What is a "pink book" in Vietnam?

Previously, according to the regulations in Decree 60-CP, "Pink book", also known as the Certificate of Ownership of Residential Housing and the Right to Use Homestead Land in Inner City, Inner District-Level Town, Commune-Level Town, was initially light pink in color and issued by the Provincial People's Committee (PPC). Later, to expedite the issuance of "Pink book", the law allowed the PPC to authorize the District-level People's Committee to issue within their management area.

The content of the "Pink book" comprehensively details information on the right to use homestead land (plot number, cadastral number, area, land type, duration of use, etc.) and the ownership of residential housing (construction area, number of floors, house structure, common and private usage area, etc.)

By 2005, "Pink book" was a form issued by the Ministry of Construction, with a pink cover recording the right to own residential housing and the right to use homestead land, hence it was called “Certificate of Ownership of Residential Housing and Right to Use Homestead Land.” Previously, according to Article 11 of the Housing Law 2005, the Certificate of Ownership of Residential Housing was issued to owners under the following provisions:

“a) In case the owner of the residential house is also the user of homestead land or the owner of an apartment in a condominium, a single certificate is issued as the Certificate of Ownership of Residential Housing and the Right to Use Homestead Land.*

b) In case the owner of the residential house is not concurrently the user of homestead land, the Certificate of Ownership of Residential Housing shall be issued. The Certificate of Ownership of Residential Housing and Right to Use Homestead Land, the Certificate of Ownership of Residential Housing stipulated in this clause is collectively referred to as the Certificate of Ownership of Residential Housing."

Both "Red book" and "Pink book" are certificates of land use rights or ownership rights of residential housing issued by competent state authorities. Currently, all three types of documents, namely the Certificate of Land Use Rights, the Certificate of Ownership of Residential Housing, and the Certificate of Land Use Rights, Ownership of Residential Housing, and Other Assets Attached to the Land, are still in circulation. All three hold equivalent legal value. To unify into a single certificate template, the Government of Vietnam promulgated Decree No. 88/2009/ND-CP and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Vietnam issued Circular No. 17/2009/TT-BTNMT regarding the issuance of Certificates of Land Use Rights, Ownership of Residential Housing, and Other Assets Attached to the Land. "Red book" and "Pink book" would be issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment under a unified template and applied nationwide for all types of land, residential housing, and other assets attached to the land. According to the regulations in the Land Law 2013, certificates issued before December 10, 2009, remain legally valid but can be replaced with the new Certificate of Land Use Rights, Ownership of Residential Housing, and Other Assets Attached to the Land. The unified certificate template is regulated by Circular 23/2014/TT-BTNMT.

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