Hi Kim,

I was living in Hoi An, Vietnam, earlier this year. I had forgotten how much I love Vietnam: the food, the scenery, the people!!! But the visa situation is rubbish. You can't even get a 3-month visa at the moment. As of May 15, 2022, a 30-day non-extendable, non-renewable E-VISA is the only option Americans and citizens of 80 other countries get. Each month, we had planned a visa run to Kuala Lumpur, which got old very quickly.

Hopefully, by thing time you are ready to retire, the Vietnamese government will have changed the visa policy.

Also, I'm putting the final touches on a new post on the Best Neighborhoods To Live in Medellin this week. Check back in a few days for an informative monster of a guide.

Cheers,

Marco

Excellent work, Marco, thank you. I just started reviewing your site and look forward to gaining a considered understanding of the different countries you review. Based on your review, Vietnam is out, unless the visa rules change.

Hi Will,

I'm glad you found the visa information on Vietnam useful. Yes, I was just back in Vietnam for 3 months this year. If they don't change the visa policy (currently 30 days, then a visa run), I would not retire there. Unless you marry a Vietnamese, have a Vietnamese family, or want to invest and open a business, Vietnam is not a place for expats.

Cheers,

Marco

Hi - I stumbled onto your site by accident and found your article on Vietnam retirement options the absolute best there is. Thank you!

Thanks, M.

I appreciate the kind words. Hopefully, Vietnam will change its policy soon. It's a great country, and we want to stay there longer.

Cheers,

Marco

Hello Marco! I'm a retired United States Air Force Veteran and I was stationed in South-East Asia for a few years and have been wanting to move somewhere with a lower cost of living (Vietnam/Cambodia/Thailand) so that I can live off of my retirement and enjoy the rest of my life leisurely. Would there be any way to contact you to ask some personal questions? Please feel free to email me at my attached email. I am so excited to get this process started and to break away from the grind of the daily life in the US. I Loved my time living and vacationing throughout Asia and truly would love to settle down. I love experiencing the cultures and meeting new people from around the world and Vietnam seems to be the perfect please. My brother is also retired military and would coming along as well so we thought we would reach put to you. Anyways, your page is so helpful, and we would really love to get in touch if possible. Once again, thank you so very much for this and I hope you have an awesome day!

Hi Justin,

Thanks for reaching out. I'll send you and email, and let's connect after the Thanksgiving holiday. Enjoy your turkey and football.

Cheers,

Marco

Vietnam sounds like a big hassle for foreigners to retire.

It is a pain. Although as of this month, the Vietnamese government reinstituted their 3-month visa, so it's better, but still not a great solution for people who want to retire in Vietnam.

was reading your nomad fire piece on Hoi An, and really loved the place you said you were living in.

where did you look to find it? or where would you suggest -I'd prefer not to live in a high rise condo type place, which I know are the most common

Thanks, Peter

Hi Peter, we used a realtor who was recommended to us. She was great and I would use her again in a heartbeat. Her name is Cherry. I'll send you her Whatsapp via email and introduce her to you. I don't get a referral, kickback, or any incentive. The good news is that Hoi An is much more "town" than "city." Most housing is single family houses. You won't find high rise condos like in Saigon. We lived in the Cẩm Châu area and loved it.

very helpful ! Thanks ! Peter

Hi Marco. Thank you so much for a very thorough read about retiring in Vietnam. Hoi An was high on our list of places too! I was sad, however, to see that you ended up NOT recommending it. I think your reason was mainly due to the VISA issue, so here's my question: Apparently I'm able to get a 5-year VISA as an expat (my tour guide confirmed this last month when I showed proof of birth in Vietnam), so I should pack up tomorrow and head straight to Hoi An, correct??!! 🙂 Serious question: We're hoping to buy and build a small house, and some yard space to raise chickens, do you have more information about buying vs renting? We've always been weary of renting mainly because of shared walls. I love the hustle and bustle of the streets and markets, but coming home to relax is a no-no.

Hi Phuong, you get a much better visa option than "normal" expats as a Viet Kieu. I would put Vietnam back on my retirement destination list in a heartbeat with a 5-year visa option. LUCKY YOU! I don't have much information about buying a home because of my visa situation. I could only commit to long-term housing with assurances I could stay in Vietnam long-term. The good news is in Hoi An, most rentals are stand-alone houses, so you don't have shared walls.

If you want, I can put you in touch with my real estate agent. She was trustworthy and punctual and spoke reasonably good English. I don't get a kickback or commission or anything. I just really liked her service.