VIETNAM Trends and Developments Contributed by: Justin Gisz, Minh Duong and Phong Nguyen, Asia Counsel Vietnam Law Company Limited
• The Ministry of Labor, Invalids & Social Affairs was merged into the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). • The Ministry of Information & Communications was merged into the Ministry of Science & Technology (MST). At provincial level • The Department of Planning & Investment was merged into the Department of Finance (DOF). • The Department of Transport was merged into the Department of Construction (DOC). • The Department of Natural Resources & Environ - ment was merged with the Department of Agricul - ture & Rural Development to form the Department of Agriculture & Environment (DAE). • The Department of Labor, Invalids & Social Affairs was merged into the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). • The Department of Information & Communications was merged into the Department of Science & Technology (DST). The main consequences for businesses and investors include the following. • The new or merged Ministries and Departments have inherited all the administrative functions of their predecessors. For example, the Business Registration Office formerly under the Department of Planning & Investment now operates under the Department of Finance, meaning that the DOF is now the key corporate licensing authority in Viet - nam. • Although some (expected and inevitable) process challenges and delays have arisen from the gov - ernmental and administrative restructuring, these have largely been resolved, and the newly respon - sible Ministries and Departments are generally handling and processing applications in a timely and efficient manner, in most cases. • All contracts and other official or formal documents must now refer to the correct names of the cor - rect Ministries and Departments – and will not be accepted by State authorities if they do not. • Although some guiding and implementing legisla - tion has been issued since 1 March 2025 in con - nection with the restructuring, further guiding and implementing legislation is expected in due course.
• Additional realignment of existing authorities at provincial level is taking place and/or is expected – eg, further consolidation of industrial and high-tech park authorities into unified investment manage - ment boards is anticipated at provincial level. Similar restructuring initiatives were undertaken at municipal, district and ward levels throughout Vietnam during 2025, significantly streamlining the administra - tive structure of governmental authorities, as well as the judiciary. This major (and successful) restructuring effort rep - resents one of the most significant administrative reforms in Vietnam in recent years. Real estate Building upon the comprehensive reform of Vietnam’s real estate legal framework through the promulgation of the new Land Law, Real Estate Business Law, and Housing Law, all of which took effect on 1 August 2024, Vietnamese legislative bodies are working on further amendments and supplements to these key land and real estate laws, some of which have been issued, while others are expected to be issued and/or enter into force during 2026, and are aimed at remov - ing legal bottlenecks and enhancing transparency in the real estate sector. Notably, within the context of the 10th sitting of the 15th National Assembly of Vietnam (currently ongo - ing as at the time writing), the National Assembly has approved various specific mechanisms and policies designed to address practical challenges in the imple - mentation of the Land Law. Land Law Draft amendments to the Land Law have been under discussion since September 2025. However, during its current sitting, the National Assembly has adopted a Resolution on specific mechanisms and policies to address difficulties and obstacles in the implementa - tion of the Land Law instead of approving the issu - ance of any amended or supplemented law. On 11 December 2025, the National Assembly adopt - ed Resolution No 254/2025/QH15, promptly institu - tionalising the State’s key directions on land policy
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