Moving to Vietnam Checklist

Use this moving abroad planner I’ve put together for Vietnam as a checklist of everything you need to know and do before and after you arrive in this country.

A few months before you leave for Vietnam, you will likely need to:

• Choose a city using Wikitravel.
• Make a budget based on the cost of living information found on Numbeo or Expatistan.
• Check the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website to see if you need to get any vaccines.
• Book a flight on Expedia, Travelocity, Kayak, directly on the airline’s website, or your favorite flight booking site.
• Book short term accommodation using TripAdvisor, Expedia, Hotels.com, Airbnb, Hostelworld, Booking.com, or your favorite accommodation booking site.
• Get travel insurance from World Nomads or your favorite travel insurance company.
• Research Vietnam visa requirements and, if necessary, secure a visa.
• Start to learn Vietnamese.
• Find an international relocation company using Expat Focus.
• Learn about how to ship your dog, cat or pet at PetRelocation.com.

Several weeks in advance of your departure to Vietnam, you should:

• Notify your bank and post office that you are moving.
• Check currency exchange rates at Oanda.com.
• Find out what electric outlets are used in Vietnam by doing a search on this Wikipedia page.
• Shop for last minute items on Amazon.com.
• Learn about the airport amenities by browsing iFly.com.
• Track your flight status using Flight Stats or Flight Aware.

Upon arrival in Vietnam, you might need to:

• Take a taxi from the airport to where you will be staying.
• Get a rental car on Expedia, Travelocity, or your favorite car rental booking site.
• Research transportation options.
• Memorize the emergency numbers.

In the first few weeks after you arrive, you might have to:

• Sign up for an online dating site.
• Find an apartment.
• Continue looking for a job.
• Explore telephone options
• Check out good places to eat using a site like TripAdvisor.
• Research things to do on Wikitravel.
• Check to see when the public holidays are.

During the first few months after you arrive, you might have to:

• Go shopping.
• Open a bank account.

During your first year, you might need to:

• Apply for a driver’s license.
• Extend, renew, or apply for a new visa.
• Follow some good expat blogs.

Further Reading

• Worldwide Moving Guide: Everything you need to know in order to plan your move to 65+ countries around the world.

• Worldwide Jobs Guide: Be sure to check out my posts on how to find jobs in any country in the world.

• Worldwide Apartments Guide: If you are interested in renting an apartment in this country, take a look at my articles on how to find an apartment in various countries around the world.

• Worldwide Dating Guide: Also, check out my posts on the best online dating sites in 60+ countries around the world.

Visahunter.com accepts no responsibility or liability whatsoever with regard to the accuracy of the information contained on this site. Please read the Visitor Agreement and Disclaimer. If you think there is an error in the information, please bring it to our attention so that we can correct it. Also, some of the links above could be affiliate links, which means that I will earn a commission (at no additional cost to you) should you decide to click on the links and make a purchase. I recommend sites from time to time, not because I get a tiny commission if you click on the links and make a purchase, but because, I want you to focus on the places that will deliver you the most value and the best results. Good luck!