Desk 2 · two destinations

Malaysia vs Vietnam on a American passport

Verified 2026-08How facts work SourcesNationality is fixed. Cells are filed on each dest tax hub. Overlays are separate pair URLs.

Passport hub: From United States · home × land: US × Malaysia · US × Vietnam.

Filed cells

Tax, stay and earn lenses from dest hubs — not invented fees. Purpose framing:

Work · remote · retire — which rows matter

Work — earn gate + tax days. Overlay for treaty short-stay.
Remote — stay instrument + foreign-income rule. Overlay for home traps.
Retire — stay instrument + pension articles on the overlay. Spend-down compare lives on ThonRetire.

Lens	Malaysia	Vietnam
Tax-residence day test	182 days Source ITA 1967 s.7(1)(a); HASiL Public Ruling 11/2017 §6.1 — resident if in Malaysia in the basis year for a period or periods amounting in all to 182 days or more Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	183 days Source Luật Thuế TNCN 109/2025/QH15 Điều 2 khoản 2 điểm a; NĐ 253/2026/NĐ-CP Điều 4 khoản 1 Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
Foreign / worldwide income	2022-01-01 Source Hasil Guidelines on Tax Treatment of Income Received from Abroad (amendment June 2024) §1.1 / §5.1.1 — from 1 January 2022 foreign income received in Malaysia by a resident is generally subject to tax (Finance Act 2021 amendment to Sch. 6 para 28) Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source Luật 109/2025/QH15 Điều 2 khoản 1; NĐ 253/2026/NĐ-CP Điều 6 khoản 2 điểm a Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
Top personal rate	30% Source HASiL Kadar Cukai — resident Schedule 1 top band: chargeable income exceeding RM2,000,000 taxed at 30% on every subsequent ringgit. HASiL publishes no Year of Assessment 2026 column at check date, so this is the latest enacted ladder on the primary page. Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	35% Source Luật 109/2025/QH15 Điều 9 — bậc 5 Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
Long-stay instrument (filed)	90 days Source MOTAC MM2H Terms Platinum/Gold/Silver — be present / staying in Malaysia for 90 days (cumulative) in one year; for ages 25–49 the days can be fulfilled by the principal or dependents Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source Product map — purpose → entry symbol → TRC (if eligible) → work permit/exemption as four separate decisions Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
Local earn gate (filed)	20000 MYR Source ESD (Immigration Department of Malaysia) announcement 'Revised Employment Pass Salary Policy Effective 1 June 2026', 15 Jan 2026, citing MOHA press release 14 Jan 2026 and Cabinet approval 17 Oct 2025 — Category I revised minimum basic monthly salary RM20,000 and above (previously RM10,000); Employment Pass duration up to 10 years Checked Aug 2026 · Band high · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source Bộ luật Lao động 45/2019/QH14 Điều 153 khoản 2 Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
Treaty (US)	No treaty in force	No treaty in force
Employment short-stay	—	—
Relief (double tax)	domestic foreign tax credit only (Form 1116) — no treaty Source IRS Pub 901 / A–Z treaty list — no US–Malaysia income tax treaty; nguon/MY_SOURCES.md Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	domestic foreign tax credit only (Form 1116) — no in-force treaty Source IRS A–Z treaty list — US–Vietnam signed not in force; nguon/US_VN_DTA_STATUS.md Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
Art 4	Cascade yes Source With no US–Malaysia treaty there is no Article 4 residence tie-breaker; each country applies its own domestic residence test (US substantial-presence/citizenship vs Malaysia ITA s.7 182-day limbs) Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	Cascade yes Source No in-force US–Vietnam income tax treaty → no Art 4 dual-residence cascade between the two states Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
SSA / totalization	no Source SSA — U.S. International Social Security (Totalization) Agreements list does not include Malaysia Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	no Source SSA International Programs — Status of Totalization Agreements / POMS GN 01701.005 country table — Vietnam absent from agreements in force Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
Treaty pensions	—	—
Foreign-income hinge	2026-12-31 Source Hasil FSI Guideline (June 2024) §5.2.2.1; Income Tax (Exemption) (No. 5) Order 2022 [P.U.(A) 234/2022] — resident individual foreign income (other than partnership business in Malaysia) received in Malaysia from 1 Jan 2022 until 31 Dec 2026 exempt if subjected to tax of a similar character in the country of origin (guideline conditions) — window closes within months of this check; re-read the order before relying on it for a 2027 plan. Checked Aug 2026 · Band high · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source Luật 109/2025/QH15 Điều 2 khoản 1; NĐ 253/2026/NĐ-CP Điều 6 khoản 2 điểm a Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
Home-side traps	yes Source nguon/US_SIDE_TRAPS.md — FBAR / Form 8938 / FEIE gates; PFIC & expatriation dollars not modelled Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source nguon/US_SIDE_TRAPS.md — FBAR / Form 8938 / FEIE gates; PFIC & expatriation dollars not modelled Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.

