Decision No. 437/QD-TTg: Issuing Implementation Plan for the 2025 Law on Cybersecurity
The Prime Minister issued Decision No. 437/QD-TTg dated 16 March 2026, approving the Implementation Plan for the Law on Cybersecurity No. 116/2025/QH15 dated 10 December 2025. The Decision takes effect from the date of signing. The plan assigns specific tasks to ministries, agencies, and localities for enforcing the 2025 Cybersecurity Law. This is an administrative implementation decree for a cybersecurity law, with no relevance to tax, accounting, customs, or corporate finance regulations.
Decree 77/2026/ND-CP: Organization and Operation of the National Technology Innovation Fund (NATIF)
Decree No. 77/2026/ND-CP, effective from March 17, 2026, re-establishes the entire organizational and operational framework for the National Technology Innovation Fund (NATIF), a public non-business unit under the Ministry of Science and Technology. The Fund has independent legal status, its own seal and bank accounts, and is responsible for granting, commissioning, and financially supporting technology innovation tasks, intellectual property development, productivity and quality improvement, and innovative startup support. For businesses, especially SMEs and tech startups, the Decree opens four funding channels: direct non-refundable grants, commissioned tasks, bank loan interest subsidies, and financial support vouchers. Applications are reviewed publicly and transparently; businesses self-declare and are responsible for the accuracy of their information, and may be exempt from administrative and civil liability if a task fails to meet its targets despite full compliance with procedures and absent any fraud. Financially, the state budget disburses funds to NATIF in up to 3 installments per year, with the first tranche of at least 50 percent of the annual plan due before December 31 of the prior year and the final tranche before September 1. NATIF's management costs are calculated on a progressive scale based on disbursement volume, from 5 to 7 percent. The Decree repeals the corresponding provisions of Decree No. 265/2025/ND-CP and carries over all assets, personnel, rights, and obligations of the former Fund established under Decision No. 04/2021/QD-TTg.
Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department: Guidance on Re-filing Real Estate Rental Tax When Switching from Annual to Per-Payment Period Declaration under Decree 68/2026/ND-CP
Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department confirmed that companies which had chosen to declare real estate rental tax on an annual basis (under Circular 40/2021/TT-BTC) but are now required to switch to per-payment-period declarations under Decree 68/2026/ND-CP must re-file for periods from the beginning of 2026. The Tax Department confirmed that the annual declaration must be replaced with supplementary/amended filings for each payment period (January, February), with the deadline for adjusted filings and payment set at 20 April 2026. Companies are advised to contact their direct tax management authority for case-specific guidance and to comply with the referenced legal documents.
Customs Authority: Guidance on Timing of Electronic Invoice Issuance for Exports and Customs Clearance Conditions
The Customs authority responded to a metal products manufacturer (pliers, screwdrivers, and other hand tools, 95% exported) regarding the timing of electronic invoice issuance for exports and customs clearance conditions under current regulations. On clearance: goods are cleared after completing customs procedures. If tax has not been fully paid, a credit institution guarantee or tax deferral arrangement is required. Goods subject to specialized inspection are cleared upon receiving an inspection waiver notice or a satisfactory inspection result. The Customs authority reminded the company to refer to specific provisions in the 2014 Customs Law, Decree 08/2015/ND-CP, and Circulars 38/2015/TT-BTC and 39/2018/TT-BTC for proper declaration and import-export tax compliance.
Ministry of Finance: Clarification on Deductible Expenses for Purchases Above VND 5 Million Pending Payment - Non-Cash Payment Voucher Requirement (CIT)
The Ministry of Finance clarified the rules on deductible expenses for single purchases of goods or services worth VND 5 million or more that have not been paid at the time the expense is recognized, under Decree 320/2025/ND-CP and Circular 20/2026/TT-BTC. Under the regulations, when a company has not yet paid at the time of expense recognition, the cost may still be deducted if a contract and a goods/service handover record exist. However, when actual payment is eventually made without a non-cash payment voucher, the company must file a downward adjustment of the expense in the tax period in which the cash payment occurs - even if the tax authority has already issued an audit or inspection decision for that period. The Ministry of Finance noted that 'not yet paid' means payment has not actually been made at the time the expense is recognized, not merely that the contractual payment deadline has not yet arrived. Companies must monitor and adjust their declarations in the correct tax period.
