The Family Law of Vietnam is full of loopholes that many Vietnamese spouse (both man and woman) use it to take away from the foreigner all that the foreigner had worked for whilst in Vietnam. It all stems from the law that foreigners are not allowed to own anything (in particularly properties, though now foreigners are allowed to set up company or businesses).
I know a recent case in Thao Dien Ward, District 2, HoChiMinh City, where the owner of JOYMAX Restaurant, Mr Chang, was chased out of the house, restaurant and business by his Vietnamese wife after working hard for 20 years building up the business. Due to the laws in Vietnam, all the properties and businesses were registered under his wife's name. They are now in the process of divorce but all things are not going Mr Chang's way as the wife claims everything is hers. He is therefore left with nothing; no money, no house and no business. The wife holds all the money and use the money to make things go her way.
One important document that had always been used by Vietnamese spouse to trick the foreigners is the document that states that the foreigner confirms that the spouse has the sole right to the property. This document is used mainly for the bank when there is a mortgage so that in the event that the the borrower default on repayment, then the bank has the right to sell the property to recover its loan. If this document is signed then, the bank need only confirmation from the Vietnamese spouse and do not need the foreigner to agree to sell the property for the bank to recover its loan. But all Vietnamese spouse use this document in divorce cases to claim that the foreigner has no rights to the property. Maybe the Vietnamese authorities should look at this loophole and try to come up with something so that the foreigners can be fairly treated and not be cheated by Vietnamese spouse using this loophole.
I know that there are many cases that happen along the same line where the foreigner totally lose everything. If you did experience such situation or know people that had gone through such situation, please give your comments so that others can learn from it and learn how to deal with it.