What must be included in an e-invoice in Vietnam? When does an e-invoice not need to include all contents?

What must be included in an e-invoice in Vietnam?

Based on Article 10 of Decree 123/2020/ND-CP, there are regulations on the contents of an e-invoice. Specifically:

(1) Invoice name, invoice symbol, invoice form symbol.

- The invoice name corresponds to each type of invoice specified in Article 8 of Decree 123/2020/ND-CP and must appear on each invoice, such as: VALUE ADDED INVOICE, VALUE ADDED INVOICE WITH TAX REFUND DECLARATION, VALUE ADDED INVOICE WITH RECEIPT, SALES INVOICE, PUBLIC ASSET SALES INVOICE, STAMPS, TICKETS, CARDS, NATIONAL RESERVE SALES INVOICE.

- The invoice form symbol and invoice symbol are implemented according to the guidance of the Ministry of Finance.

(2) Invoice link name applied to invoices printed by tax offices according to the Ministry of Finance's guidance.

(3) Invoice number

- The invoice number is the sequential number displayed on the invoice when the seller creates the invoice. The invoice number is written using Arabic numerals with a maximum of 8 digits, starting at number 1 on January 1 or the start date of using the invoice and ending on December 31 each year, with a maximum of up to 99,999,999. Invoices are numbered continuously from small to large in the same invoice symbol and invoice form symbol. For invoices printed by tax offices, the invoice number is pre-printed and the buyer may use it until it is exhausted from purchase.

In cases where a business organization has multiple sales establishments or multiple establishments using the same type of e-invoice with the same symbol accessed randomly from an e-invoice issuance system, invoices are issued continuously from small to large numbers based on the time the seller signs digitally and electronically on the invoice.

- If the invoice number is not created according to the aforementioned principle, the e-invoicing system must ensure the principle of increasing over time, with each invoice number only used once and containing a maximum of 8 digits.

(4) Name, address, and tax code of the seller

The invoice must show the name, address, and tax code of the seller as per the name, address, and tax code recorded on the business registration certificate, branch operation registration certificate, business household registration certificate, taxpayer registration certificate, tax code notification, investment registration certificate, and cooperative registration certificate.

(5) Name, address, and tax code of the buyer

- If the buyer is a business establishment with a tax code, the name, address, and tax code of the buyer reflected on the invoice must accurately follow the business registration certificate, branch operation registration certificate, business household registration certificate, taxpayer registration certificate, tax code notification, investment registration certificate, and cooperative registration certificate.

If the buyer's name and address are too long, the seller is allowed to abbreviate some common nouns on the invoice, like "Ward" to "W", "District" to "D", "City" to "CT", "Vietnam" to "VN", or "Joint Stock" to "JS", "Limited Liability" to "LLC", and so forth, but must ensure to include the full house number, street name, ward, commune, district, city to accurately determine the enterprise's name, address and conform to the business registration, taxpayer registration of the enterprise.

- If the buyer does not have a tax code, the invoice does not need to display the buyer's tax code. In certain cases of selling goods, providing specific services to individual consumers as specified in Clause 14 of this Article, it is not required to show the buyer’s name and address on the invoice.

- If selling goods or providing services to foreign customers in Vietnam, the information about the buyer's address can be replaced with information about the foreign customer’s passport or entry document number and nationality.

(6) Name, unit, quantity, unit price of goods, services; total pre-tax amount, VAT rate, total VAT amount per VAT rate, total collective VAT, total payment amount including VAT.

- Name, unit, quantity, unit price of goods, services

+ Product name, service: The invoice must show the product, service name in Vietnamese. If selling goods with multiple types, the product name must be detailed to each type (e.g., Samsung phone, Nokia phone…).

+ If the goods must be registered for use or ownership rights, the invoice must show specific codes or distinctive symbols of the goods that law requires when registering.

If there is a need to include foreign language text, it must be placed to the right in parentheses or directly below the Vietnamese line with a smaller font size than Vietnamese text. If the goods or services are transacted with a code requirement, the invoice must include both name and code.

+ Unit: The seller determines the measurement unit name on the invoice based on the characteristics and features of products. Services do not necessarily require a “unit” field; the unit is determined per service provision occasion and service content.

+ Quantity of goods, services: The seller records the quantity in Arabic numerals according to the units listed above. Special services and items such as electricity, water, telecommunications, IT services, broadcasting, postal services, banking, securities, insurance are sold on a fixed period. For these services, the invoice must specify the period for the goods or services supplied. For services issued on an accrual basis, a list can accompany the invoice to detail all sold goods and services, maintained along with the invoice for inspection purposes.

