As a Westerner in Vietnam, I've been approached many times while having coffee and sitting outside a cafe. Usually a young person wanting to improve their english skills. They are always polite and ask if we could talk, I always agree, and find it a refreshing change from western society where strangers even avoid eye contact.
My decision to retire in Việt Nam, came about as a result of the relationships that I formed with local people. As such, l tend to shy away from other expats and enjoy life all the more, as a result. Learning enough Vietnamese to get by has been a huge help. But even without that, the relationships l have made, have enabled me to rent and live at prices much less than other foreigners. My average monthly costs for rent and everything else are around just $500.00, and l live on the outskirts of Hội An! Finally, and most important, forming close friendships with local people has truly made Việt Nam feel like home.
I’d like to con’t my retirement, but in Vietnam and/or Taiwan for 3-6 months a year. My wife is from China so she’d like to try Taiwan first to see how things go. I’d love to go see DaNang as a first test site in Vietnam. You gave some good personal info. Thank you and con’t your wonderful retirement.👍
American here - with the same attitude toward fellow expats. I've seen the negative impact "we've" had on other popular areas, like Ajijic, Mexico, Medellin, Colombia, Bangkok/Pattaya, Thailand. Not my crowd either.
I'm a Vietnamese raised westerner and was fortunate enough to live in Vietnam for 8 years. I really liked living there though at the time I did miss real western food. The people are nice, food is affordable and it's a vibrant place to live. Cons would be lower quality standard of living, but thats ok with me. Hotter weather when so hard to be outdoor between 10-5pm. Other things are basic transportation and small necessity that I would get where I live. But I am always happy to visit and travel to Vietnam
Until coved-19 stopped travel my Vietnamese wife and I spent the winters in her home in HCMC. I had a 5year Visa Exception and she had to be back to the USA within 6 months for her Greencard. Living in HCMC is very affordable for us because her house is paid off so we don’t have any rent. We live very close to 2 international hospitals and a public hospital. We are even closer to a very large mall and a wide street used for many feastables. Life was great and if you buy your airline tickets months in advance they are cheep. Lucky for me I married my personal translator that knows the city very well.
I am from New York. I met and married a Vietnamese lady there in 1977. We came to Vietnam first time in 1988. Full time since 1995. Now retired and we are living in HCMC where we have always lived since coming to the country. We feel very safe here and with plenty to do. As for where to live... best to keep it to a major city since as we age we will occasionally need that emergency help and when that happens best to be near a major facility. Of course... before moving anywhere... best to try it out for a while by living where you are thinking of retiring to see first hand about the good and the bad.
Thank you. I can see why I would not retire there. Thank you for being honest about the realities of living in vietnam. You should include the dangerous traffic and pollution problems there. Retirees are the most vulnerable to health hazards.
Hanoi and Saigon, especially Saigon, are cities for and loaded with very young people. Beautiful DaNang area is expanding like crazy but has a healthier mix of different age groups and expats. I think DaNang might be the way to go for retirement, but of course I’d have to try it first after this CoVid.
Thanks bro for sharing, I do want to retire in Vietnam and travel to Vietnam this time is difficult for me, still waiting for Vietnam to open full for tourists Visa, still waiting for 15 March.
Respect Ken for your honesty giving both sides of the situation, for me the cons are extreme weather and rain in places like danang, noise and traffic, apart from that Vietnam is a wonderful country to live and some of the friendliest people I ever met and there are just so many interesting things to do and a thriving music scene. Loved my 6 years there and miss it.
Spent weeks in Vietnam in 2014 and loved it. Going back hopefully next year for three months as long as this Covid thing is taken care of by then. Not retiring there but want to spend a good amount of time.
Chao um! I am glad to be aboard. 1. Renewing a tourist visa sounds a lot less complicated than getting a retirement visa, so I would be good with that. 2. Although I am well seasoned - not older! - I am as healthy as a horse, and Thailand and Malaysia are nearby if something develops that your private hospitals might find challenging. 3. I would be coming to Vietnam to be exposed to the culture, so having visitors during an alone moment over a cup of coffee or tea would not be a problem. In other words, I see NO downsides at all! Toi di!
Renewing visa is not easy anymore, they changed the law before COVID you need to have your visa re-stamped every month and there is no certainty that they will let you back in after a visa run anymore, + you cannot open a bank account and rent long term. I would recommend looking into the phillipines. Vietnam showed that they doesn’t want foreigners in their country long term, unless you marry a local. Good luck ! Feel free to ask if you need infos.
Ken, As always great presentation. Having lived in VN for two years and of retirement age but still actively running my company might I add a little different view based solely on my experiences. As you mentioned there is no retirement visa, so you must have an exit plan for certain events some in your control like age and others which would be out of your control such as a medical emergency (stroke, heart attack, etc). I’m involved in a fairly good size of Xpats in Danang and have found some of them have health insurance as you mentioned from past employment. Most however are dependent on Medicare and this will not work in VN. That said, my experience with the state owned insurer is very competitive in premiums. They did require a one year wait on pre-existing (diabetes and hypertension). Premium was $1,200 USD annually. This became an issue in 2021 because they would not extend many visas because of Covid and I was forced to leave the country and return to US but still have paid for a VN policy that I can’t use so wasting $100 monthly. One key issue I see with this coverage is, it’s not sold after age 74. So you must know and exit at age 75 even if a Retirement visa is offered later. This medical policy will need to be available or have the cash to self insure. Regarding the issue of nursing home care. I agree 100% with your thoughts but would think in most cases, if you are needing nursing home care you’ll have trouble maintaining compliance with the quarterly border run required for the common visa my Xpat friends and myself had (tourist). As you mentioned, this visa is designed for short term not retirement. I love living in VN and hope they eventually want American Xpats but at this time I’m assuming an exit at or before age 75, as mentioned above. Related budgets: (mine might be higher than some but here is an average month) Food including eating out at least one meal daily. Eat mostly western foods - ($600) Golf (2-3 rounds weekly) - $600 includes caddy, balls and green fees and membership at club Scooter (paid $2K for the scooter, one time cap cost) - Insurance and gas/oil - $20-$25 Rent and utilities. I have a great one bedroom near the beach was $700 for all before Covid. Now, $400. Health insurance and deductibles plus RX - $150 (Diabetic and Hypertension) $100 premium, $25 RX and $25 avg for ded. Misc. $150-$250 Travel - $250 I Iive usually on around $2.5K-$3K monthly. As you mentioned, I could live on $1-$2 easily if I gave up golf, ate VN food, vacations. Most of my Xpat friends don’t have VN insurance (self insured).
