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Legal Documents After Vietnam’s 2025 Provincial Mergers: What Foreigners and Foreign-Related Businesses Need to Know
By LevelAdvise Legal Team | Ho Chi Minh City
Introduction
Effective July 1, 2025, Vietnam will reduce its number of provincial-level units from 63 to 34 through a sweeping administrative merger. For foreigners living, working, or investing in Vietnam, this structural shift brings with it important implications for work permits, residence cards, civil registration, and business licenses.
This article outlines what will — and will not — change, based on current legal guidance from official sources.
Will Your Current Legal Documents Remain Valid?
Yes. Foreigners holding legal documents issued before July 1, 2025 can rest assured that these remain legally valid.
This applies to:
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Work permits
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Temporary Residence Cards (TRCs)
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Permanent Residence Cards
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Enterprise registration certificates
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Investment registration certificates
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Land use right certificates
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Civil status certificates
You are not required to change or reapply for these documents solely because your province of residence or business has changed its name.
Example: A TRC issued in 2023 under “Binh Duong Province” remains valid, even though the region becomes part of “Ho Chi Minh City” after July 1.
However, if you wish to update the address on your documents voluntarily, no fee will be charged — per official commitments from government agencies.
What Changes If You Apply for a New Document After July 1?
From July 1, 2025, all new applications for legal documents — including work permits, residence cards, marriage registrations involving foreigners, and business registrations — must reflect the new administrative names of provinces and cities.
Failing to use the correct province name (e.g. writing "Quang Nam" instead of "Da Nang City") may lead to delays or rejection of your application.
This applies to:
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New issuance or renewal of work permits
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TRC and PRC applications
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Business and investment licenses
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Marriage registration involving foreign elements
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Land or property transactions
Note: In merged provinces, the authority to handle these documents may shift to new administrative centers. For example, marriage registration in areas formerly under separate provinces will be centralized under the new province-level People’s Committee, as clarified in PLO's legal commentary.
Updating Business Registration and Legal Address
Foreign-invested enterprises are not obligated to update their legal address just because the provincial name has changed — as confirmed by Official Dispatch 4370/BTC-DNTN (dated 05/04/2025).
However, if your business submits other changes (e.g. legal representative, capital, business scope), it's recommended to update your address at the same time for legal consistency.
On documents such as invoices and contracts, you may continue to use your registered address, but should add a line indicating the invoice address under the new administrative name, in accordance with Notice 11984/TB-CCTKV02 (27/06/2025) from the General Department of Taxation.
Work Permit Processing for Foreign Employees
Current TRCs and PRCs remain valid; no reissuance is required.
When applying for a new card, renewing, or reporting an address change, the new province name must be used.
Immigration offices will guide the transition and are expected to issue supplemental instructions during Q3–Q4/2025.
TRC & PRC Applications and Address Updates:
Per Article 35 of the Labor Code:
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45 days: Indefinite-term contracts
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30 days: Fixed-term contracts
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3 working days: During probation
Early termination without proper cause may lead to loss of benefits or legal disputes.
Health Insurance & Social Security Entitlements
Vietnam Social Security has confirmed that the 2025 merger will not affect public health insurance (BHYT) benefits or social security coverage for foreigners or locals.
You can continue to access medical services as normal. If your residence location changes after the merger, you may update your registered primary care provider without disruption to your entitlements.
Civil Procedures Involving Foreigners
Procedures such as:
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Marriage registration with foreign elements
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Birth registration for children with a foreign parent
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Divorce or guardianship involving foreign nationals
…will continue to follow the jurisdiction of the People’s Committee of the new province or city, depending on the merger.
Centralized Public Administration Access
In a positive shift, starting July 1, 2025, residents (including foreign nationals) will be able to submit documents at any public administrative center within the new province — regardless of which district or commune they live in.
This centralized access aims to streamline services under Vietnam’s ongoing e-government reforms.
How LevelAdvise Can Support You
Whether you're:
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Renewing or applying for a work permit
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Updating your TRC
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Registering a new company or branch
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Ensuring compliance for contracts and invoices
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Our bilingual legal advisors are here to help you navigate Vietnam’s evolving administrative structure with accuracy and ease.
📞 Contact us today for case-specific legal guidance and document support. Let our legal advisors walk you through your situation with clarity and care.
📍 Office: 32 Pham Ngoc Thach, Vo Thi Sau Ward, District 3, HCMC
📧 Email: info@leveladvise.com
🌐 Web: www.leveladvise.com
