Retirement Visa Vietnam: Real Options for Retirees in 2026

This absence of a retirement visa requires planning stays in three-month blocks or finding a legal basis to obtain temporary residence. Many retirees alternate between Vietnam and other destinations, or make regular exits from the territory to renew their e-visa.

This article details the concrete options available in 2026, their limits, and the procedures to plan. It covers neither taxation nor wealth management, subjects that require specialized advice according to your personal situation.

01Why Vietnam has no retirement visa

Vietnam has not created a visa category for foreign retirees. The regulations distinguish tourist, business, work visas, and temporary residence cards linked to investment, a Vietnamese spouse or an employment contract. No arrangement specifically targets people who receive a pension and want to live in Vietnam without working.

According to diplomatie.gouv.fr, French nationals benefit from a 45-day visa exemption for tourism, renewable after leaving the territory. Beyond that, you must apply for an e-visa or a standard visa. This rule applies to everyone, including retirees.

Neighboring countries like Thailand offer retirement visas ("O-A" or "O-X") with income or savings conditions. Vietnam has not yet adopted this type of policy, probably because the country mainly attracts skilled workers and investors, and long-term tourism remains marginal in the migration strategy.

02The 90-day e-visa: the most common solution

The Vietnamese e-visa, available since 2023 and extended to 90 days in 2024, is the simplest option for a retiree who wants to spend three months in Vietnam. It is obtained online at evisa.gov.vn, costs 25 USD (approximately 23 €, as of 24/10/2026), and allows multiple entries during its validity.

You receive the e-visa by email within 3 working days on average. You simply fill out the form, upload a photo and the identity page of your passport, and pay by credit card. The passport must be valid at least 6 months after the planned entry date.

Once in Vietnam, you can stay up to 90 consecutive days. At expiration, you must leave the territory. After an exit, you can apply for a new e-visa immediately, with no waiting period imposed by official regulations. In practice, many retirees chain several e-visas throughout the year, making a visa run to Cambodia, Thailand or Laos between two stays.

Entry rules depend on your nationality; the official portal is evisa.gov.vn. If you prefer someone to handle the application, visa-vietnam.app can do it. visa-vietnam.app is run by the same publisher as this site.

03The visa run: leaving and returning regularly

The visa run consists of leaving Vietnam before your visa expires, then returning with a new visa. It is a common practice among expats and retirees who want to stay in Vietnam without obtaining permanent residence.

Concretely, you take a flight or bus to a neighboring country, stay a few hours or days, then return to Vietnam with a new 90-day e-visa. The most frequent destinations are Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Bangkok (Thailand), Vientiane (Laos) or Singapore. A Da Nang-Bangkok round trip costs between 100 and 200 € depending on season and airline.

Vietnamese regulations do not prohibit repeated visa runs, but immigration may ask questions if you chain too many stays without declared activity. In 2026, no official quota of visa runs is published, but it is recommended not to exceed 3 to 4 cycles per year without proof of activity or income.

Some retirees alternate 3 months in Vietnam and 1 month elsewhere, which avoids too frequent exits and allows discovering the region. Others spend 9 months in Vietnam and 3 months in France or their home country, which also simplifies administrative and tax obligations.

04The temporary residence card: special cases

The Temporary Residence Card (TRC) allows residing in Vietnam for periods of 1 to 5 years, with free entries and exits. It is not a visa, but a residence permit issued by the immigration department. For a retiree, obtaining it is difficult, as it requires a legal basis: employment contract, substantial investment, or family link with a Vietnamese citizen.

If you are married to a Vietnamese man or woman, you can apply for a 5-year TRC after obtaining a VR visa (family reunification). The procedure goes through the immigration office of your province of residence and requires an apostilled marriage certificate, a criminal record extract, and a medical certificate. The timeframe is approximately 1 to 2 months.

If you invest in a Vietnamese company or buy real estate of significant value, you can also claim a TRC, but investment thresholds are high (several hundred thousand dollars) and the procedure complex. This is not a realistic option for most retirees.

Without these criteria, the TRC remains out of reach. You will have to make do with the e-visa and visa runs. The complete guide to the Temporary Residence Card details conditions and procedures.

05How much does a long stay cost for a retiree

The cost of living in Vietnam is a major argument for retirees. In 2026, a retired couple can live comfortably in Da Nang or Hoi An with 1,200 to 1,800 € per month, housing included. This budget covers a 60 m² apartment in a quiet neighborhood, restaurant meals several times a week, scooter or taxi transport, and leisure activities.

Breakdown of expense items:

Retirees who favor local life and cook at home can go below 1,000 € per month. Those seeking Western comfort (new apartment, international restaurants, sports clubs) easily exceed 2,000 €. The cost of living in Vietnam and monthly budget in Da Nang give precise orders of magnitude.

