Health insurance in Vietnam.
Only long local contracts come with public cover, and most expats use private hospitals anyway. Here is what the rules say, and what to check.
The rules
What Vietnam asks of you.
Checked against official sources on 23 October 2026. Rules change, so the broker confirms them again before you apply.
- Public cover for 12-month contracts
Since 1 July 2025, foreign employees must join public health insurance if they have a labour contract of 12 months or more with an employer in Vietnam.
Source: english.luatvietnam.vn - Shorter contracts: no public cover
Before July 2025, the rule started at 3 months. Now a contract under 12 months is not enrolled, so you need private cover.
Source: vialtopartners.com - What employees pay
The employee pays 1.5% of monthly salary, deducted by the employer. Staff transferred from the same company abroad are exempt.
Source: vietnamlawmagazine.vn - Limits on bringing medicine
Vietnam restricts addictive and psychotropic medicines. More than a 7-day supply is illegal. Carry your prescription and a doctor’s letter.
Source: gov.uk
Public hospitals are often crowded and staff rarely speak English. Most expats use private hospitals in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and serious cases are often flown to Bangkok or Singapore.
Source: gov.ukLocal or international
We compare both. You keep the one that fits.
Local public cover doesn’t reach the private hospitals most expats use. Local private plans are cheaper, international plans add evacuation to Bangkok or Singapore.
- Local plans
Plans sold in Vietnam. Often cheaper, sometimes required for your visa. Filed by a broker licensed in Vietnam.
- International plans
Plans that cover you in Vietnam and beyond, and stay with you if you move again. Filed by our international broker partner.
What it costs
Published prices in Vietnam.
List prices from insurers and official schemes. Your quote depends on your age, health and the cover you pick.
- Employee share: 1.5% of salary
Taken from your monthly pay by your employer. The salary used is capped at 20 times the government reference level.
Source: vietnamlawmagazine.vn - Total premium: up to 6% of salary
The 2024 law caps the total at 6% of monthly salary, with the employer paying 2/3 of it.
Source: english.luatvietnam.vn
What to look for
Choosing a plan in Vietnam.
Ankyro checks each of these on every plan, so you don’t have to read the fine print.
- Evacuation abroad
Check the plan pays to move you to Bangkok or Singapore, and for treatment there.
- Direct billing
Check the insurer pays the private hospitals in your city directly. Expat clinics can charge a lot more than local ones.
- A top-up over public cover
Public insurance through your job won’t get you into the private hospitals most expats use. A private plan fills that gap.
- Cover past 12-month contracts
If your contract is under 12 months, or you work remotely for a company abroad, a private plan is your only cover. Check it is yearly, not trip-based.
Step by step
Getting covered in Vietnam.
- 01Check your contract length. Only a Vietnamese labour contract of 12 months or more puts you in public health insurance. Transfers within the same company and people past retirement age are left out.
- 02Your employer enrols you. The employer registers you and takes 1.5% from your monthly salary.
- 03Register a primary care clinic. Public insurance links you to 1 registered primary care facility. You can switch in the first 15 days of each quarter.
- 04Know what public cover pays. It pays 80% of costs for most members, and 100% at primary care level. Going outside your clinic or the referral rules pays less.
- 05Add a private plan. Public cover doesn’t reach the expat hospitals in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, or evacuation to Bangkok or Singapore. A private plan covers both.
Common mistakes
3 we see all the time.
- 01Thinking a contract under 12 months gives you public cover. Since July 2025 it does not.
- 02Buying a plan without evacuation to Bangkok or Singapore.
- 03Bringing more than 7 days of restricted medicine.
Real published prices, and the 6 things that move yours.
Just visiting?For a holiday or a short trip, travel insurance is enough. See what Vietnam asks of visitors, and what care costs.
Questions
People also ask.
Is health insurance mandatory for foreigners in Vietnam?+
Only for foreign employees with a local contract of 12 months or more. They are enrolled in public insurance through their employer.
Do I need health insurance for a Vietnam e-visa?+
The e-visa rules don’t list it. Private cover is still strongly advised.
Can foreigners use public hospitals in Vietnam?+
Yes, but they are often crowded and staff rarely speak English. Most expats use private hospitals in the big cities.
Is Vietnam’s public health insurance enough for an expat?+
Usually not. It doesn’t cover the private hospitals expats use, or evacuation abroad.
Other countries
Going somewhere else?
Most UK visas don’t ask for private insurance. You pay a yearly surcharge instead, and it opens the NHS. Here is what the surcharge buys, and what you still pay for.
02AustraliaMost visitors can’t use Medicare, and many visas carry condition 8501. Here is what each visa asks for, who gets Medicare, and what to check.
03Dubai and the UAEIn Dubai, no insurance means no visa. Your employer covers you, but not always your family. Here are the rules, and what the basic plan leaves out.
04PhilippinesThe retiree visa asks for a medical certificate, not a policy. The new nomad visa does ask for cover. Here is what each visa needs, and how PhilHealth works for foreigners.
