Vietnam plans new Golden Visa for long-term tourists and investors

Key Takeaways

• Vietnam is planning a Golden Visa offering five or ten-year stays for investors, retirees, digital nomads, and skilled workers.
• The Golden Visa allows unlimited entries and applicants can seek permanent residency after five years if requirements are met.
• Pilot launch is planned for Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, and Phu Quoc; strict screening to avoid misuse.

Vietnam 🇻🇳 is making moves to introduce a new “Golden Visa” program aimed at attracting long-term tourists, foreign investors, retirees, digital nomads, entrepreneurs, and top professionals to the country. If approved, this would mark a big change in Vietnam’s immigration and investment policies, giving the country new ways to compete with neighbors like Thailand 🇹🇭 and Malaysia 🇲🇾. Both of these have already seen success with similar long-term residency programs.

Let’s break down what this new Golden Visa proposal could mean for Vietnam, how it compares to existing options, what challenges it might bring, and why the country is looking to make this change now.

A Closer Look at the Proposed Vietnam 🇻🇳 Golden Visa

The proposed Golden Visa is designed with several main groups in mind:

• Tourists who want to stay in Vietnam 🇻🇳 for much longer than a normal tourist visa allows.
• Retirees looking for nice weather, affordable living, and good healthcare.
• Investors searching for new business or property opportunities.
• Digital nomads who can work from anywhere and want to enjoy Vietnam 🇻🇳’s culture.
• Skilled workers and professionals who bring valuable knowledge and experience.

How Would the New Golden Visa Work?

Here’s what the policy could look like if it goes forward:

• Visa Length: The Golden Visa would be valid for either five or ten years. That’s much longer than any standard tourist or business visa.
• Renewal and Permanent Residency: After five years, holders could apply for permanent residency, so long as they keep meeting the investment or activity conditions set by Vietnam 🇻🇳.
• Unlimited Entry and Exit: Unlike shorter visas, this new one would not limit how often you can travel in and out of the country.
• Who Can Apply: The visa focuses on people who have enough money or skills to contribute. This means wealthy people, business owners, investors, professionals, and even those who want to start companies.
• Two Main Types: The program sees two main options:
  • A ten-year investor visa, with a path to permanent residency after five years if conditions are met.
  • A five-year “talent visa” aimed at highly skilled workers, also with easy renewal options.

Pilot Locations for Launch

Vietnam 🇻🇳 plans to start the Golden Visa program in its most active business and tourism areas. These include Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, and the island destination of Phu Quoc. These places already draw a lot of international attention and have the facilities that long-term tourists, business owners, and professionals need.

Why Is Vietnam 🇻🇳 Introducing a Golden Visa Now?

Vietnam 🇻🇳’s leaders recognize that the country is at a turning point. Tourism is recovering after strict border closures in the pandemic. Demand from investors and people wanting to live or work in Vietnam 🇻🇳 remains high, especially from those who have already visited and want to stay longer. But the current visa options are very limited.

As reported by VisaVerge.com, the proposed Golden Visa also comes as a response to Vietnam 🇻🇳 “falling behind” regional competitors. Countries like Thailand 🇹🇭, Malaysia 🇲🇾, Portugal 🇵🇹, the United Arab Emirates 🇦🇪, Spain 🇪🇸, and Greece 🇬🇷 have all launched similar programs and seen strong results. These programs attract:
– Foreign investment (money coming into the country from other places),
– Highly skilled professionals,
– Retirees and
– Long-term tourists.

Vietnam 🇻🇳 wants to follow these successful examples while creating a program that fits its own needs.

Key Goals for the Program

By introducing this Golden Visa, Vietnam 🇻🇳 hopes to:

• Boost foreign investment in areas like luxury hotels, real estate (buying property), new technology businesses, and factories.
• Fix the problem for frequent visitors who must repeatedly leave and re-enter because their visas expire too soon.
• Help establish Vietnam 🇻🇳 as an appealing, high-end destination for people who want to live or work abroad for long periods.

Who Will Benefit the Most?

If the new visa becomes reality, several groups will gain:

1. Long-term tourists: Those who love spending months at a time in Vietnam 🇻🇳—enjoying the food, beaches, and culture—can stay without having to worry about new visa runs every few weeks.
2. Investors: It becomes easier for people to buy property or invest in businesses, since the promise of long-term residency gives them more security.
3. Retirees: Access to good hospitals and affordable living could draw people from all over the world to spend their retirement years in Vietnam 🇻🇳.
4. Digital nomads and professionals: With the ability to come and go as they wish, Vietnam 🇻🇳 could attract international talent to stay longer—helping teach new skills and building connections.

Comparing the Golden Visa to Current Investor Visas

Vietnam 🇻🇳 does already have some long-term visas, but they come with tough requirements. For example, the current “DT-class” investor visas require you to set up and run a real business inside Vietnam 🇻🇳, and you must invest quite a lot of money.

Here’s a simple comparison:

For the current DT investor visa, the capital required can range from about US$120,000 for a single year, up to US$4 million for a five-year maximum visa. And it requires setting up a real working business, which not everyone is willing or able to do.

