Knowledge base

This is a consolidated version of the Law on Publishing No. 19/2012/QH13, compiled by the National Assembly Office to reflect amendments made by Law No. 35/2018/QH14 (which amended 37 planning-related laws) and the Planning Law No. 112/2025/QH15 (effective March 1, 2026). The law governs the organization and operation of publishing, printing, and distribution of publications in Vietnam, including conditions for establishing publishing houses, qualification standards for directors, editors-in-chief and editors, publishing licenses, publication registration, joint-venture publishing arrangements, and content that is strictly prohibited (such as propaganda against the State, disclosure of state secrets, and distortion of historical facts). This document primarily regulates the publishing, printing, and book/periodical distribution industry - it is not a tax, accounting, e-invoice, customs, or labor law. The entities it governs are publishing houses (organized as public service units or state-owned enterprises), printing facilities, distribution facilities, and foreign organizations or individuals engaged in publishing activities in Vietnam - not the general tax/accounting rules that apply to SMEs. Article 7 does mention tax incentives for the publishing sector (under existing tax law), but this is only a general policy reference, not substantive tax content. Because the law's scope is the publishing/media industry rather than VAT, CIT, e-invoicing, customs, labor, or investment regulation, this document falls outside RegHub's core coverage area and is recommended for exclusion from the public feed.

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.

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.

On February 28, 2026, the Government issued Decree No. 64/2026/ND-CP, effective March 1, 2026, providing detailed rules for enforcing court bankruptcy declarations against enterprises and cooperatives under the new Law on Recovery and Bankruptcy No. 142/2025/QH15. The decree spells out how civil judgment enforcement agencies and enforcement officers work together with insolvency practitioners and asset management-liquidation firms to carry out a bankruptcy ruling: issuing the enforcement decision, verifying what assets and debtors exist, depositing recovered funds into a designated account, and valuing and selling assets through auction or, for certain asset types, direct sale. For businesses and cooperatives going through bankruptcy, this decree matters because it sets firm deadlines for every step - for example 9 days to verify enforcement conditions, 10 days to value assets, and 30 days to hand over assets to a buyer before coercive measures can be applied. It also assigns coordination duties to the State Treasury, banks, tax authorities, the business registration authority, and social insurance agencies, all of whom must supply information and act on requests from the enforcement agency. Creditors, buyers of auctioned assets, owners who had leased or lent property to a now-bankrupt company, and insolvency practitioners should know these timelines to protect their interests during liquidation. Bankruptcy enforcement cases already underway before March 1, 2026 continue under the prior framework - the 2014 Bankruptcy Law and its implementing rules - until they are completed.

Circular 06/2026/TT-BTC issued by the Ministry of Finance on January 26, 2026, effective from March 1, 2026, amends and supplements regulations on customs inspection and supervision of imported and exported goods related to intellectual property rights. This document updates Circular 13/2015/TT-BTC, which was previously amended by Circular 13/2020/TT-BTC, aiming to improve the legal framework for intellectual property protection at borders. For small and medium enterprises (SMEs) engaged in import-export activities, this Circular directly impacts customs clearance procedures, especially when goods are related to intellectual property rights such as trademarks, patents, and copyrights. Businesses need to understand regulations regarding customs authorities' power to suspend customs procedures when detecting signs of counterfeit goods or goods infringing intellectual property rights, as well as their responsibility to provide documentation proving the legitimacy of goods. Import-export businesses should prepare complete documentation on goods origin, trademark usage licenses (if applicable), and documents proving legitimate intellectual property rights. Proper compliance will help avoid cargo detention, which can affect delivery schedules and business costs. Companies should consider reviewing their internal processes for managing intellectual property rights in import-export operations before the Circular takes effect.

Circular 138/2025/TT-BTC issued by the Ministry of Finance on December 30, 2025 amends and supplements regulations on securities transaction supervision and compliance supervision in Vietnam's securities market. This document modifies two previous circulars: Circular 95/2020/TT-BTC guiding securities transaction supervision and Circular 06/2022/TT-BTC guiding the State Securities Commission's compliance supervision of organizations such as Vietnam Stock Exchanges, Vietnam Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation and their subsidiaries. The circular takes effect from March 1, 2026, aiming to improve the legal framework for securities market supervision and management. These amendments align with market developments, enhance transparency, and protect investor rights. For SMEs planning to list, issue securities, or currently trading on the securities market, updating knowledge of new regulations on transaction supervision and compliance is crucial. Businesses should note that while the circular primarily regulates intermediary organizations (stock exchanges, securities companies, depository centers), changes in supervision procedures may affect reporting requirements, information disclosure, and compliance obligations for listed companies. Enterprises should coordinate with securities companies and legal advisors to ensure full compliance with the new regulations when the circular becomes effective.

