Replacement of tax declaration and final settlement procedures effective from July 20, 2026
On July 20, 2026, the Ministry of Finance issued Decision No. 1934/QD-BTC on promulgation of replaced and abolished administrative procedures in the field of tax management falling within the scope of functional management of the Ministry of Finance.
Accordingly, this decision replaces 78 administrative procedures and repeals 18 administrative procedures in the field of tax management falling within the scope of functional management of the Ministry of Finance, effective from July 20, 2026, with details set out in the annex attached to the decision.
Among these, the replaced administrative procedures include procedures in the field of tax registration, tax declaration, tax payment, tax exemption and reduction, and tax final settlement. The repealed administrative procedures include: administrative procedures No. 8, 51, 52, 55, 60, 69, 71, 72, 77, 94, 95, 98, 100, 102, 110 in Decision No. 4472/QD-BTC dated December 30, 2025; administrative procedures No. 8, 10, 11 in Decision No. 216/QD-BTC dated February 03, 2026.
New guidance on implementation of Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements effective from July 01, 2026
On July 01, 2026, the Ministry of Finance issued Circular No. 95/2026/TT-BTC providing guidance on implementation of double taxation avoidance agreements and prevention of tax evasion on income and property taxes between Vietnam and other countries and territories in effect in Vietnam; guidance on implementation of mutual agreement procedures; and guidance on application of advance pricing agreement mechanism on transfer pricing determination methods in tax management for enterprises with related party transactions.
Accordingly, this circular provides detailed guidance on implementation and processing of applications for double taxation avoidance agreements, mutual agreement procedures pursuant to tax agreement provisions (“MAP”), and advance pricing agreement mechanism on transfer pricing determination methods in tax management for enterprises with related party transactions (“APA”). Among which, include the following contents:
Article 2 specifies applicable subjects as: Subjects applying tax agreements, MAP, APA, tax authorities and other state agencies, organizations, and individuals involved in implementing tax agreements, applying MAP and APA.
Article 4 clearly specifies application principles, including priority application of tax agreements when conflicting with domestic tax law, but not creating new, different, or more burdensome tax obligations.
Article 10 provides specific cases where tax authorities will deny application of tax agreements, particularly based on the principle of tax agreement entitlement.
Section 20 Chapter II clearly describes measures to avoid double taxation that Vietnam may apply such as: tax credit measures, tax credit measures for taxes enjoying exemption or reduction incentives at the signatory party, and indirect credit measures.
Article 55 clearly specifies principles and methods of collecting and exchanging tax information pursuant to tax agreements, other international tax treaties which Vietnam is a member, or international tax agreements which Vietnam has signed, including automatic exchange of information.
Article 56 addresses mutual assistance in collection of outstanding tax amounts between Vietnam and signatory parties.
The circular shall be effective from July 01, 2026; replacing Circular No. 205/2013/TT-BTC dated December 24, 2013; and Circular No. 45/2021/TT-BTC dated June 18, 2021.
Notice on corporate income tax period
On July 8, 2026, the Tax Department issued Official Letter No. 4671/CT-CS providing guidance on tax period.
From the 2025 tax period, the determination of corporate income tax (“CIT”) tax period shall be implemented in accordance with new provisions at Article 5 of the CIT Law No. 67/2025/QH15 and Circular No. 20/2026/TT-BTC.
Accordingly, the CIT tax period is determined by calendar year or fiscal year as chosen by the enterprise, except for enterprises subject to provisions at Clauses 2.2.c and 2.2.d of Law No. 67/2025/QH15 (which are foreign enterprises with taxable income arising in Vietnam, including enterprises engaged in e-commerce business and platform-based business). Furthermore, pursuant to Clause 9.2.d of Decree No. 252/2026/ND-CP effective from July 01, 2026, the CIT final settlement period is determined by annual accounting period as provided in the accounting law.
From July 21, 2026, penalties up to 100 million dong applicable for failure to provide information as requested by tax authority
On July 21, 2026, the Government issued Decree No. 291/2026/ND-CP amending and supplementing certain articles of Decree No. 125/2020/ND-CP (“Decree 125”) on administrative penalties for tax and invoice violations as amended and supplemented by Decree No. 102/2021/ND-CP and Decree No. 310/2025/ND-CP.
Accordingly, this decree shall be effective from July 21, 2026, amending the main provisions as follows:
- Amendment and supplementation of Clause 5.3.d of Decree 125 on: Administrative violation regarding provision of information serving the purpose of information exchange pursuant to Vietnamese law provisions, international treaties, and international tax agreements which Vietnam is a member or signatory party, if subject to penalty under Article 19a, shall not be subject to penalties under Articles 14, 15, and 19.
- Supplement Section 3 and Article 19a following Section 2 Chapter II of Decree 125 on penalties for administrative violations regarding provision of information serving the purpose of information exchange:
- Fine of 10,000,000 VND to 30,000,000 VND: For the act of providing information late or overdue by 05 days or more as requested by the tax authority to serve the purpose of information exchange pursuant to law provisions.
