●●○○Moderate· fine / confiscation
Working & digital nomads.
A tourist visa does not let you work — and remote work sits in a real grey area.
The rule, in plain English
A tourist visa or e-visa is for tourism, not employment. Working for a Vietnamese company, taking on local clients or earning income from Vietnamese sources requires a work permit plus the right business or work visa. Remote work for a foreign employer while you travel is a genuine grey area — widely done, not clearly authorised — so a tourist visa is technically the wrong status for it.
What's banned vs allowed
Working for a Vietnamese employer on a tourist visa is not allowed.
Earning from local clients or Vietnamese sources needs a work permit + business visa.
Remote work for a foreign employer is a grey area — tolerated but not formally authorised.
There's no dedicated 'digital nomad visa' — you still need a proper visa status.
Touring, answering personal email and managing your own trip are clearly fine.
How to stay legal
- 1If you'll work with any Vietnamese party, get a work permit and business/work visa.
- 2Keep foreign remote work low-profile and never invoice local clients on a tourist visa.
- 3For longer stays, sponsor a proper business visa through a Vietnamese company.
- 4Keep your income, contracts and tax tied to your home country, not Vietnam.
If you break this rule
- Working without a permit can bring fines and potential deportation.
- Your employer or sponsor in Vietnam can also be fined for unlicensed labour.
- A labour-law breach can lead to a future entry ban.
§ Decree 152/2020/NĐ-CP (foreign work permits) + Decree 144/2021/NĐ-CP (immigration penalties)· Reviewed by lawyers·Verified Jun 2026
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