1.       LEGAL DOCUMENTS ARE EFFECTIVE FROM 01/09/2023

Circular No. 10/2023/TT-NHNN suspending the enforceable effect of a number of contents of Circular No. 39/2016/TT-NHNN dated December 30, 2016 of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam prescribing lending transactions of credit institutions and/or foreign bank branches with customers (supplemented in Circular No. 06/2023/TT-NHNN dated June 28, 2023 of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam)

• Name of legal document: Circular No. 10/2023/TT-NHNN issued on 23/08/2023 by the State Bank of Vietnam suspending the enforceable effect of a number of contents of Circular No. 39/2016/TT-NHNN dated December 30, 2016 of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam prescribing lending transactions of credit institutions and/or foreign bank branches with customers (supplemented in Circular No. 06/2023/TT-NHNN dated June 28, 2023 of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam) (referred to as the “Circular No. 10/2023/TT-NHNN”).
• Effective date: 01/09/2023.

The content should be noted: Suspending the enforceable effect of Clause 8, Clause 9 and Clause 10, Article 8 of Circular No. 39/2016/TT-NHNN.

Specifically, Article 1 of Circular No. 10/2023/TT-NHNN stipulates: “Article 1. Suspension of enforceable effect of Clause 8, Clause 9 and Clause 10, Article 8 of Circular No. 39/2016/TT-NHNN dated December 30, 2016 of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam prescribing lending transactions of credit institutions and/or foreign bank branches with customers (supplemented in Circular No. 06/2023/TT-NHNN dated June 28, 2023 of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam on amending and supplementing a number of articles of Circular No. 39/2016/TT-NHNN)[1] from September 1, 2023 until the effective date of the new legal document regulating about these issues.”

2.       LEGAL DOCUMENTS ARE ISSUED IN 08/2023

Decision No. 22/2023/QĐ-TTg on credit for people who have completed their prison sentences

• Name of legal document: Decision No. 22/2023/QĐ-TTg issued on 17/08/2023 by the Prime Minister on credit for people who have completed their prison sentences (referred to as the “Decision No. 22/2023/QĐ-TTg”).
• Effective date: 10/10/2023.

The content should be noted:

• Firstly, stipulating on loan objects and conditions.

Specifically, Article 3 of Decision No. 22/2023/QĐ-TTg stipulates: “Article 3. Subjects and conditions for borrowing capital

Subjects and conditions for borrowing capital include:

1. Subjects for borrowing capitala) People who have completely served their prison sentence include people who have completely served their prison sentence and have been granted a certificate of completion of their prison sentence as prescribed in the Law on Execution of Criminal Sentences and people who have been granted special amnesty certificates as prescribed in the Law on Special Amnesty;b) Production and business establishments include small and medium-sized enterprises, cooperatives, artels, and business households that use employees who have completed prison sentences.
2. Conditions for borrowing capitala) People who have completely served their prison sentence: Having a need for a loan; be on the list of people who have completed their prison sentence and returned to reside in the locality, well obeyed the provisions of law, and did not participate in social evils, drawn up by the Commune Police and certified by the People’s Committe according to the Form No. 01 attached to this Decision. The maximum time from serving the prison sentence to the time of borrowing capital is 05 years;b) Production and business establishments: Legally established and operating according to the provisions of law; Employ at least 10% of the total number of employees who have completed their prison sentences and meet the conditions stated in Point a of this Clause and sign labor contracts according to the provisions of labor law; have a loan plan and have it certified by the Commune People’s Committee where the plan is implemented according to Form No. 02 attached to this Decision.
3. People who have completed their prison sentences and production and business establishments specified in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Article must have no outstanding debt at the Bank for Social Policies for other credit programs with for the same purpose of using loan capital for vocational training, production, business, and job creation in accordance with the law.”

• Secondly, stipulating on loan capital amount.

Specifically, Article 6 of Decision No. 22/2023/QĐ-TTg stipulates: “Article 6. Loan capital amount

1. For loans for vocational trainingThe maximum loan capital is 04 million VND/month/person who has completed their prison sentence.