05NetherlandsIf you live or work in the Netherlands, Dutch basic insurance is the law. A few people are exempt. Here is who must sign up, by when, and what it costs in 2026.
06CanadaEach province runs its own health plan, and some make you wait. The super visa has strict insurance rules. Here is how Ontario and BC differ, and what the super visa needs.
07Saudi ArabiaIn Saudi Arabia, no insurance means no iqama. Your employer pays for you and your family, and visitors need a policy too. Here is who pays, and what each policy covers.
08JapanIf you live in Japan, joining public insurance is the law. A private plan can only sit on top. Digital nomads are the exception.
09GermanyEveryone in Germany must be insured, and a residence permit needs cover equal to the public system. Here is how to choose, and what gets rejected.
10SingaporeThe national plan is for citizens and PRs. Hospital bills for foreigners are high, and families are often left out. Here is what to check.
11ThailandRetirement visas have hard minimums, the DTV has none, and public care is not free for foreigners. Here are the rules, and what to check.
12SpainSpain has the strictest visa insurance rules in Europe: a Spanish-authorised insurer, no co-pays, no waiting periods. Here is what passes.
13MalaysiaPublic hospitals charge foreigners full price, and work schemes only cover injuries at work. Here is what each pass asks for, and what to check.
14QatarMost visitors need a QAR 50 a month policy before Qatar issues a visa. The law covers expats too, but that part is still rolling out. Here are the rules.
15FranceThe public system is open to residents, but not on day 1 if you don’t work, and it only pays part of each bill. Here is how to cover the gaps.
16PortugalThe visa asks for travel medical cover. The public system opens once you are a resident. In between, and after, here is what to check.
17MexicoNo visa asks for it, so many expats skip it. Then a private hospital asks for payment first. Here is how cover really works in Mexico.
18ItalyWorkers join the public system for free. Retirees and nomads need private cover for the visa, then pay at least €2,000 a year to join. Here are the rules.
19South KoreaStay more than 6 months and you must join the national plan. Before that, and for your share of each bill, you need your own cover.
21Bali and IndonesiaMost Indonesian visas don’t ask for insurance. But hospitals ask for payment first, and serious cases fly to Singapore. Here is what to check.
22GreeceThe consulate takes travel cover for the visa. The residence permit then asks for full health cover. If you don’t work for a Greek employer, that means a private plan.
23ColombiaNomads and retirees need a private policy with exact wording. Residents who work must join the public EPS system. Here are the rules.
24Costa RicaResidents must pay into the Caja, whatever private plan they have. Nomads need their own cover for the visa. Here is how it fits together.
25USAThe US has no public plan you can simply join. Some visas set minimum cover. Others leave it to you. Here is what a J-1 needs, who can use the Marketplace, and what plans cost.
26SwitzerlandBasic health insurance is compulsory for everyone who lives in Switzerland. You have 3 months to sign up. Here is how it works, and what to check.
27IrelandNon-EEA students must hold private medical insurance. Everyone else gets public care once they count as living in Ireland for 1 year. Here is what to check.
28Dominican RepublicThe residence visas for retirees and rentistas ask for a medical certificate, not an insurance policy. Public care is limited. Private care is good but costly.
29New ZealandStudent visas require insurance. A work visa of 2 years or more may open public health care. ACC covers accident injuries. Here is what to check.
30IsraelIn Israel, the public system is for residents. If your life is centred there, you join a health fund (kupat holim). If not, you need private cover.
31Hong KongPublic hospitals in Hong Kong are cheap for eligible persons. Many foreigners are not on that list. Here is who is, what the rest pay, and what to check in a plan.
32ChinaIf you work in China on an employment permit, your employer must enrol you in social insurance. That includes basic medical cover. Here is how it works, and what to check on top.
33ArgentinaEmergency care is open to everyone. For other care at national hospitals, foreigners without permanent residence must show insurance or pay first. The rules are new, so check them.
34IndiaWe found no official rule that ties health insurance to an Indian work visa. We also could not confirm a public scheme for foreign residents. So the plan is yours to choose. Here is what to check.
35TurkeyA residence permit application needs valid health insurance for the whole permit. Most new expats buy a private policy. The public SGK system opens later, after 1 year of residence.
36BrazilThe digital nomad visa needs health insurance valid in Brazil. The public system is open to migrants by law. Many expats add a private plan for speed.
37PanamaThe Pensionado visa asks for a health certificate, not an insurance policy. The public system is tied to the Caja. Private care is the main option for most expats.
38South AfricaStudy and exchange visas ask for proof of cover from a registered medical scheme. Public clinics offer free primary care. Here is what to check.
39KenyaKenya’s public fund is run by the Social Health Authority (SHA). A foreigner who lives in Kenya for more than 12 months pays into it. Shorter stays need travel health insurance instead.
40TaiwanTaiwan has one national health insurance. Foreigners with a residence certificate can join. If you have a job, you join through your employer. If not, there is a wait.