Hello and welcome to this week’s VN Foreigner Brief.

This edition focuses on enforcement signals and practical risks that affect foreigners living and working in Vietnam, from tax compliance and online scams to health concerns, air quality, drug enforcement, and the Lunar New Year travel surge. None of these developments are theoretical, they all show how rules are being applied in everyday situations.

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

Vietnam is preparing for a strong influx of foreign tourists over the Lunar New Year period, with arrivals expected from markets including South Korea, the Philippines, Malaysia, China, Japan, and India. Industry forecasts point to heavy demand for flights, hotels, and domestic transport in late January and early February.

Travel sector reporting suggests airports, attractions, and popular destinations will be significantly busier than usual during the holiday period.

Coverage of the expected tourism surge is available here.

Vietnam has overhauled administrative penalties for tax and invoice violations under Decree 310/2025/NĐ-CP, with changes taking effect in mid January. According to reporting by Vietnam Briefing, the updated framework increases fines and reduces tolerance for errors related to invoicing, tax declarations, and documentation.

This matters especially for foreigners running small businesses, side income activities, tutoring services, or freelance work that involves issuing invoices or receiving local payments. The direction is clear, authorities expect e-invoicing and tax processes to be correct, documented, and timely.

Vietnam Briefing’s summary of the decree and its implications is available here.

Banks and authorities are again warning about a surge in financial scams ahead of Tet, with fraudsters exploiting platforms like Zalo and Facebook. VietnamPlus reports that common tactics include impersonating friends or colleagues, pushing fake investment schemes, and requesting one time passwords or encouraging victims to install unknown apps.

The advice being repeated is simple but important, do not share OTPs, do not install unknown APK files, and verify unexpected requests by calling the person directly.

VietnamPlus’ coverage of the scam warnings can be found here.

Hà Nội is testing an air quality forecasting system designed to predict pollution trends across time and locations, rather than only reporting real time conditions. VietNamNet reports that if the system proves reliable and widely published, it could help residents plan outdoor exercise, school activities, and health precautions on poor air days.

Air quality remains a daily life concern in the capital, particularly for families with young children, people with asthma, or anyone spending extended time outdoors.

VietNamNet’s report on the pilot system is available here.

While overall dengue case numbers have declined, Ho Chi Minh City continues to record serious infections in late December and early January. According to VietNamNet, hospitals are still treating severe cases, underscoring that fewer reported infections does not mean the risk has disappeared.

This is particularly relevant for newcomers unfamiliar with dengue prevention. Repellent use, long sleeves, and eliminating standing water around homes remain important year round precautions.

VietNamNet’s reporting on the current dengue situation is here.

Police in Ho Chi Minh City have dismantled an underground cannabis distribution network that operated through private chat groups and encrypted listings. Twenty eight people were arrested in coordinated raids on January 21, including some foreign nationals.

According to the report, police seized more than 3.2 kilograms of cannabis along with 139 e-cigarettes containing cannabis oil.

VNExpress reports that authorities tracked closed groups and online activity before acting, highlighting that drug enforcement is active and not limited to Vietnamese citizens.

The VNExpress report is available here.