To this monthly budget, add visa fees: 25 USD every 90 days for the e-visa, plus the cost of visa runs if you do them. Over a year, count 100 to 150 € in visa fees and 400 to 800 € in flights for visa runs, depending on your organization.

06Health insurance: essential for a retiree

Vietnam has no social security agreement with France, Belgium, Canada or Switzerland. Your care is not covered by your national health system. International health insurance is therefore essential, especially for a retiree.

Insurance specialized for expats covers consultations, hospitalizations, and repatriation. Rates vary according to age, medical history, and level of coverage. In 2026, count between 150 and 400 € per month for a retiree aged 60 to 70, with a reimbursement ceiling of 500,000 to 1,000,000 €.

The insurance most cited by expats in Vietnam are April International, Allianz Care, Cigna Global, and AXA. Compare deductibles, exclusions (pre-existing conditions, certain treatments), and waiting periods before subscribing. The guide expat health insurance Vietnam compares offers in detail.

Routine care (consultation, medication) remains affordable in Vietnam: a consultation with a general practitioner costs 10 to 30 € in an international clinic. But hospitalization or surgery can reach several thousand euros. Without insurance, a serious health problem can ruin your budget.

07The limits of expatriation without a long visa

Living in Vietnam with successive e-visas has several drawbacks. First, you must organize a visa run every three months, which costs time and money. Then, you have no administrative stability: in theory, immigration can refuse your entry if it judges your stays too long or too frequent, even if this remains rare in practice.

You cannot open a standard Vietnamese bank account with a simple e-visa. Most banks require a temporary residence card or a visa of at least 6 months. You will therefore have to manage your finances with an international online bank (Wise, Revolut) or withdraw money regularly. The guide expat banking Vietnam explains the solutions.

You cannot buy real estate in your name with an e-visa. Vietnamese law authorizes foreigners to buy an apartment under certain conditions, but you need a TRC or long visa. You will therefore remain a tenant, which limits your anchoring.

Finally, if you spend more than 183 days per year in Vietnam, you could be considered a Vietnamese tax resident, with declaration obligations. This point goes beyond the scope of this article, but it is crucial to consult a tax specialist in expatriation before leaving.

08Other destinations for retirees in Asia

If the absence of a retirement visa in Vietnam is problematic for you, other Southeast Asian countries offer more suitable arrangements. Thailand issues a one-year retirement visa ("Non-Immigrant O-A"), renewable, if you are over 50 and justify 800,000 baht (approximately 21,000 €) in the bank or monthly income of 65,000 baht (approximately 1,700 €). The Philippines offer a permanent retirement visa (SRRV) from age 35 with a deposit of 10,000 to 20,000 USD depending on age.

Malaysia offers the "Malaysia My Second Home" (MM2H) program, which allows 10-year residence with a bank deposit of 500,000 ringgits (approximately 100,000 €) and monthly income of 10,000 ringgits (approximately 2,000 €). Indonesia has been testing a 5 or 10-year retirement visa since 2023, but conditions remain unclear and feedback scarce.

These countries have a comparable or slightly higher cost of living than Vietnam, but their legal framework is clearer for retirees. If you seek administrative stability, they deserve study. The comparison expatriation Vietnam vs Thailand details differences in visas, cost of living and taxation.

09Preparing your long-term stay in Vietnam

If you decide to spend several months a year in Vietnam despite the absence of a retirement visa, here are the steps to plan:

1. Check your passport validity: it must be valid at least 6 months after your planned entry date.
2. Subscribe to international health insurance before leaving, with coverage adapted to your age and needs.
3. Apply for your first e-visa on evisa.gov.vn at least one week before departure.
4. Plan your first visa run in advance: choose the destination, book the flight or bus, and prepare the application for your next e-visa.
5. Inform your bank of your stays abroad to avoid card blocking, and open a Wise or Revolut account to facilitate withdrawals and payments.
6. Find out about your tax situation: if you stay more than 6 months a year outside France, you could lose your French tax residence. Consult a tax specialist.
7. Prepare a domiciliation address in France (family, domiciliation service) to receive your administrative mail.

The expatriation checklist Vietnam lists 47 detailed steps to forget nothing.

10What to remember

Vietnam does not offer a retirement visa. Retirees must use the 90-day e-visa, make regular visa runs, or obtain a temporary residence card if they meet particular conditions (marriage, investment). This situation imposes heavier logistical and administrative organization than neighboring countries with retirement visas.

Despite this, Vietnam remains an attractive destination for retirees thanks to its moderate cost of living, quality of life, and proximity to other Asian countries. A couple can live comfortably with 1,200 to 1,800 € per month. International health insurance and visa run planning are the two key points to anticipate.

If you are considering spending several months a year in Vietnam, start with a 3-month stay with an e-visa to test life on the ground. You can then adjust your organization according to your needs and budget. The guide living in Vietnam in retirement explores all practical aspects of daily life.