Can foreigners residing in Vietnam carry religious scriptures from abroad into Vietnam?

Can foreigners residing in Vietnam carry religious scriptures from abroad into Vietnam?

Article 8 of the Law on religion and folk belief 2016 provides for right to freedom of religion and folk belief for foreigners residing lawfully in Vietnam as follows:

1. The government of Vietnam respects and protects the right to freedom of religion and folk belief of the foreigners who reside lawfully in Vietnam.

2. Foreigners residing lawfully in Vietnam have the right to:

a) Practice religion, practice folk beliefs and participate in religious activities;

b) Practice religion en masse at legitimate locations; 

c) Invite Vietnamese dignitaries, sub-dignitaries and monastics to perform religious rites and preach; invite foreign dignitaries and monastics to deliver sermon;

d) Pursue a monastic life in religious establishments, pursue education in religious educational institutions and attend supplementary courses in religious establishments in Vietnam;

dd) Carry religious publications and articles to practice religion pursuant to the laws of Vietnam.

3. Foreign dignitaries and monastics who reside lawfully in Vietnam are permitted to give sermon in religious establishments or at legitimate locations in Vietnam.

Pursuant to current regulations in Vietnam, the law allows foreigners residing in Vietnam to bring religious publications and articles to practice religion pursuant to the laws of Vietnam. Therefore, foreigners residing in Vietnam can still bring religious scriptures from abroad into Vietnam. However, this must be consistent with the provisions of Vietnamese law.

If an organization is not based at a legitimate location, can it be granted a certification of an organization’s registration of religious activities in Vietnam?

In Article 18 of the Law on religion and folk belief 2016, requirements for certification of an organization’s registration of religious activities are as follows:

An organization's registration of religious activities shall be certified on the following conditions:

1. Religious tenets, laws and rites exist;

2. Its principles, objectives and operational regulations are not contrary to the law;

3. The name of the organization does not overlap with those of the religious organizations or the organizations with certified registration of religious activities, of the political organizations, of the socio-politic organizations or of the national heroes or men of greatness;

4. The representative(s) or head of the organization holds Vietnamese citizenship, resides permanently in Vietnam, possess full capacity for civil acts, is not bound by any remedial administrative measures concerning folk belief or religion, is not associated with any conviction records or is not accused of any crimes pursuant to the legislation on criminal procedure;

5. It is based at a legitimate location;

6. The content of its religious activities is not prohibited pursuant to Article 5 herein.

According to this Article, organizations that do not have a legitimate location to locate their headquarters will not be granted a certification of an organization’s registration of religious activities.

What are procedure and authority to certify the registration of religious activities in Vietnam?

Article 19 of the Law on religion and folk belief 2016 stipulates procedure and authority to certify the registration of religious activities as follows:

1. An organization that qualifies pursuant to Article 18 herein shall apply in writing to competent government authority defined in Section 3 of this Article for registration of religious activities.

2. The application includes:

a) The form of application, which specifies the name of the organization; the name of the religion; the principles and objectives; the contents and area of operation; the origin and progress of development in Vietnam; the full name of the representative; the quantity of followers; the organizational structure and expected location of its base;

b) The list, resumes, judicial records and summaries of religious activities of the representative and expected leaders of the organization;

c) The written summary of the religious tenets, laws and rites;

d) The operational regulations of the organization;

dd) The written evidences of the availability of a legitimate location for its facilities.

3. Authority to certify the registration of religious activities:

a) The body of the People's Committee of a province, which is specialized in state management of folk belief and religion (hereinafter referred to as the provincial bodies specialized in folk belief and religion), shall issue certificates of registration of religious activities to the organizations operating solely in such province in 60 days upon receiving a full and valid application. If an application is rejected, reason(s) shall be notified;

b) The central government’s body responsible for state management of folk belief and religion shall issue certificates of registration of religious activities to the organizations operating in multiple provinces in 60 days upon receiving a full and valid application. If an application is rejected, reason(s) shall be notified.

Thus, procedure and authority to certify the registration of religious activities will be carried out in accordance with the above provisions in Vietnam.

Best Regards!