Decree 70/2026/ND-CP: Detailed Regulations Implementing the Law on Planning
Decree 70/2026/ND-CP, issued on March 9, 2026, provides detailed implementing regulations for the Law on Planning No. 112/2025/QH15. It sets out the procedures for preparing, appraising, deciding or approving, and publishing the national master plan, the national marine spatial plan, the national land-use plan, sector plans, regional plans, and provincial plans. Key content includes maximum preparation timeframes for each planning level (24 months for the national master plan, 18 months for sector, regional, and provincial plans); principles and procedures for resolving conflicts between overlapping plans (referred to the Prime Minister for a final decision when the responsible agencies cannot agree); mandatory professional qualification requirements for consulting organizations and lead planning experts (at least 15 years of relevant experience for holders of a bachelor's degree, or 8 years for holders of a master's degree or higher); technical requirements for planning diagrams and maps; and the structure of planning appraisal councils at each level. This is an administrative procedural document that allocates responsibilities among the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, other ministries, and provincial People's Committees for preparing and approving plans. It does not create direct tax, accounting, e-invoicing, labor, or customs obligations for businesses. Investors with land- or infrastructure-linked projects may still want to track it indirectly, since plans approved through this process will shape future land and infrastructure allocation for investment projects.
Ministry of Finance: Clarification on Authority to Approve Land Use Rights Transfer Agreements for Investment Projects under Decrees 239/2025 and 151/2025
The Ministry of Finance explained the difference between Decree 239/2025/ND-CP (amending Decree 31/2021/ND-CP on the Investment Law) and Decree 151/2025/ND-CP (Land Law) regarding which authority has the power to approve agreements for transferring land use rights to implement non-agricultural investment projects. Under Decree 239/2025, the approval authority was with the provincial People's Committee (UBND). Decree 151/2025 subsequently decentralized this authority to commune-level People's Committees (UBND cấp xã). However, from 31 January 2026, Decree 49/2026/ND-CP (guiding Resolution 254/2025/QH15) repealed Article 10 of Decree 151/2025 and reassigned the authority back to the provincial People's Committee under Article 14 of Decree 49/2026/ND-CP. The Ministry of Finance advised businesses to consult the relevant land management authority for specific guidance.
Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department: Guidance on Revenue-Based Tax Declaration Method and Annual CIT Finalization Obligations
Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department responded to queries from a company established in February 2023 (no other legal representative, no related-party transactions, no entity type conversion) regarding its corporate income tax (CIT) declaration obligations. According to the guidance, the company must make quarterly provisional CIT payments (at least 80% of the total annual CIT due). At year-end, the company must submit an annual CIT finalization return and pay any shortfall (or request a refund if overpaid). If quarterly provisional payments are below 80% of the annual CIT liability, late payment interest will be charged. The Tax Department advised the company to contact its direct managing tax authority for specific guidance based on the company's actual documentation and circumstances.
Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department: Are Wages Paid in Cash or In-Kind Deductible for CIT Purposes?
The Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department responded to the inquiry of FP Vietnam Co., Ltd. (response ticket No. 261225-31) regarding whether wages paid in cash or in-kind are deductible for corporate income tax (CIT) purposes. The Tax Department stated that, in order to provide an accurate answer in accordance with applicable legal regulations and the specific circumstances of the company, the company should contact its directly managing tax authority for guidance. The HCMC Tax Department did not provide substantive guidance on the conditions for deductibility in this case and instead referred the matter to the competent local tax authority.
