Procedures for establishment of the religious educational institution in Vietnam

Procedures for establishment of the religious educational institution in Vietnam (Image from the internet)

On July 10, 2024, the Ministry of Home Affairs (Hanoi, Vietnam) issued Decision 491/QD-BNV regarding the announcement of administrative procedures in the field of beliefs and religions under the state management of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Procedures for establishment of the religious educational institution in Vietnam

(1) Execution order:

- Step 1: Before establishing a religious educational institution, the religious organization is responsible for sending the request dossier to the Government Committee for Religious Affairs.

- Step 2: The Government Committee for Religious Affairs reviews the request dossier. If the dossier is incomplete or invalid, the Government Committee for Religious Affairs will provide direct guidance or notify via email, phone message, or document for the religious organization to supplement and complete the dossier. If the dossier is rejected, the Committee must clearly state the reasons. The time for completing the dossier is not counted in the processing time.

- Step 3:

+ The Government Committee for Religious Affairs collaborates with relevant agencies to appraise the dossier and submit it to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

+ The Ministry of Home Affairs, based on the submission from the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, will either approve or disapprove the establishment of the religious educational institution and send the result to the Reception and Result Delivery Department of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs to return to the organization. If disapproved, the Ministry must provide a written response stating the reasons.

(2) Method of execution:

Submit the dossier directly at the Reception and Result Delivery Department of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs; via public postal service; through service agencies, individuals, or authorized representatives according to legal regulations; or through the Online Public Service Portal.

The Government Committee for Religious Affairs receives the request dossier, issues a receipt acknowledgement, and schedules a date for result delivery. If sent by postal service, the reception date is determined by the postmark date.

(3) Components, quantity of dossier:

- Dossier components:

+ Proposal document (according to the template);

+ List, resume, judicial record slip (issued no more than 6 months before submission), a summary of religious activities of the representative and prospective leaders of the training institution;

+ Draft regulations on the organization and operation of the training institution, including the following core contents: name of the institution; location of the headquarters; functions, tasks; organizational structure, personnel; levels, types of training; curriculum, teaching content, and training standards for each training level; finances, assets;

+ Draft admission regulations of the training institution;

+ Documents proving a legal location and adequate facilities for training; approval from the provincial People's Committee on the location of the religious educational institution.

- Quantity of dossier: 01 set.

(4) Processing time: 60 days from the date of receipt of a complete and valid dossier.

(5) Entities performing the administrative procedure: Religious organizations establishing a religious educational institution.

(6) Agencies executing the administrative procedure:

- Authority to decide: Ministry of Home Affairs.

- Direct execution agency: Government Committee for Religious Affairs.

- Result of executing the administrative procedure: Written response approving or disapproving the establishment of the religious educational institution.

(7) Fees: None.

(8) Name of form, declaration:

Proposal for establishing a religious educational institution (Form B24, Appendix issued with Decree 95/2023/ND-CP dated December 29, 2023, by the Government of Vietnam).

(9) Requirements, conditions for executing the administrative procedure:

- Requirements: After being approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the religious organization must issue a document establishing the religious educational institution.

If the religious organization does not establish the religious educational institution within 3 years from the approval date by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the approval document will expire.

- Conditions: The religious organization is permitted to establish a religious educational institution if it meets the following conditions:

+ Adequate facilities for training;

+ A legal location for establishing the training institution;

+ Training programs and content, including subjects on Vietnamese history and Vietnamese law in the training program;

+ Personnel for management and teaching that meet the training requirements.

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