- Vietnam’s proposed 10-year Golden Visa remains under review as of March 2026 without an official launch.
- Current long-term residency depends on DT investor visas and the newly implemented 5-year Talent Visa.
- Existing DT tiers offer one to five years of residency based on investment amounts starting at $122,000.
(VIETNAM) — Vietnam has not launched a full 10-year Golden Visa program as of March 2026, leaving existing DT investor visas and a new 5-year Talent Visa as the country’s confirmed long-term options for foreigners.
The gap between proposal and policy matters for investors, retirees and professionals looking at Vietnam’s fast-growing tourism and business centers. Authorities continue to offer DT investor visas of up to 5 years, renewable based on investment size, while a 5-year Talent Visa has rolled out for top professionals.
That leaves the much-discussed decade-long residency route still out of reach. Vietnam’s Immigration Department maintains that golden visa-style residency by passive investment does not exist beyond existing DT visas.
The proposal that fueled attention came from the Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board, which submitted a plan to Prime Minister Phạm Chính in May 2025. It called for three categories: a 5–10-Year Golden Visa for long-stay visitors, a 10-Year Investor Visa with a path to permanent residency after five years of maintained investment, and a 5-Year Talent Visa for skilled professionals, artists, researchers and innovators.
A pilot was suggested for Phu Quoc, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang. Yet as of March 2026, no official launch has occurred for the 10-year options.
Sources cited in the update described the program as “under review” or “pending approval.” Some projections pointed to a possible mid-2026 rollout, but the current framework remains the one already in force.
One report described a 2025 launch tied to $100,000–$500,000 investments in real estate or business. That account conflicts with the position outlined by immigration experts and with the current position of Vietnam’s Immigration Department, which says passive-investment residency beyond DT visas is not available.
Current DT Investor Visa System
For foreigners trying to secure a longer stay now, DT investor visas remain the most practical route. These visas, issued by the Vietnam Immigration Department, cover those contributing capital to Vietnamese enterprises, projects or organizations and allow multiple entry.
Vietnam divides them into four tiers, DT1 through DT4, with validity tied to the size and nature of the investment. DT1 applies to investments of at least 100 billion VND, roughly $4.06M, or to priority sectors or regions, and offers 5 years, renewable.
DT2 covers investments of 50–100 billion VND, roughly $2.04–4.06M, and also carries 5 years, renewable. DT3 applies to 3–50 billion VND, roughly $122K–2.04M, and lasts up to 4 years, though some sources say 3, with renewals available.
DT4 covers investments below 3 billion VND, below $122K, and lasts 1 year, renewable. Together, the four categories function as Vietnam’s closest current equivalent to a Golden Visa.
Eligibility under DT1 extends to major investors, board members, or representatives in incentivized areas such as tech or green energy. DT2 includes investments in encouraged sectors including tourism and IT, while DT3 and DT4 serve smaller business and startup contributors.
Application Process and Benefits
The application process starts with a business registration or investment certificate from the Department of Planning and Investment. Applicants then submit Form NA2/NA5, a passport valid 13+ months with 2 blank pages, photos measuring 4×6 cm, proof of capital contribution and sponsor documents at a Vietnamese embassy or immigration office.
Processing takes 5–7 working days and fees run from $25–$155 USD. After arrival, holders must register temporary residence within 24 hours.
DT visas also carry practical benefits beyond the stay period. They include work and business rights, family sponsorship through TT visas for a spouse and children under 18, and simplified work permits in some cases.
Current rules also offer a possible path to permanent residency after 3–5 years if investments sustain economic growth. Citizenship requires 5 years residency, Vietnamese language proficiency and renouncing other nationalities.
For investors, the distinction between an approved DT route and the proposed Golden Visa matters. DT visas can support passive-like investments, such as capital in approved projects, but they still require active proof including business licenses rather than a donation-style or purely passive residency model.
