Remote Life in Vietnam & Southeast Asia — Without the Guesswork
Practical guides for Americans living abroad: taxes, banking, money transfers, mailing addresses, visas, and the realities of remote life.
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Your Command Center
Six pillars of a remote life abroad — pick where to begin.
U.S. Taxes
Understand your U.S. tax obligations while living abroad.
Open Tax CenterBanking
Build a banking setup that works internationally.
Compare BanksMoney Transfers
Compare international transfer services and avoid common mistakes.
Compare TransfersMail & Addresses
Find legitimate U.S. mailing and virtual mailbox solutions.
Explore MailVisas
Compare Southeast Asian visas and remote-work options.
Compare VisasBest States
Compare U.S. states for domicile and state-tax considerations.
Compare StatesSoutheast Asia Visa Snapshot
Compare 8 countries at a glance
Remote-work options, validity, and official sources — all in one matrix.
U.S. Tax Snapshot
Do Americans still pay U.S. taxes overseas?
The short answer: generally, yes. Living outside the U.S. does not automatically eliminate your U.S. filing obligations. But several provisions — the FEIE, the Foreign Tax Credit, and the Foreign Housing Exclusion — can materially affect what you owe.
FEIE Explainer
Interactive educational checklist for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion.
ReadForeign Bank Accounts
FBAR, Form 8938, and the $10,000 aggregate threshold.
ReadTax Forms Library
1040, 2555, 1116, 8938, FBAR & more — what each is for.
Read330-Day Presence Test
A visual timeline of the physical presence requirement.
ReadThis information is not tax advice.
Best States for Nomads
States frequently considered by full-time travelers
Editorial comparison — not tax advice. Moving to a no-income-tax state does not automatically eliminate state tax.
Mailing address, domicile, residency, and tax residency are not necessarily the same thing.
Banking & Money
Build financial redundancy abroad
A primary U.S. bank, a backup, an international transfer service, and emergency cash — working together.
Golden rule: Always verify the final exchange rate and total fee before confirming a transfer. Never send money because of an urgent message or phone call.
This information is not financial advice.
U.S. Mail & Addresses
Mail solutions for full-time travelers
A mailing address, a virtual mailbox, a PMB, a PO Box, a residential address, and a legal domicile are not the same thing. Here's how to tell them apart.
Mailing address, domicile, residency, and tax residency are not necessarily the same thing.
Do not assume a virtual mailbox works for every purpose. Banks, driver's-license agencies, insurance companies, tax authorities, and voting agencies may have different address requirements.
Flagship Destination
Why Vietnam?
Low cost of living, fast internet, world-class food, and a growing nomad community — Vietnam is the heart of Remote Life. From Da Nang's beaches to HCMC's energy, here's how the cities compare.
Destination data coming soon.
Official Sources
Government resources, front and center
We prioritize primary government sources. Third-party commentary is always labeled.
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Newsletter
The Remote Life Brief
Practical updates for Americans living and working abroad.
About
Tracy
I built Remote Life Vietnam because I lived the confusion firsthand — taxes, banking, mail, visas, the logistics of staying legal and organized while living abroad. This is the field manual I wish I'd had.
Remote Life Vietnam focuses on real-world experience, remote living, Vietnam and Southeast Asia, and helping Americans understand the logistics of living abroad — without the fluff.