Decree 73/2026/ND-CP: Detailing and Guiding Implementation of Several Articles of the State Budget Law
Decree 73/2026/ND-CP, issued on March 10, 2026, provides detailed guidance for implementing several articles of the State Budget Law No. 89/2025/QH15. It sets out principles for balancing and decentralizing the central and local state budgets; how central and provincial-level budget deficits are determined and financed; management and accounting of state budget borrowing and debt repayment; a results-based budget management mechanism; management of off-budget state financial funds and voluntary contributions to public bodies; and budget support for social organizations carrying out state-assigned tasks. The remainder of the decree sets detailed timelines and procedures for preparing, discussing, deciding, and assigning annual state budget estimates among the Government, the Ministry of Finance, central ministries, and provincial/commune People's Councils and People's Committees; execution and in-year adjustment of budget estimates; and the final settlement process, including how budget surpluses are handled after approval by the National Assembly or People's Councils. This is a public-finance administrative decree that governs internal relationships among state agencies in preparing, executing, and settling the state budget. It does not directly set out tax, invoicing, labor, or customs obligations for enterprises or household businesses, so its practical compliance impact on the business community is very limited.
Resolution 10/2026/NQ-CP: Continued Application of Implementing Regulations for Amended or Replaced Laws
The Government issued Resolution No. 10/2026/NQ-CP dated 10 March 2026, allowing the continued application of existing Government decrees and Prime Minister decisions that were issued to implement laws that have been amended, supplemented, or replaced effective from 1 January 2026 and 1 March 2026, pending the issuance of new replacement instruments. The Resolution includes two main annexes: one listing decrees to be applied in full and one listing decrees to be applied in part. Areas covered include: securities, accounting, auditing, public debt management, the state budget, higher education, vocational education, investment, and employment. The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Education and Training are tasked with leading implementation and developing replacement instruments before 1 April 2026. The Resolution took effect on 10 March 2026.
Circular 18/2026/TT-BTC: Tax Administration Dossiers and Procedures for Household Businesses and Individual Business Operators
Circular 18/2026/TT-BTC, issued by the Ministry of Finance on March 5, 2026, sets out detailed dossiers and procedures for tax administration of household businesses and individual business operators, covering revenue notification, tax declaration, tax payment, refund of overpaid tax, and business location notification. It implements Tax Administration Law No. 108/2025/QH15, VAT Law No. 48/2024/QH15 (as amended by Law No. 149/2025/QH15), Personal Income Tax Law No. 109/2025/QH15, and Decree No. 68/2026/ND-CP. The circular issues 14 new form templates, fully replacing the form system under Circular No. 40/2021/TT-BTC and Circular No. 100/2021/TT-BTC. Filing dossiers are organized by taxpayer group: household businesses with annual revenue of VND 500 million or less only need to notify revenue (Form 01/TKN-CNKD); those paying personal income tax under the tax-rate-times-taxable-revenue method use Form 01/CNKD; those paying under the taxable-income-times-tax-rate method must also file an annual finalization return, Form 02/CNKD-TNCN-QTT. Organizations that withhold or file/pay tax on behalf of individuals (such as insurers, lottery agents, multi-level sellers, or property lessees) have their own separate declaration forms. Key practical points for household businesses, individual operators, and tax agents: certain currently operating taxpayers must notify their bank account or e-wallet number on Form 01/BK-STK by April 20, 2026; new businesses must submit this together with their first revenue notification or tax return. The circular takes effect from its signing date (March 5, 2026) and includes a transitional rule allowing businesses that already declared under Circular 40/2021/TT-BTC to keep their existing filings without adjustment.