- Fine of 30,000,000 VND to 50,000,000 VND: For the act of providing information that is inaccurate or incomplete as requested by the tax authority for the purpose of information exchange.
- Fine of 50,000,000 VND to 100,000,000 VND: For the acts of: failure to provide information within 15 days from the expiry date of the time limit for provision or extension; collusion or concealment of taxpayers to hinder the tax authority from collecting and verifying information for the purpose of information exchange.
Customs procedures for internal circulation of goods of export processing enterprises
On July 22, 2026, the General Department of Customs issued Official Letter No. 19258/CHQ-GSQL on internal circulation of goods of export processing enterprises (“EPEs”).
Accordingly, the customs procedures for export and import of goods (including internal circulation and transfer within an EPE) are provided in Article 74 of Circular No. 38/2015/TT-BTC, Article 1.50 of Circular No. 39/2018/TT-BTC, as amended and supplemented by Clause 1.45 of Circular No. 121/2025/TT-BTC and guidance in point 17 of the annex issued together with Official Letter No. 8444/CHQ-GSQL dated February 02, 2026.
In cases where there are difficulties in implementing the above provisions, enterprises shall contact directly the customs authority administering the EPE for specific guidance.
New decree on guidance for implementation of Foreign trade management law
On July 22, 2026, the Government issued Decree No. 292/2026/ND-CP (“Decree 292”) detailing certain articles and measures for organizing and guiding implementation of the foreign trade management law.
Among which, certain notable contents are as follows:
- Article 2 on administrative procedures:
- Allow document submission in multiple forms such as: Online through the National Public Service Portal, National Single Window Portal, Public Service Portal of licensing authorities; directly at the single-window office or via postal service.
- Requirements for signature of legal representative or authorized representative; provisions on translation and authentication of foreign language documents into Vietnamese, as well as use of digital signature when submitting documents online. Licensing authorities may return results in paper or electronic form (if applicable).
- Article 3 on freedom to conduct export and import business:
- Vietnamese merchants (not foreign-invested economic organizations): Have freedom to conduct export and import business and implement related activities not dependent on registered business fields, except prohibited goods and temporarily suspended export and import goods. Branches of Vietnamese merchants may also conduct foreign trade activities as authorized.
- Foreign-invested economic organizations and foreign merchant branches: Must comply with Vietnam’s commitments in international treaties to which Vietnam is a member, the goods list and roadmap announced by the Ministry of Industry and Trade; permitted to directly export self-produced products or contract for export; directly import or contract for import machinery, equipment, and raw materials serving investment activities according to the investment registration certificate.
- Foreign merchants without presence in Vietnam: Permitted to conduct goods business in Vietnam within the scope of export and import rights.
- Article 4 on management of export and import goods:
- For goods subject to export or import licenses: Merchants must have licenses in accordance with applicable law.
- For goods subject to export or import conditions: Merchants must meet conditions in accordance with applicable law.
- Export and import goods must comply with and meet commodity management policies as provided. For goods in the export and import goods list subject to inspection, they must be inspected by competent authorities as provided by law.
- Article 5 on prohibited export and import goods: Detailed provisions are set out in Appendix I of Decree 292. Simultaneously, provisions specify the responsibility of Ministers and heads of ministries-level agencies in publishing detailed provisions with HS codes. Additionally, there is a procedure and documentation for requests for special permission to export and import prohibited goods.
- On special foreign trade activities:
- Article 13 specifies the list of goods prohibited for temporary import, re-export, and transit trade in Appendix V attached to Decree 292.
- Article 14.5 specifies goods for temporary import and re-export may remain in Vietnam for not more than 60 days from the date of completion of temporary import customs procedures, and may be extended.
- Article 16.3 specifies for goods produced by merchants and already exported, temporarily imported and re-exported for warranty, maintenance, repair, replacement, and re-export returned to foreign merchants, the temporary import and re-export procedures are implemented at customs authorities without requiring a temporary import and re-export license.
- Article 19 specifies on transit trade business for foreign-invested economic organizations: may only conduct transit trade in the form of goods transported directly from the exporting country to the importing country, not through Vietnam’s border gates. Goods must comply with the registered business field or contents of the investment registration certificate.
- Detailed provisions on goods processing for foreign merchants: Documentation and procedures for granting goods processing license in Article 30; processing contract in Article 31; rental, borrowing, and import of machinery and equipment of the processing ordering party to implement the processing contract in Article 33;…
Decree 292 shall be effective from September 5, 2026 and replacing Decree No. 69/2018/ND-CP.
New penalties in the field of labor and social insurance (“SI”) from September 10, 2026
On July 15, 2026, the Government issued Decree No. 283/2026/ND-CP (“Decree 283”) on administrative penalties for violations in the field of labor, social insurance, and Vietnamese workers working abroad under contracts.
