If you are thinking about moving to Vietnam for more than a few months, one question eventually becomes unavoidable:
How do expats legally stay in Vietnam for one year, two years or longer?
Vietnam is relatively easy to visit compared with many countries in Asia. The problem starts when a visitor wants to turn a three-month stay into an actual life.
There is no simple Vietnamese “retirement visa” or universal “digital nomad visa” that allows any foreigner to arrive and live in the country indefinitely.
Instead, long-term residence is normally connected to a specific legal basis such as employment, investment, family relationships, education or another qualifying category.
The good news is that living in Vietnam for more than one year is possible.
The less convenient news is that you need the right immigration structure to do it. An e-visa is not a magic wand, despite what the internet occasionally suggests.
Can Foreigners Live in Vietnam for More Than One Year?
Yes.
Vietnamese immigration law provides several visa categories with validity periods longer than one year.
Under the current 2026 rules:
- LĐ1 and LĐ2 work visas can be valid for up to 2 years.
- ĐT3 investor visas can be valid for up to 3 years.
- LS, ĐT1 and ĐT2 visas can be valid for up to 5 years.
- Some other visa categories have maximum periods of up to 1 year.
- Temporary residence cards can provide longer periods of legal temporary residence for qualifying foreigners.
This means a foreigner who has a qualifying work, investment or family situation does not necessarily need to leave Vietnam every 90 days.
That is an important distinction.
The 90-Day E-Visa Is Not a Long-Term Residence Solution
Vietnam’s electronic visa is currently limited to a maximum validity of 90 days.
That makes it useful for tourists, people testing out Vietnam and foreigners making relatively short stays.
It is not the same thing as having a residence status for several years.
The current immigration law lists HN, DL and EV visas with a maximum validity of 90 days.
For someone who wants to live in Da Nang for three years, repeatedly relying on short tourist stays is therefore very different from having a qualifying long-term immigration status.
This is one of the most important points for people researching Vietnam before moving.
Option 1: Work Visa and Temporary Residence Card
For foreigners who actually work for a Vietnamese company, employment is one of the clearest long-term routes.
Vietnam has two main LĐ categories:
LĐ1: foreign workers who are not subject to a work permit under the applicable rules.
LĐ2: foreign workers who are subject to a work permit.
The immigration law allows LĐ1 and LĐ2 visas for up to two years.
Foreign workers can also qualify for a temporary residence card in the LĐ1 or LĐ2 category.
Under the current rules, an LĐ temporary residence card can have a validity of up to two years, subject to the remaining validity of the passport and the applicable immigration requirements.
What does this mean in practice?
An expat who gets a legitimate job with a Vietnamese company may be able to establish a residence arrangement that covers more than one year without relying on tourist visas.
The employer normally becomes an important part of the immigration and work-permit process.
This is very different from a foreigner working remotely for a company overseas.
A person sitting in a Da Nang apartment and working for a foreign employer does not automatically become a Vietnamese work-visa holder simply because they are earning an income.
Vietnam’s work-permit process also has its own requirements. Current administrative procedures require the Vietnamese employer to submit the relevant application within the specified timeframe before the foreign worker is expected to begin working.
Option 2: Investor Visa
Investment is another major route for foreigners who want to establish a longer-term presence in Vietnam.
Vietnam has several investor visa categories:
| Visa | Investment category | Maximum visa validity |
|---|---|---|
| ĐT1 | 100 billion VND or more, or certain priority investment situations | Up to 5 years |
| ĐT2 | 50 billion to under 100 billion VND, or qualifying encouraged investment | Up to 5 years |
| ĐT3 | 3 billion to under 50 billion VND | Up to 3 years |
| ĐT4 | Under 3 billion VND | Up to 1 year |
The investment thresholds are defined in Vietnam’s immigration legislation.
This is important because you will sometimes see online advice suggesting that “opening a company in Vietnam gives you a five-year visa.”
That is an oversimplification.
The investment amount and the applicable investor category matter.
The small-business problem
The ĐT4 category is particularly relevant to small investors because it covers investment below 3 billion VND.
But the visa validity is limited to one year under the current framework.
The higher investment categories provide longer potential validity, but the capital requirements become substantially larger.
In other words, Vietnam does have an investor route, but it is not necessarily a cheap residency program.
Anyone considering establishing a Vietnamese company purely for immigration purposes should calculate the actual cost of company formation, accounting, tax compliance, capital requirements and immigration services rather than looking only at the visa label.
Option 3: Temporary Residence Card
This is one of the most important concepts for people planning to stay in Vietnam for years.
A Temporary Residence Card, commonly called a TRC, can function as a longer-term residence document for foreigners who qualify.
It is not available to every tourist.
The law specifies which visa categories can qualify for temporary residence cards, including certain investor, work, family, study and other categories.