Invoice Timing for Wood Veneer Processing Services — Does Not Qualify for Periodic Reconciliation Deferral
The Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department responded to Hang Thang Co., Ltd. on the timing of invoice issuance for wood veneer lamination processing services. Under clause 6, Article 1 of Decree 70/2025/NĐ-CP amending Article 9 of Decree 123/2020/NĐ-CP, the invoice must be issued **at the time the service is completed**, regardless of whether payment has been received. The Tax Department determined that wood veneer lamination processing services do **not fall** within the list of services permitted to defer invoicing until after data reconciliation (provided under point a, clause 4, Article 9 of Decree 70/2025/NĐ-CP, which covers only aviation support, electricity, water, telecommunications, logistics, banking services, etc.). The company therefore cannot apply the post-reconciliation invoicing mechanism and must issue invoices at service completion.
Do Newly Established SMEs Qualify for the 3-Year CIT Exemption When the Legal Representative Previously Managed Another Enterprise?
The Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department responded to SRT Vung Tau Trading and Investment Co., Ltd. (TIN 3502539672) regarding eligibility for the 3-year Corporate Income Tax (CIT) exemption for newly registered small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), under National Assembly Resolution 198/2025/QH15 and Decree 20/2026/NĐ-CP. Under clause 3, Article 7 of Decree 20/2026/NĐ-CP, a newly established company does **not qualify** for the exemption if its legal representative, general partner, or largest capital contributor has previously held the equivalent role in an enterprise that is currently operating or was dissolved less than 12 months before the new company was established. The Tax Department advised the company to self-assess its eligibility, paying particular attention to the business history of its legal representative.
Decree 72/2026/NĐ-CP: Amended Preferential Import Tariff Rates for Petroleum Products and Feedstocks
The Government issued Decree 72/2026/NĐ-CP dated 9 March 2026, amending the most-favoured-nation (MFN) preferential import tariff rates for certain petroleum products and feedstocks listed in the tariff schedule appended to Decree 26/2023/NĐ-CP. The Decree is effective from the date of signing (9 March 2026) until 30 April 2026. Key rates: leaded petrol (all RON grades) is taxed at 20%; unleaded petrol in unblended form (RON 97+ and RON 90+) is taxed at 0%; other blended petrol is taxed at 10%. Most feedstocks including benzene (3%), crude oil (0%), and condensate (0%) are also specified. After 30 April 2026, rates revert to Decree 26/2023/NĐ-CP unless extended by a new government resolution.
Consolidated Document No. 10/VBHN-BXD: Decree on Conditional Business Lines in Civil Aviation (Consolidated)
Consolidated Document No. 10/VBHN-BXD merges base Decree No. 92/2016/ND-CP with five rounds of amendments (most recently Decree No. 14/2026/ND-CP, effective January 15, 2026) into a single text setting business conditions for six aviation business lines: air transport, airports, airport aviation services, aircraft design/manufacturing/maintenance, air navigation services, and aviation personnel training. Key requirements include very high minimum capital thresholds (VND 30-700 billion depending on the business type), foreign ownership caps (34% for airlines, 30% for airports), minimum fleet sizes, and a multi-tier licensing process running through the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, the Ministry of Construction, and the Prime Minister. The text also details age limits for imported aircraft, grounds for license revocation, and reporting obligations for licensed businesses. This is a sector-specific decree aimed at large aviation investors and operators (airlines, airport operators, ground-service providers) rather than general SMEs, and it contains no tax, accounting, e-invoice, or general labor content. The most notable change in this consolidation is Decree No. 14/2026/ND-CP, which trims certain paperwork requirements and allows results to be delivered electronically.
Circular 12/2026/TT-BCT Abolishing 22 Legal Normative Documents under Ministry of Industry and Trade Authority
Circular 12/2026/TT-BCT dated 09/03/2026 (effective 01/05/2026) from the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) abolishes 22 legal normative documents in full and partially revokes provisions in 5 additional documents covering electricity, coal, chemicals, food safety, and rules of origin. Fully abolished documents include old regulations on coal stockpile inventory, coal trading conditions, electrical equipment inspection, electricity license procedures, residential electricity purchase contracts, and joint circulars on industry organizational functions and cross-agency enforcement of smuggled goods. Partially revoked provisions relate to updates to delegated authority for issuing certificates of origin and rules of origin under various FTAs. The revocation is part of a systematic legal review under the Law on Promulgation of Legal Normative Documents No. 64/2025/QH15, aimed at reducing administrative burdens and aligning the regulatory framework with newly reorganized government bodies.