Decree 283 shall be effective from September 10, 2026; replacing Decree No. 12/2022/ND-CP dated January 17, 2022.
Accordingly, Decree 283 has adjusted and increased penalty levels for many violations in the field of labor and social insurance, among which certain notable contents are as follows:
| Violation | Penalties | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Violations related to employment contracts, recruitment and labor management | ||
| Providing employment services without being a legally established employment service organization. | From VND 45,000,000 to VND 60,000,000 | Article 10.3 |
| Failing to initiate the process of concluding an employment contract as prescribed; charging employees participating in recruitment; failing to record or fully enter information on employees in the employee management book from the date of commencement of employment; … | From VND 1,000,000 to VND 3,000,000 | Article 11.1 |
| Enticing, luring, making false promises, advertising fraudulently or otherwise deceiving employees or recruiting employees for exploitative purposes, coercing or forcing employees to work, but not to the extent of being subject to criminal prosecution. | From VND 50,000,000 to VND 75,000,000 | Article 11.3 |
| 2. Violations related to the illegal employment of foreign workers | ||
| Employing foreign workers to perform work beyond the scope specified in the work permit or the confirmation of exemption from the work permit requirement. | From VND 5,000,000 to VND 10,000,000 per foreign worker, up to a maximum of VND 75,000,000 | Article 13.2 |
| Employing foreign workers to work in Vietnam without a work permit or confirmation of exemption from the work permit requirement, or with an expired work permit. | From VND 30,000,000 to VND 75,000,000, depending on the number of violating foreign workers | Article 13.5 |
| Altering or falsifying documents, materials, or using forged documents in applications for the issuance, re-issuance or extension of work permits or confirmations of exemption from the work permit requirement. | From VND 40,000,000 to VND 60,000,000 | Article 13.4 |
| 3. Violations related to working conditions and labor relations | ||
| Entering into labor contracts with incorrect types or without containing the required principal contents; retaining the original identity documents, diplomas or certificates of employees; or requiring employees to provide security in cash or other assets for the performance of labor contracts. | From VND 2,000,000 to VND 25,000,000 | Articles 15.1 and Article 15.2 |
| Sexual harassment at the workplace. | From VND 15,000,000 to VND 30,000,000 | Article 17.3 |
| Forced labor or maltreatment of employees. | From VND 50,000,000 to VND 75,000,000 | Article 17.4 |
| Failing to pay wages on time; failing to pay or failing to fully pay employees the agreed wages, overtime wages, night-work wages, wages for work suspension, or restricting employees’ right to determine their wages. | From VND 5,000,000 to VND 50,000,000, depending on the number of violating employees | Article 23.2 |
| Paying employees wages lower than the minimum wage prescribed by the Government. | From VND 20,000,000 to VND 75,000,000, depending on the number of violating employees | Article 23.3 |
| Failing to ensure employees’ rest breaks during working hours or between shifts; requiring employees to work overtime in excess of the statutory limits. | From VND 5,000,000 to VND 75,000,000, depending on the number of violating employees | Article 24.4 |
| Seriously infringing upon the health, life, honor or dignity of employees in the course of taking disciplinary action. | From VND 20,000,000 to VND 40,000,000 | Article 25.3 |
| Violations related to minor employees: Employing employees under the minimum working age in violation of regulations, or assigning them jobs outside the list of jobs permitted by law. | From VND 50,000,000 to VND 75,000,000 | Article 27.3 |
| 4. Violations related to occupational safety and hygiene | ||
| Violations of regulations on the use of machinery and equipment subject to strict occupational safety requirements: Failing to conduct inspection before putting them into use or failing to conduct periodic inspection. | From VND 20,000,000 to VND 75,000,000, depending on the number of violating machinery and equipment. | Article 35.4 |
| Continuing to use machinery or equipment that has undergone inspection but failed to meet the applicable requirements. | From VND 50,000,000 to VND 75,000,000 | Article 35.5 |
| Serious violations concerning occupational safety and hygiene training activities: Providing training results without actually conducting the training, or providing training results that are inconsistent with the training contents. | From VND 30,000,000 to VND 50,000,000 | Article 36.2 |
| Serious violations concerning periodic technical inspection of occupational safety: Providing inspection results that are untruthful or providing inspection results without conducting the inspection. | From VND 80,000,000 to VND 100,000,000 | Article 37.1 |
| 5. Violations related to compulsory social insurance and unemployment insurance | ||
| Evasion of payment of compulsory social insurance or unemployment insurance contributions. | Up to VND 75,000,000 | Article 44.1 and Article 44.2; Article 46.1 and Article 46.2 |
| Fraudulent acts or falsification of dossiers for entitlement to social insurance or unemployment insurance benefits. | From VND 10,000,000 to VND 20,000,000 per dossier, up to a maximum of VND 75,000,000 | Article 47.2 |
| Misappropriation of employees’ compulsory social insurance benefits. | From 18% to 20% of the total amount misappropriated, up to a maximum of VND 75,000,000 | Article 48.10 |