Prime Minister Decision No. 352/QD-TTg dated 27 February 2026 approves Vietnam's public borrowing and debt repayment plan for 2026. Total government borrowing is capped at VND 969,796 billion, of which up to VND 583,700 billion covers the central budget deficit and up to VND 376,005 billion repays principal. Government debt repayment is estimated at approximately VND 534,739 billion, comprising direct repayments of up to VND 493,405 billion and on-lending project repayments of about VND 41,334 billion. The self-borrowed, self-repaid medium- and long-term foreign commercial borrowing limit for enterprises is approximately USD 6,124 million per year. The Decision emphasizes maintaining debt-safety indicators within limits, optimizing the debt portfolio, developing the domestic government bond market, and achieving an investment-grade sovereign credit rating by 2030.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Circular No. 08/2026/TT-BCT dated 25 February 2026 amending Circular No. 04/2020/TT-BCT on the auction of tariff-rate quotas for importing used vehicles under the CPTPP Agreement. The Circular adds a rules-of-origin requirement: vehicles imported under the CPTPP tariff-rate quota must meet the Agreement's rules of origin and must present a certificate of origin when clearing customs. The auction procedures are also updated to follow the general Law on Asset Auctions. Annex I is amended to replace the term 'engine power' (cong suat dong co) with 'engine displacement' (dung tich dong co) to reflect correct technical terminology. The Circular took effect on 25 February 2026 and revokes Decision No. 731/QD-BCT dated 4 March 2020.

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.

The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has published Consolidated Document No. 09/VBHN-NHNN, merging Circular No. 19/2013/TT-NHNN with six subsequent amendments (the latest being Circular No. 69/2025/TT-NHNN, effective from February 15, 2026) into a single reference text governing how the Vietnam Asset Management Company (VAMC) purchases, sells, and resolves non-performing loans (NPLs). As a consolidated document, it does not create new legal obligations by itself, but gives businesses and credit institutions one authoritative source for the full current legal framework instead of having to cross-reference seven separate documents. The rules apply to VAMC, credit institutions and foreign bank branches that sell debt, borrowers, guarantors, and other related parties. The text defines key terms such as bad debt, restructuring of a bad debt, special bonds, and directly issued bonds, and sets out detailed foreign-exchange settlement requirements for debt trades: buyers pay through a VND account for transactions in Vietnamese dong, or through an eligible foreign-currency account if a non-resident buyer purchases debt in a foreign currency. For business owners and accountants, the practical takeaway is this: if your company's loan is sold by a credit institution to VAMC - a common NPL-resolution tool - your creditor relationship shifts to VAMC or to whoever later buys the debt from VAMC, and any rescheduling of repayment terms or interest rates must follow the principles set out in this Circular. Businesses should also know that VAMC can buy bad debts using special bonds (original term plus any extension capped at 10 years total) subject to the specific eligibility conditions set out from Article 16 onward.

According to guidance from the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department, businesses with revenue over VND 50 billion in 2025 must switch to monthly VAT filing from 2026 instead of quarterly filing. If a business mistakenly filed a quarterly return and then corrected this by re-filing monthly returns for January, February, and March 2026, the business is **not subject to administrative penalty** for late filing. The legal basis is Decree 373/2025/ND-CP (effective 14 February 2026), Article 1(c): taxpayers are not penalized for late filing of tax returns for tax periods that must be re-filed due to a change in the tax period. The re-filed monthly returns are treated as replacement returns for the previously filed quarterly return. The Tax Department notes that businesses should self-assess and seek specific guidance if they have any questions about the treatment of late payment surcharges.

The Ministry of Finance has issued Consolidated Document No. 04/VBHN-BTC, merging Circular 98/2020/TT-BTC (effective January 1, 2021) with amending Circular 136/2025/TT-BTC (effective February 12, 2026) into a single reference text on the operation and management of securities investment funds. It applies to member funds, closed funds, open funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), real estate investment funds, and both public and private securities investment companies. Entities directly subject to the rules include fund management companies, supervisory banks, custodian banks, the Vietnam Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation, stock exchanges, fund representative boards, and fund investors. The text sets out detailed requirements for fund establishment, initial public offering of fund certificates, net asset value (NAV) determination, profit distribution, fund expenses, investment limits, fund consolidation or merger, and dissolution. Circular 136/2025/TT-BTC adds two new fund categories, money market funds and infrastructure bond funds, and updates rules on annual investor congresses and investment restrictions for member funds. This is a specialized securities-industry circular administered by the State Securities Commission; it does not directly concern SME tax, accounting, or invoicing obligations, but it matters for fund management companies, custodian and supervisory banks, and foreign investors participating in Vietnam's investment fund market.