The maximum validity depends on the category.
Current maximum periods include:
- ĐT1: up to 10 years
- ĐT2: up to 5 years
- ĐT3: up to 3 years
- TT: up to 3 years
- LĐ1/LĐ2: up to 2 years
- DH: up to 5 years
The card must also be issued for a period shorter than the remaining validity of the passport by at least 30 days.
This is why the TRC is much more relevant to someone planning to live in Vietnam for several years than simply collecting 90-day tourist visas.
Option 4: Vietnamese Spouse or Family Connection
Family relationships can provide another long-term immigration route.
The TT category includes certain spouses, parents and children of Vietnamese citizens, as well as qualifying family members of foreigners holding certain Vietnamese visas.
The current immigration framework allows qualifying TT visa holders to obtain temporary residence cards, with TT temporary residence cards having a maximum validity of up to three years.
For a foreigner married to a Vietnamese citizen, this can therefore look very different from the immigration situation of a single foreign retiree.
It is important, however, not to confuse a family-based visa with automatic permanent residency.
Temporary residence and permanent residence are separate legal concepts.
Option 5: Student Visa
Foreigners studying or undertaking qualifying internships in Vietnam can use the DH visa category.
The DH category can have a visa validity of up to one year, while qualifying DH holders can also be eligible for temporary residence cards with validity of up to five years under the current immigration framework.
This is obviously not a realistic route for most people moving to Da Nang for retirement or remote work.
But for international students, language students and people undertaking qualifying education, it can provide a legitimate longer-term immigration structure.
What About Retirees?
This is probably the biggest issue for older expats considering Vietnam.
Vietnam does not currently have a simple retirement visa where someone can show a pension or savings balance and receive a multi-year residence permit simply because they are retired.
A person can have substantial savings, receive a pension from Europe, Australia, the United States or another country, and still need to establish another legal basis for staying in Vietnam long term.
This is one reason Vietnam can be very attractive for retirees while simultaneously being less straightforward from an immigration perspective than countries that specifically market retirement residence programs.
For retirees without a Vietnamese spouse, qualifying investment or another immigration basis, the visa question needs to be solved before treating Vietnam as a permanent base.
What About Digital Nomads?
Vietnam is popular with remote workers, particularly in cities such as Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City.
But popularity does not create a visa category.
Vietnam does not currently offer a dedicated digital nomad visa that simply grants a foreign remote worker several years of residence.
A remote worker therefore needs to look carefully at their particular circumstances.
There are two separate issues:
Immigration: What allows you to legally remain in Vietnam?
Tax: Where are you considered tax resident, and where could your income or business activities create tax obligations?
A 90-day e-visa may answer the first question temporarily.
It does not automatically answer the second.
Can You Just Renew Visas Forever?
This is where expat Facebook groups tend to become particularly creative.
Vietnamese law provides that an expired visa may be considered for a new visa, but that does not mean every foreigner has an automatic right to continuously renew a tourist or e-visa indefinitely.
Your ability to remain in Vietnam depends on the immigration category you qualify for at the time.
Visa rules can also change.
That means advice such as:
“I’ve been doing this for five years, so you can too.”
is not particularly strong legal guidance.
It tells you what happened to one person under a particular set of rules.
It does not guarantee that the same arrangement will be available when you reach your next visa expiration date.
What Is the Best Long-Term Route for an Expat in Da Nang?
There is no single answer.
It depends on your situation.
If you work for a Vietnamese company
A work visa and potentially a temporary residence card are among the most straightforward long-term structures.
If you own or invest in a Vietnamese business
An investor visa may be appropriate, depending on the actual investment and applicable category.
If you are married to a Vietnamese citizen
A family-based route may provide a much stronger long-term foundation than tourist immigration.
If you are studying
The DH category may provide the relevant immigration route.
If you are retired with foreign income
This is more complicated because Vietnam does not currently offer a simple general retirement visa.
If you are a remote worker
This is also complicated because Vietnam does not currently have a dedicated digital nomad residence category.
This group should pay particular attention to immigration and tax rules rather than assuming that working online automatically makes their residence status legal.
How Long Can You Actually Stay?
The answer depends on the category.
Here is the simplified picture under the current rules:
| Situation | Potential immigration route | Maximum visa/TRC period |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist / visitor | EV e-visa | Up to 90 days |
| Vietnamese employment | LĐ1/LĐ2 | Visa up to 2 years |
| Qualifying small investment | ĐT4 | Visa up to 1 year |
| Investment of 3B to <50B VND | ĐT3 | Visa up to 3 years |
| Investment of 50B to <100B VND | ĐT2 | Visa up to 5 years |
| Investment of 100B+ VND | ĐT1 | Visa up to 5 years |
| Qualifying family relationship | TT | Visa up to 1 year, TRC up to 3 years |
| Qualifying study | DH | Visa up to 1 year, TRC up to 5 years |
| Qualifying work TRC | LĐ1/LĐ2 | Up to 2 years |
| Qualifying investor TRC | DT categories | Up to 3, 5 or 10 years depending on category |
These are maximum statutory periods, not guarantees that every applicant will automatically receive the maximum. The actual period can depend on the underlying status, passport validity and supporting documentation.