The invoice should specify "accompanied by list no., dated... Month... year...". The list must include the seller's name, tax code, and address, product name, services, quantity, unit price, total amount, issuance date, and name and signature of the issuer. If the seller pays VAT by deduction method, the list must have "VAT rate" and "VAT amount" fields. The total payment must match the amount on the VAT invoice. Goods or services on the list follow the order of sale within the day. The list must specify "accompanied by invoice No dated… Month... year...".

+ Unit price of goods, services: The seller records the unit price based on the measurement unit listed above. In cases where lists accompany the invoice to enumerate goods, services sold, the invoice does not need to list the unit price.

- VAT rate: VAT rate on the invoice reflects the VAT rate corresponding to each type of goods, services according to the law on value-added tax.

- The pre-tax total amount, collective VAT, total VAT amount for each rate, overall VAT, total payment amount including VAT are shown in Vietnamese dong using Arabic numerals, except when foreign currency sales are not converted to Vietnamese dong; it is shown in original currency.

- The total amount on the invoice is reflected in Vietnamese dong in Arabic numerals and in Vietnamese words, except when foreign currency sales are not converted to Vietnamese dong, where the total is shown in original currency and foreign words.

- If a business applies a trade discount or promotion under law, the trade discount or promotion must be clearly shown on the invoice. Determining the taxable value-added amount (pre-tax total) with a trade discount or promotion follows the law on VAT.

- For air transport enterprises using ticketing systems per international practice, services fees on transport documents (system management fee, voucher exchange fee, and other fees) and pass-through airport service fees of air transport enterprises (such as passenger service fees, security screening fees, and other kinds) listed on invoices reflect the payment including VAT. Aviation businesses may round numbers to the nearest thousand for amounts on transport documents as per the International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations.

(7) Seller's signature, buyer's signature

- For invoices printed by the tax authority, invoices must have the seller's signature, seller's seal (if any), and buyer's signature (if any).

- For e-invoices:

If the seller is an enterprise or organization, the seller's digital signature on the invoice is the enterprise or organization's digital signature; if the seller is an individual, the individual or authorized person's digital signature is used.

If e-invoices do not necessarily include the seller's and buyer's digital signatures as regulated in Clause 14 of this Article.

- The time of invoice issuance is per the instructions in Article 9 of this Decree, displayed in the date, month, year format of the Gregorian calendar.

(9) Time of digital signing on e-invoices

The digital signing time on e-invoices is when the seller and buyer use the digital signature on the e-invoice displayed in the date, month, year format of the Gregorian calendar. If an established e-invoice has a signing time different from the invoice issuance time, the tax declaration time is the invoice issuance time.

(10) Tax authority code for e-invoices

The tax authority code is regulated in Clause 2, Article 3 of Decree 123/2020/ND-CP.

(11) Fees, charges belonging to the state budget, trade discounts, promotions (if any) as guided in point e clause 6 of this Article and other related contents (if any).

(12) Name, tax code of the printing organization for invoices printed by the tax authority.

(13) Written language, numbers, and currency displayed on the invoice

- The written language displayed on the invoice is in Vietnamese. If there is a need to include foreign language text, it must be placed to the right in parentheses or directly below the Vietnamese line with a smaller font size than Vietnamese text. If the invoice text is in Vietnamese without diacritics, the text must not lead to a misunderstanding of the invoice content.

- The numbers displayed on the invoice are Arabic numerals: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Sellers can choose: after the thousand, million, billion, trillion, and so on, a period (.) is added, if there are numbers after the unit number a comma (,) is used, or using a comma (,) after the thousand, million, billion, trillion, and so on and using a period (.) after the unit number on accounting documents.

- Currency on the invoice is in Vietnamese Dong, nation symbolized “đ”.

+ If an economic, financial transaction arises in foreign currency under foreign exchange laws, then unit prices, total amounts, VAT total per rate, VAT total, collective payment amount are recorded in foreign currency, currency unit showing the foreign currency name. The seller also indicates on the invoice the exchange rate between foreign currency and Vietnamese Dong according to the tax management laws and instructional documents.

+ Foreign currency symbols follow international standards (e.g., 13,800.25 USD - Thirteen thousand eight hundred US dollars and twenty-five cents, e.g., 5,000.50 EUR- Five thousand euros and fifty cents).

+ If selling goods arising in foreign currency under foreign exchange laws and taxes are payable in foreign currency, the total payment amount shown on the invoice is in foreign currency, no conversion to Vietnamese Dong is required.