DANANG -- seaside district , excellent beach , but deserted at night . Taxi are still cheap - but having a small car will be better for mobility unless you plan to load up on alcohol & get hammered every night . make sure your income is enough to do " border runs " to renew your visa , don't expect to start a business and make a living out of it . If you marry a local , let her / him do the daily routine and hire a trusted person to take care while you & your partner is away visiting other places .... I say : " trusted person " ..... Big cities like Hanoi & HCMC are OK for short visits ( 3 days average ) , as a Westerner ( North American or Western European ) ... you like your privacy & quiet enjoyment . Danang seaside is definitely for you .... Cost of everything is creeping up very fast .... be cautious with your budgeting ....
Great video Ken, and as always very informative. I particularly appreciated health care insurance information in this video. Whilst my wife and I are in ours 40's and very active and health conscious, knowing now that we will need to ensure we obtain the best health care insurance before we arrive in Vietnam is greatly appreciated. Thank you again Ken. I look forward to the next video.
I'm currently 49 plan on retiring at 55. Already built a brand new 3 story 4 bedroom 3 bath big balcony house in Ho Chi Minh, district 8. I'm going to live like a king. The US is getting too expensive too dangerous to live.
YES YOU CAN RETIRE BUT THEY DONT HAVE A RETIREE VISA ..YOU MUST PAY TO RENEW YOU TOURIST VISA,, ITS OK BUT DO NOT INVEST OR BUY ANYTHING ,,THEY DECIDE NO VISA THEN ITS BYE BYE,, BEAUTIFULL COUNTRY NICE PEOPLE ,,THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT LIKE US MUCH ,,IF THEY DID THEY WOULD DEFINATLY HAVE A RETIREE VISA ,MY OPINION.
I’ve seen many videos about retiring, from Mexico to Thailand and beyond but they almost always avoid the healthcare issue which is for most retirees a major issue. You’re the exception, very well done. Thank you
There has been much confusion over the last week regarding the new visa laws that appear designed to crack down on people using bogus expert visa, but are affecting the ability of those on tourist visa or non sponsored business visa. For example, retirees running smaller ventures. A video covering that would be very useful.
thank you for the informative videos. I understand it is easy to get initial visa to visit I.e. 3 months etc. but is it easy while in Vietnam to keep extending the visa to continue living there without crossing the border to Cambodia as an example?
It is somewhat easy but limited over time. There are other visas that offer long-term solutions. We have made a couple of videos about the topic. Please visit our channel to watch them and find out how to retire in Vietnam.
thanks Ken very informative. in regards to health insurance isn't it cheaper to buy it over there instead of getting it from here would you please look into this matter and let us know in your next Video.
Đúng rồi anh Dương. Bản thân em là người Việt Nam e nhận thấy không nơi nào trên thế giới có đầy đủ cảnh đẹp hơn Việt Nam. Ở Việt Nam thiên nhiên đa dạng: có hơn 2000 km bờ biển, có núi, có sông Mekong, có đảo, có hang động , có tuyết ở SaPa, có cù lao, có rừng tự nhiên, rừng ngập mặn, có cây ăn trái nhiệt đới,... Chi phí sinh hoạt, y tế rẻ hơn các nước khác. Vì vậy nghỉ hưu ở Việt Nam là sự lựa chọn sáng suốt cho Việt Kiều.
My wife escaped Vietnam in 1979 but never renounced her citizenship, is she still considered Vietnamese citizen? And also would that make me eligible for a 5-10 year visa if she is?
Really enjoyable video, very useful 👍 My main concern would be lack of retirement visa, although it was interesting that you said "yet". Wonder if it's a deliberate omission, or the government has more important things to worry about.
Sir these videos are so informative, and I've learnt so much from these. Could you please explain what rights and liabilities we get as expats if married to a Vietnamese? I would like to particularly understand about: 1) Purchase or Land / Properties 2) Nationality of Kids 3) Any property transfer is case of Demise/Death of either 4) Rights and Liabilities of Vietnamese Partner in other's country (If the info is generic) 5) Long Term Visa or PR Visa?
Thanks for your questions. Some of your queries are already answered, as we have made several videos about those topics such as divorce and liabilities, real estate purchase, citizenship and long-term visa. Please browse our channel looking for these keywords to watch the videos we have made about the topics you mentioned.
Costs are soaring in VN for housing. The health care and infrastructure is very bad. People like to defend the rent prices, without acknowledging the reality that you can easily rent an apt in many U.S. cities like Pittsburgh or Baltimore for 600-700. If you buy land or a house here, as a foreigner you don't legally own the property. You also need a lot of patience and flexibility to deal with the culture, i.e. poor understanding of customer service, bad English skills, unexpected/unannounced power failures, unreliable law enforcement/corrupt law officials, and a general disregard for other people's wellbeing and safety. I can't imagine living in Vietnam if I was older and had problems with mobility. The streets and sidewalks are always crowded and falling apart. Nowhere is handicap accessible. Generally the retiree crowd is in relatively good health, are heavy drinkers and/or want a Vietnamese wife to settle down with to take care of them as they age. Lots of men here after the kids are grown and a divorce happens, or men who never settled down to begin with and just want a younger Asian wife. Just some real talk
Wow Mr Cranky, watched this video just so you can teach everyone? True, Vietnam is not for everyone. It is for more adventure minded people who have POSITIVE VALUES like patience and flexibility, and look forward to living in a new culture. Actually, you know nothing. We lived in District 7 Saigon, upscale district at Sky Gardens in 2017, 2 bed furnished $550/month, total expenses about $1300/month for two. Next to modern Vivo City mall, short walk to grocery, foreign food choices. Mostly foreigners, lots of young families, virtually no crime area. Talked to a realtor last Friday, apartments were costing the SAME in 2020, and now 20% less because many foreigners returned home due to Chinese virus. (lesson: don't buy real estate and expect it to appreciate in Vietnam). Power failures? Practically never, this isn't Philippines. Handicap accessible, unreliable law enforcement, and uncaring government? Correct, it is not a nanny state where citizens expect the government to protect them from life. It is way more free without so many stupid laws. During 2020/2021, government did everything possible to keep covid cases down, they actually went overboard with restrictions, to prevent deaths, read about it, lost out to the delta variant though in summer 2021. Enjoy your Baltimore where life is sunny, everywhere is handicap accessible, infrastructure is sturdy, there is no corruption, and your fellow citizens truly care about your wellbeing and safety. We know why apartments are $600 there.