What Happens After One Year?
This is the question people should really be asking before moving.
If your visa or temporary residence card expires after one year, you need a legal basis for the next period.
There are several possibilities.
You may:
- Renew or obtain a new visa if you still qualify.
- Obtain or renew a temporary residence card if your underlying status allows it.
- Change to another qualifying immigration category.
- Leave Vietnam and later return under a new valid immigration status.
- Lose the ability to remain in Vietnam if you no longer meet the requirements.
The important point is that living in Vietnam for five years does not automatically create a right to stay for a sixth year.
Each immigration status has its own rules.
Does Living in Vietnam for Several Years Give You Permanent Residency?
Not automatically.
This is another common misconception.
Vietnam’s permanent residence rules are much narrower than temporary residence.
The current law identifies specific groups that may be considered for permanent residence, including certain foreigners who have made significant contributions to Vietnam, certain scientists or experts, and foreigners sponsored by qualifying Vietnamese parents, spouses or children. Applicants must also satisfy additional conditions such as having lawful accommodation and stable income sufficient to support themselves.
Simply renting an apartment in Da Nang for ten years does not automatically turn a foreigner into a permanent resident.
Nor does paying Vietnamese rent for a decade create an immigration entitlement.
Humanity has yet to invent a landlord receipt powerful enough to grant citizenship.
How Much Does Long-Term Immigration Cost?
Government fees are only part of the cost.
Vietnam’s 2026 fee schedule includes:
- 25 USD for a single-entry visa
- 50 USD for a multiple-entry visa of up to 90 days
- 95 USD for multiple-entry visas over 90 days to 180 days
- 135 USD for multiple-entry visas over 180 days to one year
- 145 USD for multiple-entry visas over one year to two years
- 155 USD for multiple-entry visas over two years to five years
- 165 USD for multiple-entry visas over five years to ten years
- 145 USD for a temporary residence card valid up to two years
- 155 USD for a temporary residence card over two years to five years
- 165 USD for a temporary residence card over five years to ten years
The current fee schedule also lists a 10 USD fee for temporary residence extensions.
However, these are government fees.
If you use an immigration agency, lawyer or company service provider, professional fees can be considerably higher.
For business-based immigration, there can also be company registration, accounting, tax, compliance and capital requirements.
That is why comparing visa costs based only on the government application fee can produce a very misleading picture.
What Should Someone Do Before Moving to Vietnam for Five Years?
If you are serious about making Vietnam your home rather than spending a few months here, work backwards from your desired lifestyle.
For example:
Step 1: Decide how long you actually want to stay.
Six months, one year and five years are completely different immigration problems.
Step 2: Identify your legal basis.
Employment, investment, family, education or another qualifying category.
Step 3: Check whether the category supports a temporary residence card.
A TRC can make long-term residence substantially more practical where you qualify.
Step 4: Check tax implications separately.
Do not assume that immigration status determines tax residency.
Step 5: Keep your passport validity in mind.
The validity of visas and temporary residence cards is tied to passport validity requirements.
Step 6: Do not build a five-year life around a visa that expires in 90 days.
If your plan is genuinely long term, your immigration strategy should be long term too.
What Most Expats Should Understand
For someone coming to Da Nang, the practical hierarchy is fairly simple.
If you have a Vietnamese employer, investigate the work route.
If you have a qualifying Vietnamese business investment, investigate the investor route.
If you have a Vietnamese spouse or qualifying family connection, investigate the family route.
If you are studying, investigate the education route.
If you are retired or working remotely for overseas clients, understand that Vietnam does not currently give you a simple dedicated retirement or digital-nomad residence visa.
You may still be able to spend significant time in Vietnam, but the legal structure is different.
The Bottom Line: Can You Live in Vietnam for More Than One Year?
Yes, but you need to distinguish between staying in Vietnam and having a sustainable long-term immigration status.
A 90-day e-visa can be useful for testing the country.
It is not a substitute for a long-term residence plan.
For someone planning to live in Vietnam for one year or longer, the strongest options generally involve a qualifying employment relationship, investment, family connection, education or another recognized immigration basis.
For people who want to live in Da Nang for several years, the goal should not simply be finding the cheapest way to stay.
The better question is:
What legal status matches the life I actually want to build in Vietnam?
That question becomes much more important after the first year, when the novelty of visa extensions starts competing with the considerably less glamorous realities of paperwork, tax, business compliance and immigration rules.
