Press activities of foreign press, foreign missions and foreign organizations in Vietnam

Press activities of foreign press, foreign missions and foreign organizations in Vietnam (Internet image)

Regarding this issue, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

1. What are press activities?

According to Clause 2, Article 3 of the Press Law 2016, press activities are the creation of journalistic works, journalistic products, information products information with journalistic characteristics; provide information and feedback to the press; correct information in the press; publish, print and release the printed newspapers, communicate the online newspapers and communicate and broadcast the talking newspapers and photo newspapers;

2. Press activities of foreign press, foreign missions and foreign organizations in Vietnam

Press activities of foreign press, foreign missions and foreign organizations in Vietnam according to Article 56 of the Press Law 2016 are as follows:

(1) All press activities and activities pertaining to the press of foreign news agencies, radio, television, printed newspapers, online newspapers agencies (collectively referred to as foreign press);

Pertaining to the press of diplomatic missions, consular missions, representative offices of intergovernmental international organizations and other foreign missions that are authorized to exercise the consular functions in Vietnam (collectively referred to as foreign missions) and representative offices of non-governmental organizations and other foreign organizations in Vietnam (collectively referred to as foreign organizations) are only allowed to carried out after obtaining the approval of the competent authorities specified in this law and must comply with the law of Vietnam.

(2)  The foreign reporters wish to carry out the press activities in Vietnam shall have to send a dossier for approval directly or by post, fax or email to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, diplomatic missions, consular missions or other missions authorized to carry out the consular functions of Vietnam abroad (collectively referred to as Vietnamese diplomatic missions abroad)

When performing the press activities in Vietnam, the foreign non-resident reporters must bring the press operation permit issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the passport; must carry out activities in line with the purposes and programs specified in the permit and instructions of the reporter guiding agency.

(3) Where the foreign reporters go with the foreign delegations, the following regulations shall apply:

- For foreign reporters who go with foreign delegations to visit Vietnam at the invitation of the Party and State leadership or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to report on the visit, the Vietnamese line agency shall go through the necessary immigration procedures and inform the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for coordination.

The foreign reporters are allowed to report the activities based on the official program of foreign delegations.

- For foreign reporters who go with foreign delegations to visit Vietnam at the invitation of other Vietnamese agencies to report on the visit, the Vietnamese line agency shall go through the procedures with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as for the non-resident reporters and carry out the activities under the instructions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or a diplomatic agency approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

(4) The foreign press agencies wishing to establish their resident offices in Vietnam should send their dossier directly or by post to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Vietnamese missions abroad.

The representative office may be located in Hanoi or in a province or centrally-run city after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has agreed in writing as well as the provincial People’s Committee where the resident office is expected to be located.

The resident office may appoint the resident reporter from other localities different from the place of resident office after getting the approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the provincial People’s Committee where the resident office requests to appoint the resident reporter. The resident office shall take responsibility for the activities of its resident reporters at the locality.

(5) The foreign press agency wishing to appoint its resident reporter should send a dossier directly or by post to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Vietnamese mission abroad.

The resident reporter may work as a resident reporter for the resident office of one foreign press agency in Vietnam. The foreign press agency may appoint its resident reporter in another country to work as a resident reporter in Vietnam.

(6) The resident reporter shall be issued with foreign press card by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with its validity under 12 months in line with the reporter’s visa period.

The resident reporters should send a dossier directly or by post to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to request the issue, re-issue or renewal of their foreign press cards.

(7) The information and press activities of the resident reporter must comply with the following regulations :

- For the request to interview the senior leadership of Vietnam, the resident office should send a dossier directly, by post or fax to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for approval.

- For the request to contact or interview the leadership of the ministries or sectors of Vietnam, the resident office should send a dossier directly, by post or fax to the relevant ministries or sectors for approval while informing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

- For the information and press activities at localities of Vietnam, the resident office should send a dossier directly, by post or fax to the provincial People’s Committee for approval while informing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

(8) The resident office may hire the press assistant or collaborator to help the resident office or resident reporter’s activities.

When wishing to hire the press assistant or collaborator, the resident office should send a dossier to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for approval.

(9) The import and export of means and equipment of the foreign press must comply with the following regulations :

- The foreign press may temporarily import and re-export with tax exemption and with term for the necessary means in service of information and press activities in Vietnam such as camera, camcorder, recorder and other devices in accordance with regulations of Vietnamese law.

- The foreign press may import, export, install or use the devices to receive, transmit the news or images live via satellite or transmit the images internationally via the national telecommunications network in accordance with the laws of Vietnam.

(10) The press conference shall comply with the following regulations :

- When wishing to hold a press conference in Hanoi, the foreign mission or foreign organization must send a written request to the Ministry of Information and Communications 02 working days prior to the press conference.

For the foreign mission, the written request shall be simultaneously sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for information.

- When wishing to hold the press conference at other localities of Vietnam, the foreign mission or foreign organization must send a written request to the provincial People’s Committee 02 working days prior to the press conference.

- The press conference of the foreign delegation visiting Vietnam at the invitation of the Party or State leadership or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

- For the press conference of the foreign delegation visiting Vietnam at the invitation of the ministries, sectors, localities and other state agencies of Vietnam, the line agency meeting the delegation must send a written request to the Ministry of Information and Communications or the provincial People’s Committee 02 working days before the press conference ;

- The procedures permitting the press conference must comply with the regulations of the Ministry of Information and Communications.

- The Ministry of Information and Communications and the provincial People’s Committee has the right not to approve or suspend the press conference if there is any sign of violation of laws of Vietnam.

- In case of urgent press conference, after receiving the request from the foreign missions or foreign organizations, the competent authorities of Vietnam shall consider each specific case.

(11) The publication of newsletter or special issue of the foreign missions or foreign organizations must comply with the provisions in Article 34 and 35 of the Press Law 2016.

>> CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE IN VIETNAMESE