VietnamVietnam clients + a tourist stamp is not a consulting product
In plain termsConsulting is work when a Vietnam party pays you. DL is tourism. Tourism is not a labour permit.
Start here — three checks
- Who is the client? A Vietnam company or resident paying you is local labour pressure.
- What stamp do you hold? DL is tourist (). Work authority?
yes
Source Luật Nhập cảnh Điều 8 — DL = vào du lịch
Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
no
Source Luật Nhập cảnh Điều 8 (DL = tourism) is not a labour-permission limb; work sits on BLLĐ / NĐ 219
Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- Permit default. — without it:
yes
Source BLLĐ 45/2019 Điều 153 khoản 2
Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
.forced exit or deportation
Source BLLĐ 45/2019 Điều 153 khoản 2
Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
Client location vs stamp
| Engagement | Legal read | If you invoice anyway |
|---|---|---|
| Vietnam LLC pays you in cash or transfer for advice on the ground | Local labour. Needs a lawful work form + permit or exemption. | Unlawful work on a tourist stamp. |
| Workshop “for exposure” with a paid ticket | Still work if Vietnam parties buy the time. | Events page will not save a DL stamp. |
| Only foreign clients, paid offshore, no Vietnam invoice | Different door — remote purpose. Still not a Vietnam work visa. | Mixing one local invoice poisons the “offshore-only” story. |
| “I’ll get the permit later this month” | Pending permit is not permission. See start-before-issued. | You add immigration risk to a labour gap. |
Common wrong movesConsulting language does not hide a client.
- Using a personal Wise account as if that made the client foreign.
- Calling it a “friend’s company” while issuing VAT invoices.
- Teaching a paid cohort on DL because “it’s only three days.”
If a Vietnam client is already waitingStop delivery. Pick a lawful vehicle.
- Do not deliver on DL.
- If they will employ you, open the work-permit stack before a start date.
- If the work is truly offshore-only, keep Vietnam parties out of the invoice.
Evidence and sources4 dated facts for Consulting Vietnam clients while on a tourist stay
The readable briefing above uses these cells. Open a source only when you need to verify a number, date, or legal gate.
- Foreign workers generally need a work permitBLLĐ 45/2019 Điều 153 khoản 2checked Aug 2026
yes
Source BLLĐ 45/2019 Điều 153 khoản 2
Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- Consequence of working without a permitBLLĐ 45/2019 Điều 153 khoản 2checked Aug 2026
forced exit or deportation
Source BLLĐ 45/2019 Điều 153 khoản 2
Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- DL is the tourist-entry visa symbolLuật Nhập cảnh Điều 8 — DL = vào du lịchchecked Aug 2026
yes
Source Luật Nhập cảnh Điều 8 — DL = vào du lịch
Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- A DL tourist stay is itself work-permit authorityLuật Nhập cảnh Điều 8 (DL = tourism) is not a labour-permission limb; work sits on BLLĐ / NĐ 219checked Aug 2026
no
Source Luật Nhập cảnh Điều 8 (DL = tourism) is not a labour-permission limb; work sits on BLLĐ / NĐ 219
Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
Common questions
Can I invoice Vietnam companies for consulting while I am here on a tourist visa?
Paid work for Vietnam clients is labour. Foreign workers generally need a work permit. DL is the tourist symbol and is not work-permit authority.
What if I call it a workshop, coffee meeting, or unpaid advice?
Relabeling does not change the labour test. If a Vietnam party is buying your work, treat it as work.
Is this the same as remote work for an offshore client?
No. Offshore-only remote is the remote-purpose door. This page is local Vietnam clients while you hold DL.