Who wants to eat noodles everyday . I don’t and I’ve lived here for 10 years . My wife ( Vietnamese ) does eat rice everyday, not because she has to because she likes to. We live on about $1,200 a month , we don’t pay rent and we live OK , not in luxury but we don’t want for anything .
You can recommend them with university hospitals they have department of health for foreigners. Đại Học Y Dược. But those services just for outpatient only and the price is not high.
Share to the community to increase awareness, not necessarily to our law firm. As note, Attorney Ken Duong has been living in Vietnam for 6 years. However, there might be items we forgot to mention.
BIG disadvantage(s)! Air quality in both HCMC and Hanoi is dreadful! Even popular coastal cities, like Da Nang, can be "iffy." If one has respiratory or cardiac issues, probably best to reconsider.
Do you want to live like Mr. Lê Đình Kình or Priests Nguyễn Văn Lý or 39 people who died on the way to Essex, England? Just name a few. Google the names you will see the stories.
Seriously, there’s no retirement visas available as you said and no it’s not easy to do tourist visas. Have you not heard??? There’s a pandemic and Vietnam has new cases and the borders are closed. So, tell me? How do you make this happen????
One BIG con for me to retire in Vietnam (and a lot of similar countries) : as a French lawyer who loves to discuss about human rights, a dictatorship and corrupt country is a big "no". I'll end up in jail which is not my plan for my old days...
Try discussing controversial topics about the Second World War and influential minority in France as a French lawyer, and let us know where it leads too.
@@duongglobalbusinessconsulting That's politically incorrect but once more, as a lawyer, you won't end up in jail for posting anything related to that subject on FB or any social media.
There will never be a retirement visa in Vietnam and if there is you can bet the govt will make it incredibly difficult and expensive to obtain. They don't want random foreign men hanging around for years at a time doing nothing. Also real estate has gotten outrageously pricey there. Need to spend at least 500 bucks a month on rent or you'll be living in dorm style accommodation.
I totally agree about the house pricing are increasing dramatically. But with 500$ you can find a good looking house. Even you can open a small business at your own rent house. The rent price depends on where you choose to live. Near airport, near the center or in the main street will cost a lot because people usually rent those kind of house for opening business
@@feadea6300 I'm not a fan of living in houses or serviced apartments. I prefer private condos and the cheapest most central 1 bedroom condo right now is Masteri Millennium at 600++.
@@Yoshi2x Oh! Yup they're really expensive compare to the monthly wage of people in HCM city. Luxury and expensive apartments, condos are being built rapidly but not many people can afford renting or buying them. They need to build more affordable places for people to rent or somehow buy its
I don't get it. Just looked on booking. com and I can see lots of cheap nice accommodations by the see I prefer for 2 for 1 months around 30 or 40$. I'm thinking of not retirement just to live there for couple of months or a year and get to use to it and then decide what next.
How can a westerner retire long term in Vietnam? Cannot get long term visa unless have a job or get married to Vn local :( That is the big issue for us foreigners to retire in Vn. thanks
Thanks for reply. I did that few years ago. Go to cambodia every 3 months just to get a visa stamp :( Also not sure of visa changes which makes it difficult to plan long term retirement. There is no certainty that your visa will be renewed or that the border will stay open in both countries, etc. That was my experience.
@@duongglobalbusinessconsulting Isn't VN now requiring monthly border runs for a tourist visa? Not sure how inviting that new practice will be to retirees?
Hello, I was born in Nha-Trang in 1969 and left for the US in 1981. I am planning to retire in VN and would like to apply for my citizenship. Can you share some information with me please? Thank you in advance.
Thanks for your comment. Please watch our Vietnam citizenship playlist ua-cam.com/play/PL5AO8T9wDGttezBVJidcgP_I6mxd_yScv.html to know more about the Vietnam Passport and then send us an email at contact@duongbusinessconsulting.com detailing your case so that we can help.
Hi,we’re both retired, vaccinated & would love to stay permanently in Dalat,Vietnam. What are the requirements/criterias for us,as we’re from Asia...we’re also looking into applying PR,if any or even citizenship to enable us to stay in Vietnam permanently 👍🏻👏🏻Please share,thanks🙏🏻
i like Vietnam bur its not the cheapest place. Ecuador. Laos. Philipines and Cambodia are all cheaper to live in than there..as well as Costa Rica and Colombia has better health care and medical services second to none! All have great expat programs and discounts for expats in some countrys .The big thing with Vietnam is the cost is soaring there ,,on youtube many vloggers say the goverment does not like expats ,,only for the money! good luck its a pretty country but many more options for expats i believe
Been in Asia for 31 years and Vietnam since 2015, I don't know where you spend your money but I find Vietnam extremely cheap and I've visited 60 countries, every country has expensive tourists hubs including Vietnam but it's not typical,
@@kippsguitar6539 I agree my wife’s Vietnamese and I find it very reasonable to stay and everything I need is basically in the country, been to doctor before very good and pennies on the dollar for ear infection and few minor things
Yes Vietnam is not the cheapest, he lied. Maybe Mozambique? However, I would rate the standard of living in the cities of Vientiane Laos, Manila Philippines, and Phnom Penh Cambodia as lower than Saigon or Da Nang. For inexpensive world class health care, one can pop over to Bangkok or KL. Unless you are poor, lowest cost isn't a top criteria. When you buy a car, do you look for the cheapest one on the market? Is your apartment the cheapest one in your city? I think not.
