The Vietnam Move E-Book

Move to Vietnam with a plan, not a pile of browser tabs.

The Vietnam Move is the relocation guide I wish I'd had: a 123-page, research-backed ebook written from my own move from the United States to Vietnam, from a first stop near Hanoi to settling in Ho Chi Minh City. It takes you from "Is this really for me?" to "I live here now," one practical step at a time.

No fluff, no fantasy. Just clear guidance, official sources, honest numbers, and the details most relocation guides skip, including a full chapter on Black hair, beauty and personal care and a chapter on finding Black American and diaspora community in Vietnam.

Why this guide is different

• Lived, not imagined. "From My Experience" and "What I Wish I'd Known" features share what actually happened on my move, with no invented stories filling the gaps.
• Checked against official sources. Visa, residence, tax and safety information is sourced from government and institutional pages, with time-sensitive facts dated so you know how current they are.
• Honest labels on every business. Each place is marked Personally used, Personally visited, Verified resource, Official source or Researched lead, so you always know how I know it.
• Built to use, not just read. Clickable contents, chapter cross-references and bookmarks, plus a "Your Next Step" action at the end of every chapter.
• Original photography from Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and inside and outside a major residential community.

What's inside: 22 chapters in six parts

Part I · Decide

• Is Vietnam right for you? What daily life actually feels like
• Choosing your city and neighborhood: Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Hội An and more, with current rent ranges
• Feature: Two Worlds, One Neighborhood, an inside look at living in Vinhomes Grand Park, inside and outside the gates
• What it costs and how to fund it: frugal, comfortable and generous monthly budgets

Part II · Prepare

• Visas, immigration and legal residency: the e-visa, long-stay options, residence cards and overstay rules, explained plainly
• Laws, politics and cultural expectations: the official rules vs. the unwritten customs
• Preparing to leave America: a 90-day plan for documents, apostilles, money, medications, pets and belongings

Part III · Arrive & Set Up

• Your first 72 hours: airport to city, money, a SIM card, food and safety
• Finding and renting an apartment: listings, scam checks, leases and the residence declaration every foreign tenant needs
• Furnishing your home: what "fully furnished" really means and where to buy the rest
• Phone, internet, apps, VPNs and streaming
• Money, banking and QR payments
• Getting around: Grab, Green SM, taxis, VinBus, metro lines and motorbike licence rules

Part IV · Live Well

• Healthcare, insurance and medications, with English-speaking hospitals and clinics by city
• Groceries, shopping and everyday services: "Can I find my usual stuff?"
• Black hair, beauty and personal care: braids, wigs, silk presses, nails and skincare, how to vet a stylist, and Vietnamese phrases for the chair
• Finding your people: Black expat and diaspora communities, professional networks and five reliable ways to meet people
• Moving with children: school types, current international school fees and enrollment paperwork
• Beyond the apartment: thirty places to explore, from free walks to weekend escapes

Part V · Work & Build

• Working remotely and teaching English online: what's lawful, what's unclear, platforms compared and honest income math
• Entrepreneurship, business and manufacturing: running a U.S. business from Vietnam, investor visas, sourcing suppliers and current U.S. import duties

Part VI · Stay Safe, Stay Long

• Safety, emergencies and practical preparedness: emergency numbers, lost passports, scams, storms and personal data
• Long-term settlement and your U.S. obligations: taxes abroad, FBAR, Social Security, Medicare and keeping your American life working

Plus: My Vietnam Rolodex, a directory of every business, service and official resource named in the book, with its label and a link back to the chapter.

29 printable worksheets included

Every chapter points you to the worksheet that turns reading into action:

• Decide & budget: Relocation Decision Matrix · Neighborhood Evaluation Checklist · Financial Relocation Planner · Monthly Budget Worksheet
• Prepare & arrive: Visa and Entry Checklist · 90-Day Pre-Move Checklist · Personal Moving Inventory · First 72 Hours Checklist · First 30 Days Settlement Plan
• Home: Apartment Viewing Checklist · Apartment Move-In Checklist · Furnished Apartment Inventory · Budget: Securing the Apartment · Budget: Equipping the Apartment · Household Shopping Checklist · Utility and Internet Setup Checklist · VPN and Digital Access Checklist
• Health, beauty & family: Medical Preparedness Worksheet · Hospital and Clinic Comparison Sheet · Black Hair and Beauty Consultation Checklist · School Comparison Worksheet
• Life, work & safety: Vietnam Experience Bucket List · Weekend Getaway Planner · Online Teaching Opportunity Tracker · Entrepreneurship and Manufacturer Sourcing Checklist · Emergency Contact Worksheet · Important Apps Directory · Vietnamese Phrasebook for Daily Life · Resource and Service Provider Directory

Want to type into the worksheets instead of printing them? Choose The Vietnam Move Guide & Toolkit, which adds fillable versions of all 29.

Free updates included

This is a living guide. As I keep building my life in Vietnam, I'll add new businesses, neighborhoods, services and lessons learned. When a revised edition is released, you'll get an email with a link to download it at no extra cost. No need to buy the same guide twice.

Free updates cover this ebook. Separately sold products, such as the private-label (PLR) edition or expanded premium toolkits, aren't included.

What you receive

• The Vietnam Move ebook: 123-page PDF, Edition 1.0, October 2026
• 29 printable worksheets (PDF)
• Free revised editions by email as they're released

Who it's for

• Americans seriously considering a move to Vietnam, or already packing
• Remote workers, online teachers, entrepreneurs and retirees
• Families weighing schools and childcare
• Black women and men who want straight answers about hair, beauty and community abroad
• Anyone who'd rather arrive prepared than figure it out the hard way

Good to know

• Format: instant digital download (PDF). Read it in Apple Books, Adobe Acrobat Reader or any PDF reader.
• Nothing ships: your download link arrives by email after checkout.
• Personal use: please don't share or resell.

Here's to making somewhere new feel like home.
Codes & Culture

The Vietnam Move is general information, not legal, immigration, tax, medical or financial advice. Rules in Vietnam and the United States change often; always check the official sources linked in each chapter and speak with a licensed professional about your situation.