Consolidated Circular on Monetary Policy Tools Supporting Credit Institutions' Agricultural and Rural Lending (Circular 14/2018/TT-NHNN, as amended by Circular 74/2025/TT-NHNN)
The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has issued Consolidated Document No. 21/VBHN-NHNN, merging Circular 14/2018/TT-NHNN with the amendments in Circular 74/2025/TT-NHNN (effective from 16 February 2026). The circular guides monetary policy tools used to support credit institutions and foreign bank branches lending to agriculture and rural development. It applies directly to credit institutions, not to businesses or household businesses. Two main support tools are provided: (1) refinancing under existing rules for credit institutions, and (2) a preferential (lower) compulsory reserve ratio for credit institutions whose average agricultural-rural credit ratio is 70 percent or higher (reserve ratio may drop to as low as 1/20 of the standard rate) or between 40 and under 70 percent (as low as 1/5 of the standard rate). Eligibility is assessed twice a year over two six-month periods, using a formula based on outstanding loan balances as of 30 September and 31 December (period 1) or 31 March and 30 June (period 2). Credit institutions must submit a written request before 15 January (period 1) or 15 July (period 2), via the National Public Service Portal or in writing; the SBV responds with approval or rejection before 30 January or 30 July respectively. Compared to the 2018 original, the 2025-2026 amendment mainly updates the legal basis (citing the 2024 Law on Credit Institutions and newer decrees) and adds cross-verification steps: the Department of Credit Institution Supervision, the SBV Inspectorate, and Regional SBV Branches must supply supervisory findings on the accuracy of the agricultural credit data that institutions self-report, and handle violations if misreporting is found. This is primarily an internal policy tool governing the relationship between the SBV and the banking system; the effect on farm and rural businesses or household businesses is indirect, arising from banks having more low-cost funding capacity to expand lending in this sector.
Circular 05/2026/TT-BKHCN: National Artificial Intelligence Ethics Framework
The Ministry of Science and Technology issued Circular No. 05/2026/TT-BKHCN dated 10 March 2026, promulgating the National Artificial Intelligence Ethics Framework. It applies to state management agencies and organisations or individuals acting as developers, providers, deployers, or users of AI systems in the context of state administration or public services. The Framework sets out three principle clusters: (1) Safety, reliability, and harm avoidance — requiring safety-by-design, human oversight, and system security; (2) Respect for human and civil rights, fairness, transparency, and non-discrimination; (3) Promotion of well-being, prosperity, and sustainable development. Non-state organisations are encouraged (but not required) to comply. This document does not directly create tax or financial obligations for SMEs and is therefore of low relevance to an SME tax and regulatory intelligence platform.
Must a Household Business Hold a Bank Account Named 'Household Business X'? Rules on Payment Accounts and E-Wallets under Decree 68/2026
The Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department responded to a question about the bank account obligations of household businesses under Decree 68/2026/NĐ-CP and Circular 18/2026/TT-BTC. From 5 March 2026, household businesses and individual business operators must use payment accounts or e-wallet account numbers opened at an intermediary payment service provider in connection with their production and business activities — the account does not need to be in the name 'Household Business X'. Household businesses falling under clause 4, Article 17 of Decree 68/2026/NĐ-CP must notify the tax authority of their account/e-wallet details using Form 01/BK-STK under Circular 18/2026/TT-BTC. Taxpayers receiving international payments through PayPal or foreign contract manufacturing arrangements should self-assess their specific obligations against these instruments.