My advice is to board a cruise ship to the area. When you are close, and it is dark, jump ship in a dingy. Wear your camo clothing. Bring some weapons just in case.
There is no retirement visa in Vietnam, the days of people being able to use tourists visas and never ending border runs to stay long term in Vietnam have recently been ended under the guise of virus CONTROL. The trend of nationalism and xenophobia in south east Asia continues on.
Our law firm assists in getting Vietnamese citizenship. Please send us an email at contact@duongbusinessconsulting.com detailing your case so that we can assess if you can get it first.
Who wants to leave the country every month? A deal-killer. Also, Cambodia is actually cheaper, although the medical liabilities are pretty much the same. I won't be living in ANY country that requires me to leave every month and come back in. That gets expensive.
Air pollution is high, waterways have high concentration of cancer causing agents, and garbage are everywhere. Physical and mental health would suffer over the long run. I would skip Vietnam as a place to retire.
I have about 3 years to retire, hope they have the retirement visa by then. Any suggestions on what I should do now to start the process of retiring there?
Makes 0 sense to even consider retiring in a country that has NO retirement visa. And I did not even mention the massive pollution and public safety issues which are critical considerations for older people. Oh and how would you like to face a medical emergency in Vietnam with low quality medical care?
Unless you're going to build a business in Vietnam or going to marry a local, retirement in Vietnam is not realistic at all for your average retiree. Sorry to burst your bubble. That said, it is a beautiful and amazing country. But if you're in the West currently thinking, "Wow, maybe Vietnam would be a really cool place to retire!" Well, no. It wouldn't be for the reasons stated above.
@@duongglobalbusinessconsulting Well, I believe I did in my comment. But, to clarify, if you have the money to invest in a business in Vietnam or the money to build your own business in Vietnam and the money to hire a good lawyer to help you figure out how to do all of that properly and legally, then living in Vietnam long term is a realistic option. But I'm skeptical the average retiree would have the desire to do this. If your real desire is to retire, do you really want to go down this road? Alternatively, if you're single and interested in getting married, then marrying a local is an option for living long term in Vietnam. But finding love in Vietnam isn't as easy as people think. And, for a variety of reasons, it's just not suitable for a lot of people, especially people of retirement age. Retiring in Vietnam is just not suitable for the average retiree because of the issues involved with long-term legal residency. There is no clear and simple path to follow for someone whose main goal is just to retire here, unlike a country like Thailand, which has a program specifically for this purpose. Yes, it can be done, but in a rather roundabout way. I really don't see the available options as providing a simple path for a retiree. Anyway, no one is going to retire here anytime soon with every country in the world in various states of pandemic-induced disarray.
Another disadvantage to retire in Vietnam is you can’t criticize the government officials, they can show up at your door anytime they want to. So, F HCM and F the Commie.
Pro: Cheap, friendly people Con: Communist Government, pollution, not speaking Vietnamese I never trust Communists, just my two cents. But if you can overlook the politics, I guess it's a nice place.
As a Westerner in Vietnam, I've been approached many times while having coffee and sitting outside a cafe. Usually a young person wanting to improve their english skills. They are always polite and ask if we could talk, I always agree, and find it a refreshing change from western society where strangers even avoid eye contact.
Absolutely Robert
Yep, sounds like a dream…
That's very cool. How about the beautiful women liking foreigners?
I'm ok with that. It make you feel welcome to some extent. I wouldn't want to retire to a place where I felt unwelcome and a loner.
@@scottytv1 are you handsome? It works everywhere
My decision to retire in Việt Nam, came about as a result of the relationships that I formed with local people.
As such, l tend to shy away from other expats and enjoy life all the more, as a result.
Learning enough Vietnamese to get by has been a huge help.
But even without that, the relationships l have made, have enabled me to rent and live at prices much less than other foreigners.
My average monthly costs for rent and everything else are around just $500.00, and l live on the outskirts of Hội An!
Finally, and most important, forming close friendships with local people has truly made Việt Nam feel like home.
I’d like to con’t my retirement, but in Vietnam and/or Taiwan for 3-6 months a year. My wife is from China so she’d like to try Taiwan first to see how things go. I’d love to go see DaNang as a first test site in Vietnam. You gave some good personal info. Thank you and con’t your wonderful retirement.👍
American here - with the same attitude toward fellow expats. I've seen the negative impact "we've" had on other popular areas, like Ajijic, Mexico, Medellin, Colombia, Bangkok/Pattaya, Thailand. Not my crowd either.
I'm a Vietnamese raised westerner and was fortunate enough to live in Vietnam for 8 years. I really liked living there though at the time I did miss real western food. The people are nice, food is affordable and it's a vibrant place to live. Cons would be lower quality standard of living, but thats ok with me. Hotter weather when so hard to be outdoor between 10-5pm. Other things are basic transportation and small necessity that I would get where I live. But I am always happy to visit and travel to Vietnam
Until coved-19 stopped travel my Vietnamese wife and I spent the winters in her home in HCMC. I had a 5year Visa Exception and she had to be back to the USA within 6 months for her Greencard. Living in HCMC is very affordable for us because her house is paid off so we don’t have any rent. We live very close to 2 international hospitals and a public hospital. We are even closer to a very large mall and a wide street used for many feastables. Life was great and if you buy your airline tickets months in advance they are cheep. Lucky for me I married my personal translator that knows the city very well.
I am from New York. I met and married a Vietnamese lady there in 1977. We came to Vietnam first time in 1988. Full time since 1995. Now retired and we are living in HCMC where we have always lived since coming to the country. We feel very safe here and with plenty to do. As for where to live... best to keep it to a major city since as we age we will occasionally need that emergency help and when that happens best to be near a major facility. Of course... before moving anywhere... best to try it out for a while by living where you are thinking of retiring to see first hand about the good and the bad.
Thanks for sharing.
