Policies for visits of relatives of students at reform schools and compulsory facilities in Vietnam

Policies for visits of relatives of students at reform schools and compulsory facilities in Vietnam (Internet image)

1. Policies for visits of relatives of students at reform schools and compulsory facilities in Vietnam

According to Clause 1, Article 24 of Decree 140/2021/ND-CP stipulating ppolicies for visits of relatives of students at reform schools and compulsory facilities in Vietnam:

- Students are allowed to visit their relatives at the visitation area of the reformatory school, each visit lasting no more than 03 hours according to the school's working hours, exceptions beyond working hours are decided by the Principal of the reformatory school.

Visitation times are on all days of the week, holidays, and Tet. In cases where students strictly follow the reformatory school's regulations, actively practice, study, and work or serve educational purposes, the Principal of the reformatory school may decide to extend the visitation time but not exceeding 48 hours;

- The reformatory school issues a Visitation Book according to a unified form listing the names of the student’s relatives. The Principal of the reformatory school signs and stamps the Visitation Book. The Visitation Book must be certified by the People's Committee at the commune level or the commune-level Police where the relative resides or the agency or organization where the person works or studies.

Relatives visiting must be listed in the Visitation Book and present their Identity Card or Citizen Identity Card or Passport. In cases where the visiting relative does not have the mentioned documents, they must have an application with an attached photo sealed and certified by the People's Committee at the commune level or the commune-level Police where the person resides or the agency or organization where the person works or studies.

Relatives visiting students must comply with the laws, the regulations of the visitation area, and the guidance of the reformatory school's officers;

- Visits must be conducted in Vietnamese; in cases where the visitor is an ethnic minority, the visit must be monitored by an officer who knows the ethnic language, or in the case of non-Vietnamese speakers, through an interpreter.

2. Policies for communication for students at reform schools and compulsory facilities in Vietnam

According to Clause 2, Article 24 of Decree 140/2021/ND-CP stipulating policies for communication for students at reform schools and compulsory facilities in Vietnam:

- Students are allowed to send and receive letters; letters are censored before being sent or received; students are not allowed to send or receive letters if their content is inappropriate, culturally insensitive, or non-educational;

- Students are allowed to communicate with relatives by phone twice a month, for no more than 05 minutes each time. In cases where students need to discuss issues related to their legitimate rights and interests or for educational purposes, the Principal of the reformatory school can increase the frequency and duration of communication with relatives. Before communicating with relatives, students must register following the reformatory school's regulations; if an officer detects that the communication content does not match the registered content, the communication will be terminated;

- Students violating the reformatory school's Regulations who are being educated in a separate room or students undergoing investigation, prosecution, trial, or involving another criminal case under review and processing are not allowed to communicate via phone with their relatives.

3. Regime for receiving money and gifts for students at reform schools and compulsory facilities in Vietnam

According to Clause 3, Article 24 of Decree 140/2021/ND-CP stipulating policies for students receiving money and gifts at reformatory schools and compulsory facilities as follows:

- Students are allowed to receive cash (Vietnam Dong) sent by visiting relatives; the officer responsible for organizing the visitation will collect and deposit it into the student's deposit book. For money received via post, the Principal of the reformatory school is responsible for appointing an officer to the post office to receive the money and make the deposit according to regulations, and record in the tracking book. The student must be notified of the received funds.

The student's deposited money can be used to buy food, groceries, and other essential items at the reformatory school's canteen; pay for mailing letters, phone calls; send money back to relatives, or collect (if still available) upon completing their mandate;

- Students are allowed to receive gifts during family visits according to the law. For fresh produce and processed food that does not ensure food safety, relatives must take them back; each month, students can receive postal parcels and packages twice via the postal service, each delivery weighing no more than 07 kg, if sent once, no more than 14 kg. For parcels and packages that do not ensure food safety, a destruction report must be made with the student’s signature or fingerprint for confirmation.

- Students are allowed to receive medicinal drugs, supplements, and functional foods sent by relatives during visits. These items must have labels, ingredients, uses, place of production, and valid expiration dates. The reformatory school must arrange a separate cabinet for storage, and the medical officer is responsible for managing the cabinet, instructing students on using the items when needed. When a student is sick, the medical officer will provide and instruct the use of the medication based on the diagnosis and treatment plan and record in the medical record: "Medicine sent by relatives" or in the tracking book. Students using the medication must sign or fingerprint the medical record or tracking book. Expired medication must be destroyed with a report signed or fingerprinted by the student.

When a student completes their mandate or transfers schools, the medical officer must check, compare, and return unused medication or transfer it with the student's medical files.

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