2. For loans for production, business, and job creationa) People who have completed their prison sentence: The maximum loan capital is 100 million VND/person who has completed their prison sentence;

b) Production and business establishments: Maximum loan capital is 02 billion VND/project and not more than 100 million VND/employee at the production and business establishment.”

[1] Article 8 of Circular No. 39/2016/TT-NHNN supplemented in Circular No. 06/2023/TT-NHNN: “Article 1. Amending and supplementing a number of articles of Circular No. 39/2016/TT-NHNN

…

2. To amend and supplement Article 8 as follows:

“Article 8: Rejected loan demands

Credit institutions shall not be allowed to approve the following loan demands:

1. Loans used for doing business or investing in sectors or activities prohibited by the Investment Law.
2. Loans used for paying expenses or meeting financial demands of business or investment in sectors or activities prohibited by the Investment Law and other transactions or activities prohibited by laws.
3. Loans used for purchasing or using goods or services in the list of prohibited sectors and activities under the Investment Law.
4. Loans used for buying gold bullion.
5. Loans used for repaying loan debts owed to lending credit institutions, except those used for paying loan interests arising during the construction process which are accounted for in the total construction cost estimate approved by a competent authority in accordance with regulations of law.
6. Loans used for repaying foreign loan debts (excluding foreign loans granted in the form of deferred payment for purchased goods) or repaying loan debts owed to other credit institutions, except for a loan used for making early repayment of an existing loan that meets the following conditions: a) The term of the new loan does not exceed the remaining term of the old one; b) The old loan has not yet undergone any debt rescheduling.
7. Loans used for sending money to deposit accounts.
8. Loans used for making capital contribution to, buying or receiving transfer of stakes of a limited liability company or a partnership, or shares of a joint-stock company that is not yet listed on the securities market or registered for trading on the Upcom system.
9. Loans used for making capital contributions under capital contribution contracts, investment cooperation contracts or business cooperation contracts for executing investment projects that are unfit for sale or for business operation as prescribed by laws when the credit institution issues its lending decision.
10. Loans used for financial offsetting purposes, except for those meeting the following conditions: a) The customer has used their own funds for paying costs incurred from their business project for a period of less than 12 months by the time of grant of lending decision by the credit institution; b) Costs paid using the customer’s funds for executing a business project are costs to be covered using the fund borrowed from the credit institution under the plan to use borrowed fund submitted to the credit institution when applying for a medium-term or long-term loan for executing that business project.”.”

1. LEGAL DOCUMENTS ARE EFFECTIVE FROM 01/08/2023

Circular No. 08/2023/TT-NHNN prescribing eligibility requirements for foreign loans without Government’s guarantee

• Name of legal document: Circular No. 08/2023/TT-NHNN issued on 30/06/2023 by the State Bank of Vietnam prescribing eligibility requirements for foreign loans without Government’s guarantee (referred to as the “Circular No. 08/2023/TT-NHNN”).
• Effective date: 15/08/2023.

The content should be noted:

• Firstly, loan purposes of the borrowers that are credit instututions or foreign bank branches.

Specifically, Article 14 of Circular No. 08/2023/TT-NHNN stipulates: “Article 14. Loan purposes

1. Short-term and medium/long-term foreign loans are used for:a) increasing the borrower’s funding for credit extension activities to meet its credit growth target;b) restructuring the borrower’s foreign debts;
2. When applying for a medium/long-term foreign loan, the borrower shall be required to prove its loan purposes by presenting:a) The plan for use of foreign loan capital as prescribed in Clause 2 Article 7 of this Circular if the loan is used for the purpose defined in Point a Clause 1 of this Article; orb) The debt restructuring plan as prescribed in Article 8 of this Circular if the loan is used for the purpose defined in Point b Clause 1 of this Article.”

• Secondly, limit on short-term foreign loans of the borrowers that are credit instututions or foreign bank branches.