Caution for Digital Nomads and Retirees
Digital nomads and retirees face another layer of caution in 2026. Recent immigration updates introduced stricter rules on re-entry, taxes and compliance, and overstays bring fines of $20/day and deportation risks.
Talent Visa Expansion
Alongside the investor categories, Vietnam has launched a 5-year Talent Visa in late 2025 or early 2026. That measure delivers part of what the Tourism Advisory Board had proposed and marks the clearest expansion in long-term residency options since the broader Golden Visa debate began.
The Talent Visa targets professionals in science, arts and high-tech and offers renewable 5-year stays with family inclusion. It also sits alongside DT options as a route that can lead to permanent residency after sustained contributions.
Authorities have framed the visa as a way to strengthen Vietnam’s appeal to innovators and highly skilled workers. For professionals in IT, green tech or research, it offers a longer and more direct option than lower-tier investor visas such as DT3 or DT4.
Tourism Growth and Policy Context
Vietnam’s push to widen visa options comes as the country tries to build on a sharp tourism recovery. It welcomed over 17.5 million international visitors in 2024, nearly back to pre-pandemic levels, and a record 6 million in Q1 2025 alone.
Tourism rose 30% year-over-year in Q1 2025, driven by visa exemptions and infrastructure upgrades. The government is aiming for 23 million annual visitors as it tries to compete more aggressively with Thailand and Malaysia.
That broader economic setting helps explain the interest in long-stay visas. Vietnam wants more visitors, more foreign direct investment and deeper links to high-value sectors such as tourism, tech and green industry.
Phu Quoc stands out in that strategy. The island has been discussed as a pilot-ready location because of its beaches, resorts and investment zones, and its special economic zones offer preferential regimes for DT investments in tourism and real estate.
Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang also remain central to the discussion. They were named in the proposed pilot and host financial hubs tied to 2026 elite visas.
How Vietnam Compares Regionally
Compared with neighboring countries, Vietnam’s confirmed options still lean on lower investment thresholds rather than longer guaranteed stays. The current Vietnam framework starts at about $122K for DT3 and offers 1–5 years, while Thailand’s LTR Visa requires $500K for 10 years, Malaysia’s MM2H offers 5–10 years based on fixed deposits and proof, and Indonesia’s Golden Visa starts at $350K+ for 5–10 years.
That lower entry point may appeal to mid-tier investors. Yet Vietnam’s shorter durations and more active investment requirements set it apart from residence-by-investment models elsewhere in the region.
Unresolved Issues Around the Proposed 10-Year Scheme
Several issues still cloud the proposed 10-year schemes. The government has not set fixed minimum investment levels for the unapproved Golden Visa categories, even as the DT tiers already give investors clear thresholds.
Infrastructure is another pressure point. Plans to attract more expatriates and long-stay residents would place added demands on healthcare and schools in the proposed pilot cities.
Enforcement is also tight. Background checks and anti-fraud measures are rigorous, and opaque funds can lead to denials.
The Tourism Advisory Board also recommended a Visa Policy Reform Board to oversee changes. No confirmed update has emerged on whether that body has been formed.
What Foreigners Can Use in 2026
For now, the split is straightforward. Vietnam has a proposed Golden Visa framework that includes 5–10-year and 10-year categories, but it has not enacted those options as of March 2026.
What it does have is a functioning DT investor visa system and a new 5-year Talent Visa. Those routes provide the legal pathways currently available to foreigners who want more than a short stay.
For families, those options can mean multi-year residence with inclusion for spouses and children under 18. For businesses, they offer a channel for foreign capital in sectors such as tourism, renewables and IT.
For Vietnam, the policy mix supports near-term tourism revenue while testing how far the country wants to go in attracting long-stay residents and foreign professionals. A full 10-year Golden Visa could still emerge, but for now the long-term choices are narrower and more defined.
That leaves a clear message for would-be applicants in 2026: the confirmed route runs through DT investor visas or the Talent Visa, while the headline-grabbing 10-year Golden Visa remains a proposal, not a program.
