Vietnam Tightens Enforcement on Remote Work for Foreigners on Tourist Visas
Vietnam has no specific remote-worker visa, making it technically illegal for foreigners to work online for overseas clients while on a tourist visa. This practice, common among long-stay remote workers who use 90-day multiple-entry e-visas and perform visa runs, carries significant legal exposure. Article 8.2 of Vietnam's 2014 Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence explicitly prohibits foreigners on tourist visas from engaging in 'labour activities.' The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Labour has confirmed that working online for a foreign employer or client under a tourist visa is classified as illegal employment, subject to administrative fines ranging from VND 15-25 million (approximately $600-$1,000 USD). This is not merely a theoretical technicality but an enforced provision with a defined penalty schedule. The situation is set to become more stringent with Decree 59/2026, effective April 1, 2026, which increases penalties for overstaying and grants immigration officers greater discretion to deny r...