Specifically, Article 15 of Circular No. 08/2023/TT-NHNN stipulates: “Article 15. Limit on short-term foreign loans

A borrower may apply for a short-term foreign loan if it meets the limit on short-term foreign loans as at December 31 of the year preceding the year in which the loan application is submitted. The limit on short-term foreign loans is the maximum ratio of total outstanding principal of short-term foreign loans to standalone equity, and shall not exceed:

1. 30% if the borrower is a commercial bank; or
2. 150% if the borrower is a FBB or another credit institution.”

2. LEGAL DOCUMENTS ARE ISSUED IN 07/2023

2.1. Circular No. 18/VBHN-NHNN prescribing lending transactions of credit institutions and/or foreign bank branches with customers

• Name of legal document: Circular No. 18/VBHN-NHNN issued on 12/07/2023 by the State Bank of Vietnam prescribing lending transactions of credit institutions and/or foreign bank branches with customers.
• Effective date: 12/07/2023.

The content should be noted: Consolidating the Circular No. 39/2016/TT-NHNN dated December 30, 2016 of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam prescribing lending transactions of credit institutions and/or foreign bank branches with customers, effective from March 15, 2017, and Circular No. 06/2023/TT-NHNN dated June 28, 2023 of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam amending and supplementing a number of articles of Circular No. 39/2016/TT-NHNN dated December 30, 2016 of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam prescribing lending transactions of credit institutions and/or foreign bank branches with customers, effective from September 1, 2023.

2.2. Circular No. 09/2023/TT-NHNN instructing for implementation of some articles of the Law on Anti-Money Laundering

• Name of legal document: Circular No. 09/2023/TT-NHNN issued on 28/07/2023 by the State Bank of Vietnam instructing for implementation of some articles of the Law on Anti-Money Laundering (referred to as the “Circular No. 09/2023/TT-NHNN”).
• Effective date: 28/07/2023.

The content should be noted: Stipulating suspicious transaction reporting regime.

Specifically, Article 7 of Circular No. 09/2023/TT-NHNN stipulates: “Article 7. Suspicious transaction reporting regime

1. The reporting object is responsible for reporting to the agency performing the function and task of preventing and combating money laundering when detecting suspicious transactions as prescribed in Article 26 of the Law on Anti-Money Laundering. The report shall be made in writing in accordance with Appendix II issued together with this Circular or by electronic data when a compatible information technology system is established for reporting electronic data as prescribed in Clause 1, Article 10 of this Circular and not in the case of reporting to other competent state agencies as prescribed in Clause 3, Article 37 of the Law on Anti-Money Laundering.
2. The reporting of suspicious transactions according to the provisions of Article 26 of the Law on Anti-Money Laundering does not depend on the amount of transaction money of the customer, whether the transaction has been completed or not.
3. Agencies performing anti-money laundering functions and tasks are responsible for confirming receipt of suspicious transaction reports by sending an email to an individual’s or ministry’s email address or department as prescribed at Point b, Clause 9, Article 5 of this Circular or in writing within 05 working days from the date of receipt of the suspicious transaction report; exchange with the subject reporting the arising problems (if any).

…”

1. LEGAL DOCUMENTS ARE EFFECTIVE FROM 01/07/2023

1.1.  Decree No. 13/2023/ND-CP protection of personal data

• Name of legal document: Decree 13/2023/ND-CP issued on 17/04/2023 by the Government protection of personal data (referred to as the “Decree No. 13/2023/ND-CP”).
• Effective date: 01/07/2023.

The content should be noted: Duties for credit institutions.

