Vietnam Visa (2026): 90-Day E-Visa for Taiwanese Citizens Cannot Be Extended In-Country, and How Long-Term Residents Can Align Leases

In 2026, Taiwanese passport holders applying for a Vietnam visa must note that the maximum 90-day e-visa cannot be extended onshore; holders must exit the country and reapply before expiration. To sign a 6- to 12-month long-term lease without doing border runs every three months, tenants need an employer-sponsored Work Permit (valid for up to 2 years) and a Temporary Residence Card (TRC, valid for 1 to 3 years), or they must include an unconditional diplomatic clause in their long-term lease in case of visa rejection.

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Suppose you have just been seconded to Ho Chi Minh City, moving into a Thao Dien residential compound on a 90-day e-visa, and the landlord requires a one-year lease with a two-month security deposit. If your Work Permit is still not issued by day 85, you must leave the country to apply for a new visa. Should the new visa be delayed, both the rent for the vacant period and your security deposit face the risk of forfeiture for breach of contract.

What Are the Vietnam E-Visa and Visa Fee Rules for Taiwanese Citizens? Can a Vietnam Visa Be Extended?

Effective August 15, 2023, Vietnam extended the e-visa validity from 30 days to 90 days and set the stay duration for unilateral visa-exempt countries at 45 days (vietnam.travel). However, Taiwanese passports are not on the Vietnam visa exemption list, and there is currently no standard Visa on Arrival channel for independent tourists. Those traveling to Vietnam for property viewings or employment must apply for a Vietnam visa in advance via the official government portal (.gov.vn).

According to data published by tw.trip.com on July 10, 2026, a 90-day e-visa cannot undergo a Vietnam visa extension onshore. The 2026 guide from vietnam-immigrations.org notes that long-term residents holding e-visas must exit the country every 3 months to reapply. The table below outlines the 2026 e-visa specifications and fees:

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How Can Expats and Investors Convert a Vietnam Visa into a Work Permit and Temporary Residence Card (TRC)?

To sign a residential lease of one year or longer and open a bank account in Vietnam, foreign nationals must obtain long-term residency status through an employer or a self-owned company. Landlords and real estate agents typically require verification of a tenant's visa or temporary residence registration when executing a lease.

According to the 2026 expat guide by vietnam-immigrations.org, monthly living costs including accommodation in Ho Chi Minh City and Ha Noi range from 1,500 to 2,500 USD, while third-party business visa sponsorship costs around 300 to 600 USD annually but operates in a regulatory gray area. Legitimate long-term residency pathways and timelines are detailed below:

How to Align a 90-Day E-Visa with Short-Term and Long-Term Leases?

A rental guide published by thejetlagchronicles.com on February 3, 2026 notes that short-term leases in Vietnam run from 1 to 3 months, while long-term leases run from 6 to 12 months; switching from a short-term to a long-term lease can save several hundred USD per month in rent. However, fdvn.vn states that starting July 1, 2026, foreign nationals whose actual physical stay or lease contract duration in Vietnam totals 183 days or more become Vietnamese tax residents, requiring them to declare global or domestic income in accordance with regulations.

Regarding landlord tax liabilities, according to a draft effective January 1, 2026 cited by New Law Firm and Thanh Nien, individual residential rental income below 500 million VND per year is exempt from VAT and personal income tax, though tax filing is still mandatory. To prevent Work Permit delays from causing a long-term lease default and deposit forfeiture, you must insert a Diplomatic Clause into the contract allowing early termination and deposit refund if the visa is not approved. Our Mandarin-speaking desk can assist you in reviewing this clause and verifying the landlord's title documents prior to signing.

What Are the Rental Rates in Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Noi, and Da Nang in 2026?

There is a substantial difference in monthly rent between short-term serviced apartments and long-term standard residential units. Savills' Q2 2026 report (cited by Nhip Song Nha Dat on September 10, 2026) shows that the citywide average monthly rent for serviced apartments in Ho Chi Minh City is 560,000 VND per square meter. Meanwhile, Avison Young's Q2 2026 report (cited by Doanh nhan Phap luat on July 14, 2026) indicates that Grade A serviced apartments in the city average 40 USD per square meter per month, while Grade B units average 22 USD.

In Ha Noi, Savills reported that occupancy across 67 serviced apartment projects citywide exceeded 80% in Q2 2026 (Doanh nhan & Phap luat, August 15, 2026). On February 16, 2026, VietnamMoi cited Q4 2025 data from Avison Young detailing the monthly rental rates for serviced apartments in Ha Noi as follows:

The table below summarizes the 2026 monthly rental rates for standard apartments across major cities and areas surrounding Taiwanese industrial parks:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I legally rent an apartment in Vietnam on a 90-day tourist or business e-visa?

Yes. Foreign nationals holding a valid Vietnamese visa can legally sign short-term leases of 1 to 3 months or rent private residences, as regulations do not prohibit e-visa holders from leasing property. The critical compliance requirement lies with the landlord: they are legally obligated to complete the temporary residence declaration (Khai bao tam tru) for foreign tenants through the local police system. Tenants will frequently need this registration record when subsequently applying for a Work Permit or Temporary Residence Card (TRC).

How are Vietnam visa overstay fines calculated, and will an overstay affect my lease?

In the event of a visa overstay, foreign nationals cannot simply pay a fee for an in-country extension; they must first settle administrative fines with the Immigration Department and obtain an exit permit to leave the country and apply for a new visa. If an overstay results in mandatory deportation or a re-entry ban, a long-term lease will be forced into default, entitling the landlord to forfeit the two-month security deposit in accordance with the contract.

What 3 questions should I ask the landlord to confirm in writing before paying a deposit and signing a lease?

Before transferring any booking fee or security deposit, you should request written confirmation from the landlord or agent regarding the following three points:

1. Timeline for Police Temporary Residence Registration: Does the landlord have the legal right to lease the property, and do they commit to promptly completing the foreign tenant temporary residence registration (Khai bao tam tru) upon move-in?
2. Diplomatic Clause: If the tenant's Work Permit or Temporary Residence Card (TRC) application is rejected, or if an expatriate reassignment requires departure from Vietnam, can the lease be terminated unconditionally with advance notice and a full refund of the security deposit?
3. Tax Inclusivity and Filing Responsibilities: Is the monthly rent inclusive of taxes (accounting for the tax-exempt threshold declaration for individual landlords earning under 500 million VND annually), and if the lease term is 183 days or longer, can the landlord provide valid documentation required for corporate reimbursement?

If you are preparing for an expatriate assignment in Ho Chi Minh, Ha Noi, or the major industrial parks in former Binh Duong Province, feel free to contact Anna Pham (Chinese & Taiwanese Client Desk) via Zalo or WeChat on this page. We provide complimentary access to our bilingual lease termination clause templates, a landlord police registration checklist, and curated listings of available 1-to-3-month short-term and long-term rentals tailored to your visa validity.

Legal Basis

• Law on Housing 2023 (Law No. 27/2023/QH15)
• Law on Land 2024 (Law No. 31/2024/QH15)
• Decree No. 95/2024/ND-CP
• Indochine Real Estate JSC — vietnampropertymarket.com