Relocation route
Your First 90 Days in Da Nang: A Stage-by-Stage Route
Nine stages from landing to deciding how to stay longer. Open the one you are on and read in order.
Moving is easier to plan by calendar than by topic. On day one you need a SIM and a ride from the airport, not a tax question, and the question about status only comes up near the end of the second month. So the guides we have already written are laid out below by stage, from landing to the decision on what to do next.
Go top to bottom or jump to your own stage. Each stage has two to four guides; the neighbouring stages are linked at the bottom of every guide.
Stage 1 · Airport, SIM, first night
Landing, the airport ride, a working SIM and the first-week checklist: what to sort out before you reach the bed.
Stage 2 · A place to live without overpaying
What a long-term rental really costs in Da Nang, how to read the contract and what to check before you pay a deposit.
Stage 3 · Bank, card, money
Which banks open an account on an e-visa, how to take cash out without losing on fees and the cheapest ways to move money.
Stage 4 · Motorbike and driving license
Whether a foreign license is enough, how exchange differs from the exam, and whether to rent or buy a bike.
Stage 5 · First visa extension and visa runs
How to count the days left on your visa, when to extend and when a visa run is the cheaper way to reset the clock.
Stage 6 · Doctor and insurance
Local or international cover, what the policy actually pays and what to buy before you need a clinic.
Stage 7 · Internet, coworking, freelance and tax
Home internet on a passport copy, places to work and what freelancers owe once the 183rd day passes.
Stage 8 · People and community
Chats, clubs and neighbours for newcomers.
An article for this stage is in the works.
Stage 9 · Staying long-term: TRC and long-stay visas
Which legal routes into a long stay exist, what each costs per month and where a Temporary Residence Card fits in.
Visa stage and long stay
The visa question is the most expensive one in this route in terms of time: the date in your passport ticks from day one, and a mistake in the form or in counting the days costs you a trip to the border. Count the date your visa ends right after you settle in. If you would rather not deal with the form, Best Bus does it: message us on WhatsApp with your dates and we will tell you honestly whether you need an extension, a new e-visa or a visa run.
For a longer stay, see the full relocation guide and, once you are in Da Nang, the expat map with the SIM shops, bank branches, clinics and coworking spaces pinned on it.