Laws come into effect from July 1

Under the Law 52/2019/QH14 on officers and public employees and the amended law on public employees, leaders and managers of non-business units are categorized as public officials in stead of civil servants. 

The general aim of the Law is to contribute to the further completion of the civil service regime and cadres and civil servants management; ensuring transparency, openness and accountability in the operations of the civil service.

The Law takes a major step forward by reducing the scope of the civil service to cover only public officials and civil servants and not cover the two remaining groups of public servants who work for public service delivery agencies and managers of state-owned enterprises.

The law was issued on November 25, 2019 and took effect from July 1. 

Passports with or without embedded electronic chips

Law 51/2019/QH14 amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Viet Nam, persons aged full 14 years or older may choose to get passports issued with or without embedded electronic chips.

A Vietnamese national who applies for a first-time passport will carry out procedures at immigration office of the provincial-level Department of Public Security of the locality where he/she registers permanent residence or temporary residence. However, those who have been granted a citizen identity card may file their applications to the immigration office of any provincial-level Department of Public Security at their convenience.

Strengthening state secrets protection in new period

Law 29/2018/QH14 on state secrets protection stipulates the principles of state secret protection, international cooperation in the work, prohibited actions, scope of state secrets, and types of state secrets, among others.  

According to the law, the scope of state secrets is the range of important information in the 15 fields that haven’t been publicized, and if they are revealed or lost, national interests could be jeopardized.

The law stipulates that the Prime Minister issues the lists of state secrets, and the heads of top agencies compile the list of state secrets within their remits.

Facilitating entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in VN

The Law on entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Viet Nam amended in 2019 came into effect from July 1.

Accordingly, foreigner and the agency or organization sponsoring for a foreigner has the right to apply for an electronic visa.  

Foreigners entering coastal economic zones under decisions of the Government and meeting the following conditions: having an international airport; having a separate space; having definite geographical boundaries, separated from the mainland; in accordance with the socio-economic development policy and without prejudice to national defense, national security, social order and safety of Viet Nam, visa exemption is required upon entry./.

By Kim Anh