Hanoi-Vietnam: Major legislative documents on fees and charges, labor, insurance

1. Official Dispatch 4577/LDTBXH-LDTL on Tet Bonuses in 2017

According to Official Dispatch 4577/LDTBXH-LDTL dated November 16, 2016 on the quick report on wages in 2016 and the plan for Tet Bonuses in 2017, enterprises shall coordinate and discuss with internal trade unions to develop a plan to support employees with allowances, and plan for Tet Bonuses in 2017 and inform employees of these plans.

Accompanying the official dispatch are two following templates:

- Template No. 1: Report on wages in 2016 and the plan for New Year and Lunar New Year bonuses in 2017 in enterprises;

- Template No. 2: Report on wage arrears in 2016.

Four groups of enterprises developing a plan for Tet Bonuses in 2017 include:

- Wholly state-owned single-member limited liability company;

- Enterprises with dominant state shares and capital contribution;

- Sole proprietorships;

- FDI enterprises.

2. Social Insurance Leave Certificate Template

On November 21, 2016, Vietnam Social Security issued Official Dispatch 4666/BHXH-CSXH on the template, printing, issuance, and management of Certificates of leave covered social insurance

Vietnam Social Security directed and inspected the printing and issuance of embryos by provincial social insurance agency, and military social insurance agency, and directed and inspected the issuance of certificates by medical facilities to employees.

At the same time, medical facilities must:

- Promptly notify any changes in information about the management of certificate issuance to the social insurance agency where the blank forms are issued;

- Issue certificates to employees fully, promptly, and in accordance with Circular 14/2016/TT-BYT;

- Practitioners signing the certificates at medical facilities must fully complete the content in the certificates as prescribed and be responsible for the accuracy and truthfulness of the issuance;

- Implement the process of issuing certificates according to regulations on electronic transactions for cases where the social insurance agency and medical facilities conduct transactions using electronic records.

Official Dispatch 4666/BHXH-CSXH replaces Official Dispatch 3789/BHXH-CSXH dated October 7, 2014.

3. Fee for issuance of new citizen ID card in 2017 is 30,000 VND:

According to Circular 256/2016/TT-BTC, from January 1, 2017, the following individuals must pay a fee of 30,000 VND per citizen ID card:

- Citizens aged 16 and older applying for a new citizen ID card;

- Citizens applying for replacement of citizen ID cards when turning 25, 40, and 60;

- Citizens applying for transition from 9-digit and 12-digit ID cards to citizen ID cards.

Thus, compared to the current regulation in Circular 170/2015/TT-BTC, the citizens exempted from paying the fee mentioned earlier will pay the fee from 2017 onwards.

4. Increase in certification fees for contracts and transactions from 2017

According to Circular 226/2016/TT-BTC on the fees, collection, payment, management, and use of certification fees issued by the Ministry of Finance, from January 1, 2017, certification fees for contracts and transactions will be adjusted as follows:

- Certification fee for contracts and transactions: 50,000 VND per contract/transaction (increased by 20,000 VND);

- Certification fee for amending, supplementing, and canceling contracts and transactions: 30,000 VND per contract/transaction (increased by 10,000 VND);

- Fee for correcting errors in certified contracts and transactions: 25,000 VND per contract/transaction (increased by 15,000 VND).

5. Increase in  recruitment fee for officials and public employees from January 1, 2017

From January 1, 2017, recruitment fees for officials and public employees, as stipulated in Circular 228/2016/TT-BTC, will be as follows:

- Less than 100 candidates: 500,000 VND per candidate/occasion (current regulation is 260,000 VND per candidate/occasion);

- From 100 to less than 500 candidates: 400,000 VND per candidate/occasion (current regulation is 200,000 VND per candidate/occasion);

- 500 or more candidates: 300,000 VND per candidate/occasion (current regulation is 140,000 VND per candidate/occasion).

Additional regulations on fees for taking exams for rank promotion of officials and professional titles of public employees in Vietnam (Grade I, Grade II, and Grade III) may be found in Circular 228/2016/TT-BTC, replacing Inter-ministerial Circular 163/2010/TTLT-BTC-BNV.

A series of new fee and charge rates will be applied from January 1, 2017 such as:

1. Circular 212/2016/TT-BTC stipulates the fees, collection, payment, management, and use of fees for the appraisal and issuance of karaoke and nightclub business licenses;
2. Circular 219/2016/TT-BTC on fees and charges in the field of exit, entry, transit, and residence in Vietnam;
3. Circular 220/2016/TT-BTC stipulates fees, collection, payment, management, and use of fees and charges in the lawyer practice field;
4. Circular 229/2016/TT-BTC stipulates the fees, collection, payment, management, and use of fees for registration and issuance of license plates for road motor vehicles;
5. Circular 251/2016/TT-BTC stipulates the fees, collection, payment, management, and use of fees for handling competition cases.

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