Logistics / Visas / Vietnam

Vietnam E-Visa / Business Visa (no dedicated nomad visa): Application Process

Step by step through the Vietnam E-Visa / Business Visa (no dedicated nomad visa) application, from first document to approval.

Verified Aug 2026 · Vietnam's official e-visa portal terms and the 2014 Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence
  1. For the e-visa: apply online through Vietnam's official e-visa portal, upload your passport, and pay the fee — this is generally the fastest and simplest route for shorter stays.
  2. For a business visa: this typically requires a Vietnam-based sponsor or agency and is a meaningfully more involved process — most nomads without an existing local connection find the e-visa route more practical despite its shorter duration.
  3. Because neither visa is purpose-built for remote work, some nomads do extended stays via repeated e-visa border runs — exiting to a neighboring country (commonly Cambodia, Laos, or Thailand) and re-entering on a fresh e-visa. This is a real, commonly used practice, but working remotely for a foreign employer while on a tourist/e-visa sits in a genuine legal gray area: Vietnam's 2014 Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence (Article 8.2) technically bars "labour activities" on this status, and Ho Chi Minh City's Department of Labour has confirmed fines of VND 15-25 million (roughly $600-1,000 USD) for working online while on a tourist visa. In practice, enforcement against foreign-employer remote work specifically is reported as minimal — but "rarely enforced" isn't the same as legal, and that distinction is worth being honest with yourself about.
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This is informational, not advice. Visa, tax, and immigration rules change, and a general guide can't account for your specific situation. Before you act on anything here, confirm current details with the relevant embassy, consulate, or a licensed immigration or tax professional. See our editorial policy for how we verify what we publish.

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