I'm going to be making a move at the end of the year and I'm considering Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines and Cambodia.
Thank you. I can see why I would not retire there. Thank you for being honest about the realities of living in vietnam. You should include the dangerous traffic and pollution problems there. Retirees are the most vulnerable to health hazards.
Hanoi and Saigon, especially Saigon, are cities for and loaded with very young people. Beautiful DaNang area is expanding like crazy but has a healthier mix of different age groups and expats. I think DaNang might be the way to go for retirement, but of course I’d have to try it first after this CoVid.
Thanks bro for sharing, I do want to retire in Vietnam and travel to Vietnam this time is difficult for me, still waiting for Vietnam to open full for tourists Visa, still waiting for 15 March.
OH YES I FORGOT NO RETIREE VISA ..PHILIPINES HAS AS WELL AS MOST OTHER CONTRYS
Respect Ken for your honesty giving both sides of the situation, for me the cons are extreme weather and rain in places like danang, noise and traffic, apart from that Vietnam is a wonderful country to live and some of the friendliest people I ever met and there are just so many interesting things to do and a thriving music scene. Loved my 6 years there and miss it.
Thanks for sharing our thoughts.
Can try Dalat👍🏻
I cant wait to move back
Spent weeks in Vietnam in 2014 and loved it. Going back hopefully next year for three months as long as this Covid thing is taken care of by then. Not retiring there but want to spend a good amount of time.
Chao um! I am glad to be aboard.
1. Renewing a tourist visa sounds a lot less complicated than getting a retirement visa, so I would be good with that.
2. Although I am well seasoned - not older! - I am as healthy as a horse, and Thailand and Malaysia are nearby if something develops that your private hospitals might find challenging.
3. I would be coming to Vietnam to be exposed to the culture, so having visitors during an alone moment over a cup of coffee or tea would not be a problem.
In other words, I see NO downsides at all!
Toi di!
Thanks for sharing!
Renewing visa is not easy anymore, they changed the law before COVID you need to have your visa re-stamped every month and there is no certainty that they will let you back in after a visa run anymore, + you cannot open a bank account and rent long term. I would recommend looking into the phillipines. Vietnam showed that they doesn’t want foreigners in their country long term, unless you marry a local. Good luck ! Feel free to ask if you need infos.
when open again, I AM READY
I am an American Retiree and have been here in Vietnam 2 years, fell in love and Married a Vietnamese National and I am Staying.
Good energy bro. Keep up the solid work.
Appreciate that
Ken, As always great presentation. Having lived in VN for two years and of retirement age but still actively running my company might I add a little different view based solely on my experiences.
As you mentioned there is no retirement visa, so you must have an exit plan for certain events some in your control like age and others which would be out of your control such as a medical emergency (stroke, heart attack, etc). I’m involved in a fairly good size of Xpats in Danang and have found some of them have health insurance as you mentioned from past employment. Most however are dependent on Medicare and this will not work in VN. That said, my experience with the state owned insurer is very competitive in premiums. They did require a one year wait on pre-existing (diabetes and hypertension). Premium was $1,200 USD annually. This became an issue in 2021 because they would not extend many visas because of Covid and I was forced to leave the country and return to US but still have paid for a VN policy that I can’t use so wasting $100 monthly. One key issue I see with this coverage is, it’s not sold after age 74. So you must know and exit at age 75 even if a Retirement visa is offered later. This medical policy will need to be available or have the cash to self insure.
Regarding the issue of nursing home care. I agree 100% with your thoughts but would think in most cases, if you are needing nursing home care you’ll have trouble maintaining compliance with the quarterly border run required for the common visa my Xpat friends and myself had (tourist). As you mentioned, this visa is designed for short term not retirement.
I love living in VN and hope they eventually want American Xpats but at this time I’m assuming an exit at or before age 75, as mentioned above.
Related budgets: (mine might be higher than some but here is an average month)
Food including eating out at least one meal daily. Eat mostly western foods - ($600)
Golf (2-3 rounds weekly) - $600 includes caddy, balls and green fees and membership at club
Scooter (paid $2K for the scooter, one time cap cost) - Insurance and gas/oil - $20-$25
Rent and utilities. I have a great one bedroom near the beach was $700 for all before Covid. Now, $400.
Health insurance and deductibles plus RX - $150 (Diabetic and Hypertension) $100 premium, $25 RX and $25 avg for ded.
Misc. $150-$250
Travel - $250
I Iive usually on around $2.5K-$3K monthly. As you mentioned, I could live on $1-$2 easily if I gave up golf, ate VN food, vacations. Most of my Xpat friends don’t have VN insurance (self insured).
I am sad to hear I am getting too old to live in Vietnam. It would be hard to uproot in two years because of age.☹
Looking forward to hopefully retirement in Danang, in 10 yrs. Water, food, and friendly people.. bring it on
I love your videos. Thank you for sharing !! Can you do a video on retirement visa?
DANANG -- seaside district , excellent beach , but deserted at night . Taxi are still cheap - but having a small car
will be better for mobility unless you plan to load up on alcohol & get hammered every night .
make sure your income is enough to do " border runs " to renew your visa , don't expect to start a business and
make a living out of it . If you marry a local , let her / him do the daily routine and hire a trusted person to
take care while you & your partner is away visiting other places .... I say : " trusted person " .....
Big cities like Hanoi & HCMC are OK for short visits ( 3 days average ) , as a Westerner ( North American or
Western European ) ... you like your privacy & quiet enjoyment . Danang seaside is definitely for you ....
Cost of everything is creeping up very fast .... be cautious with your budgeting ....
Great video Ken, and as always very informative. I particularly appreciated health care insurance information in this video. Whilst my wife and I are in ours 40's and very active and health conscious, knowing now that we will need to ensure we obtain the best health care insurance before we arrive in Vietnam is greatly appreciated. Thank you again Ken. I look forward to the next video.
Thanks for watching
Health insurance for the over 60s, is so expensive, most retirees don't have any.
I'm currently 49 plan on retiring at 55. Already built a brand new 3 story 4 bedroom 3 bath big balcony house in Ho Chi Minh, district 8. I'm going to live like a king. The US is getting too expensive too dangerous to live.
