VPNs are currently legal to use in Vietnam, with no specific laws banning their installation or usage (1). Businesses, remote workers, digital nomads, and privacy-conscious individuals regularly use VPNs across the country for legitimate purposes. However, the key distinction lies in how you use a VPN. Vietnam's Cybersecurity Law of 2019 targets content and activity rather than VPN software itself, meaning accessing, sharing, or spreading content that the government considers illegal remains prohibited whether you use a VPN or not (1).
Freedom House rates Vietnam as "Not Free" with a score of only 22 out of 100 in its Freedom on the Net 2024 report, indicating severe restrictions on internet freedom (2). Internet freedom has remained restricted as the government enforces stringent controls over the country's online environment. A series of laws and regulations have extended controls on traditional media content to the online sphere, designed to impose censorship, control the media environment, and punish those deemed to spread illegal content (2).
"The laws and regulations are designed to impose censorship, control the media environment, and punish those who are deemed to spread content opposing the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, inciting violence, revealing state secrets, and providing false information."
Although VPNs themselves are legal tools, users should exercise caution regarding their online activities. The government has established an effective content-filtering system, and censorship frequently targets websites with many followers as well as content considered threatening to Communist Party rule (2). While VPNs can help protect privacy and bypass government censorship to access blocked international websites, users must remember that using VPNs to facilitate illegal activities under Vietnamese law can still result in serious consequences including fines and imprisonment (1).
Source:
https://privatevpn.com/blog/travel/understanding-vpn-legality-in-vietnam:-a-clear-perspective-from-privatevpn
https://freedomhouse.org/country/vietnam/freedom-net/2024
Last updated: 15-01-2026 Disclaimer: This article does not provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.