Property Lease Tax Filing: Does the Company Need to Refile under Circular 18/2026? And How to Register a Tax Code for Individual Property Lessors
The Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department answered two questions about property leasing tax: (1) A company that had already filed on behalf of an individual under Form 01/TTS (Circular 40/2021) for a 5-year land lease contract before Decree 68/2026/NĐ-CP and Circular 18/2026/TT-BTC were issued does not need to refile — Article 8, clause 2 of Circular 18/2026 states that 'where filings and payments have already been made under Circular 40/2021, no adjustment is required'. (2) An individual property lessor wishing to register a separate tax identification number (TIN): based on Articles 5 and 9 of Circular 40/2021/TT-BTC (now replaced by Circular 18/2026), an individual lessor does not need to establish a household business or individual business entity. The individual need only register using the prescribed form to obtain a separate TIN for property leasing.
Consolidated Decree on Establishment and Operation of Representative Offices of Foreign Cooperation and Research Organizations in Vietnam (VBHN-BNG)
This is Consolidated Document No. 1233/VBHN-BNG, certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 27 February 2026, merging Decree No. 06/2005/ND-CP (effective 10 February 2005) with the amending Decree No. 62/2026/ND-CP (effective 1 March 2026). It governs the conditions, dossiers, and procedures for issuing, amending, extending, and revoking Licenses for Representative Offices of foreign non-profit cooperation and research organizations in Vietnam - meaning units under a foreign ministry, agency, or local government that carry out non-profit programs in science, technology, natural resources and environment, health, or social fields. It does not cover commercial trade representative offices or foreign cultural and educational organizations. Notable changes introduced by Decree 62/2026/ND-CP include: allowing dossiers to be filed online through the National Public Service Portal; shortening and clarifying processing timelines (one working day to check dossier validity, and a maximum of 14 working days to grant or refuse a License); and adding an entirely new chapter (Chapter IIIa, Articles 14a-14d) that introduces a mandatory annual periodic reporting regime for the Representative Office, its Vietnamese managing agency (a ministry, sector, or provincial People's Committee), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with specific data cut-off dates and submission deadlines. Regarding business impact, this decree primarily concerns foreign non-profit cooperation and research bodies (not ordinary foreign-invested enterprises) and the Vietnamese state agencies that partner with them, so it has limited direct relevance to typical SME tax, accounting, or customs practice. The existing tax and customs incentives are unchanged: import duty exemption for equipment and vehicles needed for the office's operations, and personal tax preferences for the head and foreign staff of the Representative Office. Accountants or advisers serving such foreign cooperation or research organizations in Vietnam should note the new reporting deadlines.
Consolidated Circular 22/VBHN-NHNN: SBV Refinancing via Re-lending Based on Credit Dossiers for Credit Institutions
Consolidated document 22/VBHN-NHNN (certified January 19, 2026) merges Circular 24/2019/TT-NHNN (effective January 18, 2020) with its amending Circular 76/2025/TT-NHNN (effective December 31, 2025) from the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV). It governs SBV refinancing of credit institutions -- commercial banks, cooperative banks, and finance companies -- in the form of re-lending secured by the institution's own credit dossiers. Under this mechanism, the SBV lends VND to a credit institution in two scenarios: (1) liquidity support, when the institution has trouble meeting payment obligations, and (2) funding support for lending to sectors the Government wants to encourage through monetary-policy tools. Loans run under 12 months, carry the refinancing rate the SBV announces from time to time, and are capped at 60 percent of the outstanding principal of the loans listed in the pledged credit dossier. The Circular also sets detailed eligibility conditions, extension rules, application procedures, periodic reporting duties, and remedies for late repayment or violations. This is an internal operational document governing the SBV's relationship with credit institutions (banks and finance companies); it does not create tax, invoicing, customs, or labor obligations for ordinary businesses. It therefore has little direct relevance to SME owners, accountants, or foreign investors, and mainly serves banks and finance companies dealing with SBV refinancing.