Sounds good. Nice to hear that one can retire in Viet Nam.
YES YOU CAN RETIRE BUT THEY DONT HAVE A RETIREE VISA ..YOU MUST PAY TO RENEW YOU TOURIST VISA,, ITS OK BUT DO NOT INVEST OR BUY ANYTHING ,,THEY DECIDE NO VISA THEN ITS BYE BYE,, BEAUTIFULL COUNTRY NICE PEOPLE ,,THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT LIKE US MUCH ,,IF THEY DID THEY WOULD DEFINATLY HAVE A RETIREE VISA ,MY OPINION.
I’ve seen many videos about retiring, from Mexico to Thailand and beyond but they almost always avoid the healthcare issue which is for most retirees a major issue. You’re the exception, very well done. Thank you
A retirement Visa would be helpful. How much is Insurance for private hospitals?
Yes the Vietnamese are extreeemely friendly. Even the ones here in the US. Can't explain why or how. Like if you agree
It’s called respect and upbringing. It starts at home , very family oriented. Divorce is not common so the children normally has a father .
Because we are like parrots. We like to socialize. 😄
Very helpful, thank you for your very open and informative video.
Glad it was helpful!
Great job. I believe for your target audience..., this was well done - and informative 🙂.
There has been much confusion over the last week regarding the new visa laws that appear designed to crack down on people using bogus expert visa, but are affecting the ability of those on tourist visa or non sponsored business visa. For example, retirees running smaller ventures. A video covering that would be very useful.
I would love to retire out there in future. Because I used to live there 27 years. I don't mind density crowded or weather.
thank you for the informative videos. I understand it is easy to get initial visa to visit I.e. 3 months etc. but is it easy while in Vietnam to keep extending the visa to continue living there without crossing the border to Cambodia as an example?
It is somewhat easy but limited over time. There are other visas that offer long-term solutions. We have made a couple of videos about the topic. Please visit our channel to watch them and find out how to retire in Vietnam.
thanks Ken very informative. in regards to health insurance isn't it cheaper to buy it over there instead of getting it from here would you please look into this matter and let us know in your next Video.
Please watch this video: ua-cam.com/video/ZAczw4WI7pY/v-deo.html
Đúng rồi anh Dương. Bản thân em là người Việt Nam e nhận thấy không nơi nào trên thế giới có đầy đủ cảnh đẹp hơn Việt Nam. Ở Việt Nam thiên nhiên đa dạng: có hơn 2000 km bờ biển, có núi, có sông Mekong, có đảo, có hang động , có tuyết ở SaPa, có cù lao, có rừng tự nhiên, rừng ngập mặn, có cây ăn trái nhiệt đới,... Chi phí sinh hoạt, y tế rẻ hơn các nước khác. Vì vậy nghỉ hưu ở Việt Nam là sự lựa chọn sáng suốt cho Việt Kiều.
I don't mind spending a little more money on a nice place, since the overall cost of living is cheap.
Thank you. I am thinking of retire in Viet Nam in 2050.
My wife escaped Vietnam in 1979 but never renounced her citizenship, is she still considered Vietnamese citizen? And also would that make me eligible for a 5-10 year visa if she is?
Really enjoyable video, very useful 👍 My main concern would be lack of retirement visa, although it was interesting that you said "yet". Wonder if it's a deliberate omission, or the government has more important things to worry about.
I live in Vietnam. And hospital concern s solved by just purchasing insurance, private health care. £30 a month
Sir these videos are so informative, and I've learnt so much from these.
Could you please explain what rights and liabilities we get as expats if married to a Vietnamese?
I would like to particularly understand about:
1) Purchase or Land / Properties
2) Nationality of Kids
3) Any property transfer is case of Demise/Death of either
4) Rights and Liabilities of Vietnamese Partner in other's country (If the info is generic)
5) Long Term Visa or PR Visa?
Thanks for your questions. Some of your queries are already answered, as we have made several videos about those topics such as divorce and liabilities, real estate purchase, citizenship and long-term visa. Please browse our channel looking for these keywords to watch the videos we have made about the topics you mentioned.
Costs are soaring in VN for housing. The health care and infrastructure is very bad. People like to defend the rent prices, without acknowledging the reality that you can easily rent an apt in many U.S. cities like Pittsburgh or Baltimore for 600-700. If you buy land or a house here, as a foreigner you don't legally own the property. You also need a lot of patience and flexibility to deal with the culture, i.e. poor understanding of customer service, bad English skills, unexpected/unannounced power failures, unreliable law enforcement/corrupt law officials, and a general disregard for other people's wellbeing and safety.
I can't imagine living in Vietnam if I was older and had problems with mobility. The streets and sidewalks are always crowded and falling apart. Nowhere is handicap accessible. Generally the retiree crowd is in relatively good health, are heavy drinkers and/or want a Vietnamese wife to settle down with to take care of them as they age. Lots of men here after the kids are grown and a divorce happens, or men who never settled down to begin with and just want a younger Asian wife. Just some real talk
Wow Mr Cranky, watched this video just so you can teach everyone? True, Vietnam is not for everyone. It is for more adventure minded people who have POSITIVE VALUES like patience and flexibility, and look forward to living in a new culture.
Actually, you know nothing. We lived in District 7 Saigon, upscale district at Sky Gardens in 2017, 2 bed furnished $550/month, total expenses about $1300/month for two. Next to modern Vivo City mall, short walk to grocery, foreign food choices. Mostly foreigners, lots of young families, virtually no crime area. Talked to a realtor last Friday, apartments were costing the SAME in 2020, and now 20% less because many foreigners returned home due to Chinese virus. (lesson: don't buy real estate and expect it to appreciate in Vietnam).
Power failures? Practically never, this isn't Philippines. Handicap accessible, unreliable law enforcement, and uncaring government? Correct, it is not a nanny state where citizens expect the government to protect them from life. It is way more free without so many stupid laws. During 2020/2021, government did everything possible to keep covid cases down, they actually went overboard with restrictions, to prevent deaths, read about it, lost out to the delta variant though in summer 2021.
