and DT3 for 3 to under 50 billion (up to 3 years). Below 3 billion dong (DT4) there is only a visa of up to 12 months and no card. Cards can be renewed.
Law 51/2019/QH14. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Family visa and temporary residence card (TT)
For the parent, spouse or child of a Vietnamese citizen, and the spouse or child under 18 of a foreigner holding an investor, work or similar visa. The card lasts up to 3 years and can be renewed; the relative or employer in Vietnam files the application.
Law 51/2019/QH14. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Work visa and temporary residence card (LD1, LD2)
For foreigners employed in Vietnam with a work permit or a confirmation that they do not need one. The card lasts up to 2 years and is applied for by the employer.
Law 51/2019/QH14; Immigration Department. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
E-visa questions
Does Vietnam have a retirement visa?
No. Vietnam has no retirement or pension visa. Retirees usually stay on the e-visa, valid up to 90 days with multiple entries for $50, and apply for a new one from outside Vietnam.
What are the visa requirements to retire in Vietnam?
The e-visa asks for no proof of income or savings: a passport valid at least 30 days longer than the visa, a photo, your first address in Vietnam and the fee of $25 for one entry or $50 for multiple entries.
How long can a retiree live in Vietnam?
Each e-visa covers up to 90 days, and you cannot apply for the next one from inside Vietnam. A temporary residence card of up to 3 to 10 years needs an investment of at least 3 billion dong, a job, or a Vietnamese spouse, parent or child.