The Golden Visa would open doors for people who want to invest money—like buying an apartment, opening a small company, or even just showing sufficient funds—without all the strict rules about owning and running a business.

Potential Concerns and Risks

Of course, the new Golden Visa could bring some problems if it isn’t managed carefully. Experts and policymakers in Vietnam 🇻🇳 have pointed out a few concerns:

• Rising Real Estate Prices: If many foreign investors buy houses or apartments, the cost of property for local people could go up quickly.
• Money Laundering: If the rules are too relaxed, some applicants might use the program as a way to move illegal money.

Because of these risks, Vietnamese officials want strong rules to make sure only well-qualified people can apply. This could include:

• Proof of significant wealth or property in Vietnam 🇻🇳,
• Good background and reputation,
• Strong finances with traceable sources.

Strict screening processes would help protect the country’s housing market and keep out bad actors.

How Does Vietnam 🇻🇳’s Plan Stack Up Regionally?

Countries in Southeast Asia and beyond have turned to Golden Visas to draw investment and talent. Programs in Portugal 🇵🇹, Spain 🇪🇸, UAE 🇦🇪, Malaysia 🇲🇾, and Greece 🇬🇷, for example, have attracted thousands of investors, retirees, and long-term tourists—driving economic growth and bringing new skills.

Thailand 🇹🇭, a close neighbor, offers a long-term residency visa that lets foreigners stay up to 20 years if they invest or spend a certain amount. Malaysia 🇲🇾’s “Malaysia My Second Home” program also allows foreigners to live in the country long-term by showing assets or income.

Vietnam 🇻🇳 had been seen as missing out, with many would-be investors choosing these other countries. By creating a unique Golden Visa of its own, Vietnam 🇻🇳 hopes to swing the balance.

Pilot Locations: Why Ho Chi Minh City and Beyond?

The decision to focus on key centers first—like Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, and Phu Quoc—makes sense. These places:
– Are already well-known among tourists and expats,
– Have international airports and strong infrastructure,
– Offer modern housing and easy access to healthcare, which matters to retirees and families,
– Attract technology and startup businesses which need both investment and skilled workers.

Success in these cities can later be used to expand the program to more areas of the country.

What Happens Next?

The Vietnam 🇻🇳 Tourism Advisory Board has already put forward the plan, and it is now with the Ministry of Public Security for review. The earliest possible launch could happen later this year or in the next. If the government approves it, new rules and guidelines will need to be published. These will explain exactly who can apply, how to apply, required documents, and what kinds of investments or wealth qualify.

If you are interested, or think you might qualify, keep an eye on the official Vietnam immigration website for news or updates as the process moves forward.

What Could This Mean For Vietnam 🇻🇳 in the Future?

A successful Golden Visa program stands to change Vietnam 🇻🇳 in several ways:

• The country will likely see new businesses, more apartments and houses being built, and more international schools or hospitals. These help make Vietnam 🇻🇳 even more attractive to long-term tourists and foreign talent.
• Competition with other countries in the region will heat up, and Vietnam 🇻🇳 will want to keep improving to stay out in front.
• With wise rule-making, Vietnam 🇻🇳 can increase foreign investment without putting too much pressure on locals or allowing illegal activity.

Analysis from VisaVerge.com suggests that if managed well, the program could lead to a positive cycle: more investment leads to better infrastructure, which in turn draws more investors and talented people from around the world.

Summary of Key Points

• Vietnam 🇻🇳 is planning a Golden Visa for long-term tourists, investors, retirees, digital nomads, entrepreneurs, and skilled professionals.
• The visa would last five or ten years, offer unlimited entry and exit, and could lead to permanent residency if requirements are met.
• The goal is to boost investment, tourism, and Vietnam 🇻🇳’s status in Asia as a top place to live and work.
• Strong screening rules are needed to avoid problems like rising home prices and money laundering.
• If successful, Vietnam 🇻🇳 could see big changes in how foreigners live, invest, and do business in the country.

If you are thinking about a move, investment, or long-term stay, Vietnam 🇻🇳’s new approach may be just what you need. Keep checking resources like VisaVerge.com or the government’s official visa pages for the latest updates as the Golden Visa proposal moves forward. The next few months will be important as officials fine-tune the rules and look to make Vietnam 🇻🇳 the next big home for the world’s most ambitious travelers, business owners, and long-term tourists.

Learn Today

Golden Visa → A long-term residence permit program for foreigners who invest, retire, or bring professional skills, enabling extended stay.
Permanent Residency → Official status allowing non-citizens to live indefinitely within a country after meeting specified criteria.
Digital Nomad → A person who works remotely using technology, often traveling or living abroad without a fixed office location.
Passive Investment → Investing in assets such as real estate or stocks without actively managing a business or daily operations.
Money Laundering → The process of disguising the origins of illegally obtained money, making it appear legitimate through legal channels.

This Article in a Nutshell

Vietnam’s proposed Golden Visa targets long-term tourists, investors, retirees, and professionals by offering five or ten-year residency. This program aims to boost foreign investment, tourism, and Vietnam’s regional appeal. Strict screening will prevent misuse, while flexible stay options and potential permanent residency could transform Vietnam’s immigration landscape and economic growth.
— By VisaVerge.com

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