Enjoy your Baltimore where life is sunny, everywhere is handicap accessible, infrastructure is sturdy, there is no corruption, and your fellow citizens truly care about your wellbeing and safety. We know why apartments are $600 there.
Thank you Ken.
You are very welcome
When is your country open for tourism ?
Other countries are open already.
Tailored suit looking fit. Can I get this in Vietnam?
Yes, you could.
Who wants to eat noodles everyday . I don’t and I’ve lived here for 10 years . My wife ( Vietnamese ) does eat rice everyday, not because she has to because she likes to. We live on about $1,200 a month , we don’t pay rent and we live OK , not in luxury but we don’t want for anything .
you have a GOOD channel. thx.
You can recommend them with university hospitals they have department of health for foreigners. Đại Học Y Dược. But those services just for outpatient only and the price is not high.
How are the crime and food safety? I have family and friend rush to hospital for eating wrong restaurant food in their vacation.
Excellent video. Well done and straight to the point. Wish I could retire there........just gotta convince the wife.....
We are waiting for you!
AND you’re a great promotor!
You mentioned just a few disadvantages, there are ways more than that.
Please feel free to share them with us.
@@duongglobalbusinessconsulting See my post above! Add to it that I love hot weather!
@@duongglobalbusinessconsulting Being lived there for 6 years, definitely you know them all !!!!!! No need to share
Share to the community to increase awareness, not necessarily to our law firm. As note, Attorney Ken Duong has been living in Vietnam for 6 years. However, there might be items we forgot to mention.
I hope to retire in DaNang.
We are waiting for you!
those rent prices seem pretty high was able to get a place in bali for 400 US
what vaccinations do you need to come to Vietnam?
900 usd a month is NOT inexpensive by any standard unless you live in Los Angeles or New York City.
When do. You think Vietnam open up again.?
Maybe partially in Q4 of this year. Having said that, it is still open for foreign experts, investors and returnees.
Ken another great video, thanks for sharing 👍🏼
Thanks for watching
Cam On Ken
BIG disadvantage(s)! Air quality in both HCMC and Hanoi is dreadful! Even popular coastal cities, like Da Nang, can be "iffy." If one has respiratory or cardiac issues, probably best to reconsider.
Do you want to live like Mr. Lê Đình Kình or Priests Nguyễn Văn Lý or 39 people who died on the way to Essex, England? Just name a few. Google the names you will see the stories.
Excellent. Thanks.
Glad you liked it!
man that jump would cost your leg but its good hahaah
Seriously, there’s no retirement visas available as you said and no it’s not easy to do tourist visas. Have you not heard??? There’s a pandemic and Vietnam has new cases and the borders are closed.
So, tell me? How do you make this happen????
One BIG con for me to retire in Vietnam (and a lot of similar countries) : as a French lawyer who loves to discuss about human rights, a dictatorship and corrupt country is a big "no". I'll end up in jail which is not my plan for my old days...
Try discussing controversial topics about the Second World War and influential minority in France as a French lawyer, and let us know where it leads too.
@@duongglobalbusinessconsulting That's politically incorrect but once more, as a lawyer, you won't end up in jail for posting anything related to that subject on FB or any social media.
There will never be a retirement visa in Vietnam and if there is you can bet the govt will make it incredibly difficult and expensive to obtain. They don't want random foreign men hanging around for years at a time doing nothing.
Also real estate has gotten outrageously pricey there. Need to spend at least 500 bucks a month on rent or you'll be living in dorm style accommodation.
I totally agree about the house pricing are increasing dramatically. But with 500$ you can find a good looking house. Even you can open a small business at your own rent house. The rent price depends on where you choose to live. Near airport, near the center or in the main street will cost a lot because people usually rent those kind of house for opening business
@@feadea6300 I'm not a fan of living in houses or serviced apartments. I prefer private condos and the cheapest most central 1 bedroom condo right now is Masteri Millennium at 600++.
@@Yoshi2x Oh! Yup they're really expensive compare to the monthly wage of people in HCM city. Luxury and expensive apartments, condos are being built rapidly but not many people can afford renting or buying them. They need to build more affordable places for people to rent or somehow buy its
I don't get it. Just looked on booking. com and I can see lots of cheap nice accommodations by the see I prefer for 2 for 1 months around 30 or 40$. I'm thinking of not retirement just to live there for couple of months or a year and get to use to it and then decide what next.
CANTAVILLE IN D2, is a great place to retire 👍🌈😄😍🍷💥🙋♀️🍒🏄🏽♂️🏄🏼♀️🚗
Love lotus fountain
..........That 3000 miles of coastline.... beats- out a lot of countries.......
Excellent video new subscriber
Thanks for the sub!
Thanks Duong
when will vietnam come out of lock down?
I don't see the links to the videos you mentioned. I have a sweetheart in hcm. How can I get to Vietnam to visit?
ua-cam.com/video/trcP_MaVrA8/v-deo.html
How can a westerner retire long term in Vietnam? Cannot get long term visa unless have a job or get married to Vn local :( That is the big issue for us foreigners to retire in Vn. thanks
Tourist visa works as well. You just need to do border and visa runs.
Thanks for reply. I did that few years ago. Go to cambodia every 3 months just to get a visa stamp :( Also not sure of visa changes which makes it difficult to plan long term retirement. There is no certainty that your visa will be renewed or that the border will stay open in both countries, etc. That was my experience.
@@duongglobalbusinessconsulting Isn't VN now requiring monthly border runs for a tourist visa? Not sure how inviting that new practice will be to retirees?
after the pandemic of course.
@@hawkins6958 they do, the Philippines is much better atm, unfortunately.
Good video.
Glad you enjoyed it
Hello, I was born in Nha-Trang in 1969 and left for the US in 1981. I am planning to retire in VN and would like to apply for my citizenship. Can you share some information with me please? Thank you in advance.
Thanks for your comment. Please watch our Vietnam citizenship playlist ua-cam.com/play/PL5AO8T9wDGttezBVJidcgP_I6mxd_yScv.html to know more about the Vietnam Passport and then send us an email at contact@duongbusinessconsulting.com detailing your case so that we can help.