(14) Other content on the invoice

Besides the contents from clause 1 to clause 13 of this Article, enterprises, organizations, households, and individual businesses can add information about logos or symbols to express the brand or images representing the seller. Depending on the characteristics, nature of the transaction, and management needs, the invoice can display information about the sales contract, transportation order, customer code, and other information.(15) Content of Public Asset Sales Invoice

Follow the guidelines for preparing public asset sales invoices according to Form 08/TSC-HD issued with Decree No. 151/2017/ND-CP dated December 26, 2017, by the Government of Vietnam, detailing some provisions of the Law on Management and Use of Public Assets.

What must be included in an e-invoice in Vietnam? (Image from the Internet)

Vietnam: When does an e-invoice not need to include all contents?

Based on Clause 14, Article 10 of Decree 123/2020/ND-CP, there are provisions for cases where e-invoices do not need to include all contents:

- An e-invoice does not necessarily have to include the buyer's digital signature (including cases where an e-invoice is issued for selling goods or providing services to foreign customers). If the buyer is a business entity, and both the buyer and seller have an agreement on the buyer's capability to digitally sign the invoice, the e-invoice should contain the digital signatures of both the buyer and seller as per the agreement between both parties.

- For e-invoices issued by tax authorities for each transaction, it is not necessary to have the digital signature of the seller or buyer.

- For e-invoices for sales at supermarkets or shopping centers where the buyer is an individual who doesn't conduct business, the invoice does not necessarily need to have the buyer's name, address, or tax code.

For e-invoices for selling fuel to individual non-business customers, it's not necessary to include invoice name, invoice template symbol, invoice number, buyer's name, address, tax code, buyer's digital signature, seller's digital signature, or value-added tax rate.

- For e-invoices that are stamps, tickets, cards, it's not necessary to have the seller's digital signature (except for stamps, tickets, cards with a tax authority-issued code), buyer information (name, address, tax code), tax amount, or value-added tax rate. If e-stamps, tickets, or cards have a predefined denomination, it's not necessary to include unit of measure, quantity, or unit price.

- For e-documents for air transport services issued via the website and e-commerce system according to international customs for non-business individual buyers and identified as e-invoices, it is not necessary to have the invoice code, invoice template symbol, invoice serial number, value-added tax rate, buyer's tax code, address, or seller's digital signature.

If a business entity or non-business organization purchases air transport services through a website and e-commerce system as per international customs for its individual employees, these documents are not considered e-invoices. Business enterprises must issue complete e-invoices according to regulations for the organization with individuals using air transport services.

- For construction and installation activities or selling built houses with payment collected according to contract progress, it is not necessary for the invoice to include unit of measure, quantity, or unit price.

- For internal transfer slips for goods to agents, internal transfer slips must show information like the internal transfer order, goods receiver, goods issuer, warehouse location, and transport method. Specifically: the buyer's name shows the goods receiver, the buyer's address shows the warehouse receiving location; the seller's name shows the goods issuer, the seller's address shows the warehouse dispatch location and transport method; tax amount, tax rate, total payment are not shown.

For goods transfer slips sent for consignment at agents, slips must show contract information, transporter, transport method, dispatch location, reception location, product name, unit, quantity, unit price, and total amount. Specifically: indicate the contract number, signing date between organizations or individuals; the full name of the transporter, transport contract (if any), seller's address shows the dispatch warehouse location.

- Invoices for Interline payments between airlines formed according to the regulations of the International Air Transport Association do not necessarily need invoice symbols, invoice template symbols, buyer's name, address, tax code, buyer's digital signature, unit of measure, quantity, unit price.

- For invoices issued by an airline company to an agent based on reconciled reports and summary tables, it is not necessary for the invoices to include unit prices.

- For products, services of defense and security enterprises serving national defense security activities as regulated by the Government of Vietnam, it is not necessary for the invoice to include unit of measure, quantity, unit price; the name of goods and services section states supply of goods and services as per the contract signed between parties.

What are regulations on conversion of e-invoices to paper invoices in Vietnam?

Based on Article 7 of Decree 123/2020/ND-CP, regulations on converting e-invoices to paper invoices are specified as follows:

- A legal e-invoice or e-document can be converted into a paper invoice or document when there is a necessity for arising economic and financial transactions or at the request of tax management agencies, audit, inspection, and investigation authorities and in accordance with the law on inspection and investigation.

- The conversion from e-invoices or documents to paper invoices or documents must ensure consistency between the content of e-invoices or documents and the paper invoices or documents after conversion.

- When e-invoices or documents are converted into paper invoices or documents, such paper invoices or documents are only valid for record keeping to follow the accounting law, e-transaction law, and are not effective for transactions or payments, except in instances where invoices are generated from cash registers connected with the e-data system to the tax authorities as stated in this Decree.