Can I send money out of Vietnam as a foreigner?

Vietnam controls outbound currency far more tightly than inbound. Money comes in freely; money goes out with paperwork. Nothing stops a foreigner from repatriating legitimate funds, but you need to arrive at the branch prepared.

What you can send

Banks will transfer abroad money that you can show is yours and has already been taxed or came from abroad in the first place. The common cases are: salary from a Vietnamese employer (net of personal income tax), savings that arrived by inbound transfer, and remaining balances when you leave the country. There is no universal cap; the amount is limited by what your documents justify.

What the bank asks for

Expect to show most of the following, and expect the list to vary by branch: your passport and current visa or residence card, an employment contract and payslips (or another explanation of the source of funds), personal income tax receipts or a tax finalization for income earned in Vietnam, the inbound transfer record if you are sending back money you brought in, and the receiving account's details with a SWIFT or BIC code. Vietnam does not use IBAN for domestic accounts, so the counterparty must be identified this way.

Most banks require an in-person visit for any outbound international transfer. App-based sending abroad is rare for foreigners.

Reporting and fees

Under Circular 27/2025, effective 1 November 2025, banks report every international electronic transfer of USD 1,000 or more to the State Bank of Vietnam. That is a reporting threshold, not a limit, but it explains why staff look carefully at the purpose you write on the form. Vietcombank's fee for an overseas transfer is 0.2 percent with a USD 5 minimum and USD 300 maximum, plus the correspondent bank's charges; HSBC and Standard Chartered offer smoother international service in exchange for minimum balances of VND 3 million and VND 1 million and monthly fees.

What does not work

Wise can send money into Vietnam but does not support sending out of it, and there is no VND balance. Carrying cash out is legal below the customs threshold but is a poor way to move savings. The realistic plan for a nomad is to keep foreign income abroad, bring in only what you spend, and avoid needing to send much back.

Check the live rate on the Currency Check tool before you agree to a bank's exchange, and see the setting up in Vietnam guide for the banks that handle this most calmly.