Hi,we’re both retired, vaccinated & would love to stay permanently in Dalat,Vietnam. What are the requirements/criterias for us,as we’re from Asia...we’re also looking into applying PR,if any or even citizenship to enable us to stay in Vietnam permanently 👍🏻👏🏻Please share,thanks🙏🏻
Please send us an email at contact@duongbusinessconsulting.com detailing your case and we will be happy to help.
@@duongglobalbusinessconsulting sent to yr email address provided but replied back invalid....
Please try again or send us on Facebook Messenger.
Food-good.Hotels-medium.Cost-good.People-friendly enough but, business obssesed.
i like Vietnam bur its not the cheapest place. Ecuador. Laos. Philipines and Cambodia are all cheaper to live in than there..as well as Costa Rica and Colombia has better health care and medical services second to none! All have great expat programs and discounts for expats in some countrys .The big thing with Vietnam is the cost is soaring there ,,on youtube many vloggers say the goverment does not like expats ,,only for the money! good luck its a pretty country but many more options for expats i believe
Been in Asia for 31 years and Vietnam since 2015, I don't know where you spend your money but I find Vietnam extremely cheap and I've visited 60 countries, every country has expensive tourists hubs including Vietnam but it's not typical,
@@kippsguitar6539 I agree my wife’s Vietnamese and I find it very reasonable to stay and everything I need is basically in the country, been to doctor before very good and pennies on the dollar for ear infection and few minor things
Smart man who's obviously been around
Yes Vietnam is not the cheapest, he lied. Maybe Mozambique? However, I would rate the standard of living in the cities of Vientiane Laos, Manila Philippines, and Phnom Penh Cambodia as lower than Saigon or Da Nang. For inexpensive world class health care, one can pop over to Bangkok or KL.
Unless you are poor, lowest cost isn't a top criteria. When you buy a car, do you look for the cheapest one on the market? Is your apartment the cheapest one in your city? I think not.
People being out going isn't a con to me!!
We agree
My advice is to board a cruise ship to the area. When you are close, and it is dark, jump ship in a dingy. Wear your camo clothing. Bring some weapons just in case.
is there any retirement visa option like Thailand has? and if so, what do you need to qualify for it?
Please watch the entire video.
$1.5 million enough to retire in Vietnam?
More than enough. Please check out our cost of living video.
Retirement visa ??????
There is no retirement visa in Vietnam, the days of people being able to use tourists visas and never ending border runs to stay long term in Vietnam have recently been ended under the guise of virus CONTROL. The trend of nationalism and xenophobia in south east Asia continues on.
I'm ready to unplug the socialism progression in the US, and the damn koong flu has been delaying my plan to live in SEA.
Help me find a sponsor that can get me setup there
please send us an email at contact@duongbusinessconsulting.com
What kind of paperwork does it require for me to obtain a Vietnamese citizenship if my parents were Viet Kieu
Our law firm assists in getting Vietnamese citizenship. Please send us an email at contact@duongbusinessconsulting.com detailing your case so that we can assess if you can get it first.
Who wants to leave the country every month? A deal-killer. Also, Cambodia is actually cheaper, although the medical liabilities are pretty much the same. I won't be living in ANY country that requires me to leave every month and come back in. That gets expensive.
That one of the disadvantages. For a long-term solution (although not for everyone), watch this: ua-cam.com/video/T4pfeA-5G74/v-deo.html
Air pollution is high, waterways have high concentration of cancer causing agents, and garbage are everywhere. Physical and mental health would suffer over the long run. I would skip Vietnam as a place to retire.
is vietnam a crypto friendly country
I have about 3 years to retire, hope they have the retirement visa by then. Any suggestions on what I should do now to start the process of retiring there?
Financial planning and looking for a place to live that suits your needs.
10 dollars?
Makes 0 sense to even consider retiring in a country that has NO retirement visa. And I did not even mention the massive pollution and public safety issues which are critical considerations for older people. Oh and how would you like to face a medical emergency in Vietnam with low quality medical care?
gr8
Unless you're going to build a business in Vietnam or going to marry a local, retirement in Vietnam is not realistic at all for your average retiree. Sorry to burst your bubble. That said, it is a beautiful and amazing country. But if you're in the West currently thinking, "Wow, maybe Vietnam would be a really cool place to retire!" Well, no. It wouldn't be for the reasons stated above.
Thanks for your comment. Would you like to share the reasons why you think that so?
@@duongglobalbusinessconsulting Well, I believe I did in my comment. But, to clarify, if you have the money to invest in a business in Vietnam or the money to build your own business in Vietnam and the money to hire a good lawyer to help you figure out how to do all of that properly and legally, then living in Vietnam long term is a realistic option. But I'm skeptical the average retiree would have the desire to do this. If your real desire is to retire, do you really want to go down this road?
Alternatively, if you're single and interested in getting married, then marrying a local is an option for living long term in Vietnam. But finding love in Vietnam isn't as easy as people think. And, for a variety of reasons, it's just not suitable for a lot of people, especially people of retirement age.
Retiring in Vietnam is just not suitable for the average retiree because of the issues involved with long-term legal residency. There is no clear and simple path to follow for someone whose main goal is just to retire here, unlike a country like Thailand, which has a program specifically for this purpose.
Yes, it can be done, but in a rather roundabout way. I really don't see the available options as providing a simple path for a retiree.
Anyway, no one is going to retire here anytime soon with every country in the world in various states of pandemic-induced disarray.
🖐🌷
Another disadvantage to retire in Vietnam is you can’t criticize the government officials, they can show up at your door anytime they want to. So, F HCM and F the Commie.
Pro: Cheap, friendly people
Con: Communist Government, pollution, not speaking Vietnamese
I never trust Communists, just my two cents. But if you can overlook the politics, I guess it's a nice place.
sorry no viet nam i love america
I don't see the links to the videos you mentioned. I have a sweetheart in hcm. How can I get to Vietnam to visit?
ua-cam.com/video/trcP_MaVrA8/v-deo.html