Procedures for equipping military weapons in Vietnam starting January 1, 2025

Procedures for equipping military weapons in Vietnam starting January 1, 2025 (Image from the Internet)

1. What types of military weapons are there?

According to Clause 2, Article 2 of the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2024, military weapons include:

- Handguns, shoulder-fired weapons, light weapons, heavy weapons, ammunition used for these types of weapons; various bombs, mines, grenades, torpedoes, marine mines, and other weapons listed by the Minister of National Defense, equipped for the People's Armed Forces and other forces as prescribed by the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2024;

- Shotguns, pneumatic guns, air rifles, ammunition used for these types of guns listed by the Minister of Public Security;

- Weapons specified in Point a, Clause 4, Article 2 of the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2024, equipped for the People's Armed Forces and other forces as prescribed by the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2024 to perform tasks of national security protection and ensuring public order and safety;

- Hunting rifles, weapons specified in Point a, Clause 4, weapons specified in Point a, Clause 5 and high-lethality knives specified in Clause 6, Article 2 of the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2024 used for illegally infringing on human life and health;

- Basic components of rifles specified in Point a, Clause 2, Article 2 of the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2024 including: gun body, barrel, trigger, bolt, firing pin;

- Basic components of rifles specified in Point b, Clause 2, Article 2 of the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2024 including: gun body, trigger;

- Other weapons with similar functions, effects, and lethality as weapons specified in Point a or Point b, Clause 2, Article 2 of the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2024, not listed by the Minister of National Defense or the Minister of Public Security.

2. Procedures for equipping military weapons in Vietnam from January 1, 2025

The procedures for equipping military weapons are specifically stipulated in Article 20 of the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2024 as follows:

- For subjects not under the management of the Ministry of National Defense:

+ The application dossier includes: a written request specifying the name and address of the agency or unit in need of equipment, the enterprise selling military weapons, the full name, personal ID number or passport number of the legal representative and the contact person, the reason, quantity, type, and brand of military weapons; a written approval of the relevant ministerial or sectoral leader on the equipping of military weapons;

+ The dossier specified in Point a, Clause 1, Article 20 of the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2024 is submitted to the competent police agency as specified by the Minister of Public Security;

+ Within three working days from the date of receiving the complete dossier, the competent police agency shall issue the permit for equipping military weapons; in case of refusal, a written response with clear reasons must be provided;

+ The permit for equipping military weapons is valid for 60 days.

- The procedures for equipping military weapons for subjects under the management of the People's Army, Militia and Self-Defense Force, Coast Guard, and Cryptographic Agency follow the regulations of the Minister of National Defense.

More details can be found in the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2024 which comes into force in Vietnam from January 1, 2025, except for Article 17, Article 32, and Clause 1, Article 49 of the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2024 which comes into force in Vietnam from  July 1, 2025.

The Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2017 will cease to be effective from the date the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2024 comes into effect, except in the following cases:

- Provisions under Article 17, Article 35, Clause 1, Article 52 of the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2017 (as amended and supplemented) remain in effect until the end of June 30, 2025;

- Provisions under Article 75 of the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2017.

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