Regulations on registration of congregational religious practice in Vietnam

Regulations on registration of congregational religious practice in Vietnam (Internet image)

1. What is religious practice?

According to Clause 10, Article 2 of the Law on religion and folk belief 2016, religious practice means the manifestation of a religious faith, the exercise of religious tenets and law, and the performance of religious rites.

Religion represents the human's faith whose existence is accompanied by a system of notions and activities encompassing the objects of worship, tenets, religious law, rites and organization.

(Clause 5, Article 2 of the Law on religion and folk belief 2016)

2. Requirements for registration of congregational religious practice in Vietnam

Conditions for registration of concentrated religious activities are specified in Article 16 of the Law on religion and folk belief 2016 as follows:

(1) A religious organization shall apply for registration of its followers' congregational practice of religion at the locations ineligible for the establishment of a religious affiliate or an organization with certified registration of religious activities shall apply for registration of its members’ congregational practice of religion on the following conditions:

- Have a legitimate location for religious practice;

- The congregational practicing group has a representative who 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;

- The content of the religious practice is not prohibited pursuant Article 5 herein.

(2) Followers of a religion, who do not fit in with the definition in (1) shall apply for registration of their congregational religious practice upon satisfying the requirements defined in (1) and the following conditions:

- Observe religious tenets and law;

- The name of the congregational practicing group 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.

3. Procedure and authority to certify the registration of congregational religious practice in Vietnam

Pursuant to Clause 1, Article 17 of the Law on religion and folk belief 2016, a religious organization, an organization with certified registration of religious activities or the representative(s) of a group of followers as stated in (2) of Section 2 shall apply in writing to the People’s Committee of the commune where the legitimate location for religious practice exists for registration of congregational religious practice.

The application includes:

- The form of application, which specifies the name of the applicant organization; the name of the religion; the full name and residential address of the representative; the content, location and time of religious practice, quantity of participants;

- The written evidences of the possession of a legitimate location for religious practice;

- The resume(s) of the representative(s) of the congregational practicing group;

- The written summary of the religious tenets and law if the registration is subject to (2) of Section 2

People’s Committee of the commune shall be responsible for reverting in writing in 20 days upon receiving the valid application. If such application is rejected, reason(s) shall be notified.

4. Requirements for certification of an organization’s registration of religious activities in Vietnam

According to Article 18 of the Law on religion and folk belief 2016, an organization's registration of religious activities shall be certified on the following conditions:

- Religious tenets, laws and rites exist;

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

- 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;

- 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;

- It is based at a legitimate location;

- The content of its religious activities is not prohibited pursuant to Article 5 of the Law on religion and folk belief 2016.

Van Trong

>> CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE IN VIETNAMESE