Notable documents of Vietnam in the previous week (from October 16 to October 22, 2023)

1. Fees for online applications for passports to be discounted by 10% as of January 1, 2024 in Vietnam

On October 16, 2023, the Minister of Finance of Vietnam promulgated Circular No. 63/2023/TT-BTC on amendments to several Articles of Circulars on fees and charges for encouraging the use of online public services.

According to the Circular, regulations on fees for cases where Vietnamese citizens submit online applications for passports are as follows:

- From January 1, 2024 to the end of December 31, 2025, a fee equal to 90% of the fee prescribed in Point a Section I of the Fee Schedule enclosed with Circular No. 25/2021/TT-BTC shall be applied, which means the fee for online applications has been discounted by 10% compared to the fee payable if applications are made in person.

- From January 1, 2026 onward, the fee prescribed in Point 1 Section I of the Fee Schedule enclosed with Circular No. 25/2021/TT-BTC shall be applied.

The fees for direct applications for passports (including passports with and without electronic chips) are as follows:

- New issuance: 200.000 VND/issuance.

- Re-issuance due to damage or loss: 400.000VND/issuance.

- Issuance of personal confirmation: 100.000 VND/issuance.

Circular No. 63/2023/TT-BTC comes into force as of December 1, 2023.

2. Personal identification numbers to be included in certificates of land use rights as of October 16, 2023 in Vietnam

On October 16, 2023, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Vietnam promulgated Circular No. 14/2023/TT-BTNMT on amendments to Circulars concerning the submission and presentation of household registration books and documents concerning residence when carrying out administrative procedures and providing public services concerning land.

Specifically, Circular No. 14/2023/TT-BTNMT amends the regulations on the recording of information of land users and owners of property on land in certificates of land use rights and rights to houses and other property on land for domestic individuals as follows:

The domestic individual shall be written as “Mr.” (or “Ms.”), including his/her full name, date of birth, name and number of personal documents (if any), and permanent address.

If the personal document is an ID card, write “ID No.”;

- If the personal document is a People’s Army ID card, write “People’s Army ID No.”;

- If the personal document is a citizen ID card, write “Citizen ID No.”;

- In case of not having an ID card or citizen ID card, write “Birth Certificate No.” or “Personal Identification No.”;

Previously, according to Circular No. 23/2014/TT-BTNMT (amended by Circular No. 33/2017/TT-BTNMT), in the case of not having an ID card or citizen ID card, the number of the Birth Certificate was mandatory.

Therefore, from October 16, 2023, in the case of not having an ID card or citizen ID card, the personal identification number may be written in the certificate of land use rights.

Circular No. 14/2023/TT-BTNMT comes into force as of October 16, 2023.

3. New regulation of Vietnam on subjects eligible for assessment for award of “Emulation Flag of Ministry of Home Affairs of Vietnam” from 2024

On October 15, 2023, the Minister of Home Affairs of Vietnam promulgated Circular No. 15/2023/TT-BNV guiding the Law on Emulation and Commendation in Home Affairs Authorities.

According to the Circular, subjects eligible for assessment for the award of “Emulation Flag of the Ministry of Home Affairs of Vietnam” are typical collectives leading the emulation movements of emulation clusters or blocks organized by the Minister of Home Affairs of Vietnam, including:

- Departments, Inspectorate of the Ministry, Office of the Ministry, Institute for State Organizational Sciences, Information Center, Office of the CPV Personnel Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs of Vietnam, and unions.  

- State Records Management and Archives Department, Central Emulation-Commendation Committee, Committee for Religious Affairs of the Government of Vietnam, and National Academy of Public Administration.

- Units under the National Academy of Public Administration prescribed in Article 3 of Decision No. 27/2022/QD-TTg dated December 19, 2022 of the Prime Minister of Vietnam on functions, tasks, entitlements, and organizational structure of the National Academy of Public Administration affiliated with the Ministry of Home Affairs of Vietnam.

- Departments of Home Affairs of provinces and centrally affiliated cities.

Circular No. 15/2023/TT-BNV comes into force as of January 1, 2024.

4. Prime Minister of Vietnam to establish Steering Committee for arrangement of administrative divisions of districts and communes during 2023-2030 before October 25, 2023

This is a notable content of Official Telegram No. 972/CD-TTg dated October 17, 2023 focusing on leading, directing, and organizing the arrangement of administrative divisions of districts and communes during 2023-2025 promulgated by the Prime Minister of Vietnam.

In order to ensure the arrangement of administrative divisions of districts and communes during 2023-2025 is on schedule with quality and efficiency, the Prime Minister of Vietnam has requested the Ministry of Home Affairs of Vietnam to:

- Appeal to the Prime Minister of Vietnam for the establishment of the Steering Committee for the arrangement of administrative divisions of districts and communes during 2023-2030 before October 25, 2023.

- Decide to establish the Standing Central Inter-sectoral Working Team at the Ministry of Home Affairs of Vietnam, including representatives of concerned Ministries and central authorities: Office of the Government of Vietnam, Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam, Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam, Ministry of Home Affairs of Vietnam, Ministry of Justice of Vietnam, Ministry of Finance of Vietnam, Ministry of Planning and Investment of Vietnam, Ministry of Construction of Vietnam, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Vietnam, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam, Ministry of Labor - War Invalids and Social Affairs of Vietnam, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam, and Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs to promptly provide counseling for the arrangement of administrative divisions of districts and communes during 2023-2025 and suggestions on the overall scheme of each province.

- Take charge and cooperate with concerned Ministries and central authorities in promptly providing suggestions for overall schemes to arrange administrative divisions of districts and communes during 2023-2025 of provinces; assess records on the scheme to arrange administrative divisions of districts and communes during 2023-2025 of provinces and develop records on the scheme of the government of Vietnam for appeals to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly of Vietnam for assessment and decision.

See more details in Official Telegram No. 972/CD-TTg dated October 17, 2023.

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