Malaysia

Through a US lens

StayVisa and residence EarnWork lawfully TaxWho may tax you there Pair overlayUS → MalaysiaTreaty and home-side traps Home × land deskRead this pair as a desk

Earn doors we publish

TechEmployment Pass paths TalentResidence Pass — Talent RemoteDE Rantau and related Own a businessEntity and work authority

Vietnam

Through a US lens

StayVisa and residence EarnWork lawfully TaxWho may tax you there Pair overlayUS → VietnamTreaty and home-side traps Home × land deskRead this pair as a desk

Depth: decide · path · 40 fields

Other pairs

Vietnam vs ThailandUS Thailand vs MalaysiaUS Vietnam vs PortugalUS Philippines vs IndonesiaUS Malaysia vs PortugalUS Thailand vs PortugalUS

Malaysia vs Vietnam on a American passport

Verified 2026-08How facts workSourcesNationality is fixed. Cells are filed on each dest tax hub. Overlays are separate pair URLs.

Filed cells

Tax, stay and earn lenses from dest hubs — not invented fees. Purpose framing:

Work · remote · retire — which rows matter

Work — earn gate + tax days. Overlay for treaty short-stay.
Remote — stay instrument + foreign-income rule. Overlay for home traps.
Retire — stay instrument + pension articles on the overlay. Spend-down compare lives on ThonRetire.

Lens	Malaysia	Vietnam
Tax-residence day test	182 days Source ITA 1967 s.7(1)(a); HASiL Public Ruling 11/2017 §6.1 — resident if in Malaysia in the basis year for a period or periods amounting in all to 182 days or more Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	183 days Source Luật Thuế TNCN 109/2025/QH15 Điều 2 khoản 2 điểm a; NĐ 253/2026/NĐ-CP Điều 4 khoản 1 Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
Foreign / worldwide income	2022-01-01 Source Hasil Guidelines on Tax Treatment of Income Received from Abroad (amendment June 2024) §1.1 / §5.1.1 — from 1 January 2022 foreign income received in Malaysia by a resident is generally subject to tax (Finance Act 2021 amendment to Sch. 6 para 28) Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source Luật 109/2025/QH15 Điều 2 khoản 1; NĐ 253/2026/NĐ-CP Điều 6 khoản 2 điểm a Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
Top personal rate	30% Source HASiL Kadar Cukai — resident Schedule 1 top band: chargeable income exceeding RM2,000,000 taxed at 30% on every subsequent ringgit. HASiL publishes no Year of Assessment 2026 column at check date, so this is the latest enacted ladder on the primary page. Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	35% Source Luật 109/2025/QH15 Điều 9 — bậc 5 Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
Long-stay instrument (filed)	90 days Source MOTAC MM2H Terms Platinum/Gold/Silver — be present / staying in Malaysia for 90 days (cumulative) in one year; for ages 25–49 the days can be fulfilled by the principal or dependents Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source Product map — purpose → entry symbol → TRC (if eligible) → work permit/exemption as four separate decisions Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
Local earn gate (filed)	20000 MYR Source ESD (Immigration Department of Malaysia) announcement 'Revised Employment Pass Salary Policy Effective 1 June 2026', 15 Jan 2026, citing MOHA press release 14 Jan 2026 and Cabinet approval 17 Oct 2025 — Category I revised minimum basic monthly salary RM20,000 and above (previously RM10,000); Employment Pass duration up to 10 years Checked Aug 2026 · Band high · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source Bộ luật Lao động 45/2019/QH14 Điều 153 khoản 2 Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
Treaty (US)	No treaty in force	No treaty in force
Employment short-stay	—	—
Relief (double tax)	domestic foreign tax credit only (Form 1116) — no treaty Source IRS Pub 901 / A–Z treaty list — no US–Malaysia income tax treaty; nguon/MY_SOURCES.md Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	domestic foreign tax credit only (Form 1116) — no in-force treaty Source IRS A–Z treaty list — US–Vietnam signed not in force; nguon/US_VN_DTA_STATUS.md Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
Art 4	Cascade yes Source With no US–Malaysia treaty there is no Article 4 residence tie-breaker; each country applies its own domestic residence test (US substantial-presence/citizenship vs Malaysia ITA s.7 182-day limbs) Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	Cascade yes Source No in-force US–Vietnam income tax treaty → no Art 4 dual-residence cascade between the two states Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
SSA / totalization	no Source SSA — U.S. International Social Security (Totalization) Agreements list does not include Malaysia Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	no Source SSA International Programs — Status of Totalization Agreements / POMS GN 01701.005 country table — Vietnam absent from agreements in force Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
Treaty pensions	—	—
Foreign-income hinge	2026-12-31 Source Hasil FSI Guideline (June 2024) §5.2.2.1; Income Tax (Exemption) (No. 5) Order 2022 [P.U.(A) 234/2022] — resident individual foreign income (other than partnership business in Malaysia) received in Malaysia from 1 Jan 2022 until 31 Dec 2026 exempt if subjected to tax of a similar character in the country of origin (guideline conditions) — window closes within months of this check; re-read the order before relying on it for a 2027 plan. Checked Aug 2026 · Band high · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source Luật 109/2025/QH15 Điều 2 khoản 1; NĐ 253/2026/NĐ-CP Điều 6 khoản 2 điểm a Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Open primary URL Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
Home-side traps	yes Source nguon/US_SIDE_TRAPS.md — FBAR / Form 8938 / FEIE gates; PFIC & expatriation dollars not modelled Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.	yes Source nguon/US_SIDE_TRAPS.md — FBAR / Form 8938 / FEIE gates; PFIC & expatriation dollars not modelled Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.