Specifically, Article 3 of Decree No. 13/2023/ND-CP stipulates: “Article 3. Rules for protection of personal data

1. The personal data shall be processed as prescribed by law.
2. The data subject shall be entitled to receive information related to the processing of his/her personal data, unless otherwise provided for by law.
3. The personal data shall be processed for the purposes that have been registered and declared by the Personal Data Controller, the Personal Data Processor, the Personal Data Controller-cum-Processor and the Third Party.
4. The collected personal data shall be appropriate for the scope and purposes of processing. The purchase or sale of personal data shall be prohibited in any form, unless otherwise provided for by law.
5. The personal data shall be updated and added for the processing purposes.
6. The personal data shall be protected and secured throughout the processing. To be specific, the personal data shall be protected from violations against regulations on protection of personal data and prevention of loss, destruction or damage caused by incidents and use of technical measures.
7. The personal data shall be stored within a period of time that is appropriate for the processing purposes, unless otherwise provided for by law.
8. The Personal Data Controller and the Personal Data Controller-cum-Processor shall comply with the rules for data processing specified in Clauses 1 through 7 of this Article and prove their compliance.”

1.2.  Circular No. 06/2023/TT-NHNN amending and supplementing a number of articles of Circular No. 39/2016/TT-NHNN dated December 30, 2016 of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam prescribing lending transactions of credit institutions and/or foreign bank branches with customers

• Name of legal document: Circular No. 06/2023/TT-NHNN issued on 28/06/2023 by the State Bank of Vietnam amending and supplementing a number of articles of Circular No. 39/2016/TT-NHNN dated December 30, 2016 of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam prescribing lending transactions of credit institutions and/or foreign bank branches with customers (referred to as the “Circular No. 06/2023/TT-NHNN”).
• Effective date: 01/09/2023.

The content should be noted: Rejected loan demands.

Specifically, Article 6 of Circular No. 17/2022/TT-NHNN stipulates: ““Article 1. Amending and supplementing a number of articles of Circular No. 39/2016/TT-NHNN

…

2. To amend and supplement Article 8 as follows:

“Article 8. Rejected loan demands

Credit institutions shall not be allowed to approve the following loan demands:

1. To carry out business investment activities in bussiness lines banned from investment and business in accordance with the Law on Investment.
2. To pay expenses and meet the financial needs of business investment activities in bussiness lines banned from investment and business in accordance with the Law on Investment and other transactions and acts prohibited by laws.
3. To purchase and use goods and services in bussiness lines banned from investment and business in accordance with the Law on Investment.
4. To buy gold bars.
5. To repay the loan at the lending credit institution, except for the case of lending to pay the loan interest arising during the construction process, the interest expense is calculated in total construction investment approved by competent authorities in accordance with laws.
6. To repay foreign loans (excluding foreign loans in the form of goods purchase and sale with deferred payment), credit extension at other credit institutions, except for loans to repay loans before maturity. The loan fully meets the following conditions:a) The loan term does not exceed the remaining loan term of the old loan;b) It is a loan that has not yet been restructured.
7. To send money.
8. To pay for capital contribution, purchase, receive and transfer capital contributions of limited liability companies or partnerships; contribute capital, purchase, receive and transfer shares of joint stock companies that have not been listed on the stock market or have not been registered for trading on the Upcom trading system.
9. To pay the capital contribution under the capital contribution contract, investment cooperation contract or business cooperation contract for the implementation of an investment project that is not eligible to be put into business as prescribed by law at that time credit institutions decide to lend.
10. For financial compensation, unless the loan fully meets the following conditions:a) The customer has advanced the customer’s own capital to pay and pay the cost of implementing the business project, which the costs of implementing this business project have been incurred less than 12 months up to the time credit institutions decide to lend;b) Expenses paid and paid with the customer’s own capital in order to carry out the business project are the expenses using the loan source of the credit institution according to the capital use plan sent to the credit institutions to be considered for medium and long-term loans to carry out that business project.””

2. LEGAL DOCUMENTS ARE ISSUED IN 06/2023

2.1. Decision No. 1123/QĐ-NHNN refinancing interest rate, re-discount interest rate, interest rate on overnight loans in interbank electronic payment and loans for making up fund deficits in clearing payment given by the State Bank of Vietnam to credit institutions and foreign bank branches

• Name of legal document: Decision No. 1123/QĐ-NHNN issued on 16/06/2023 by the State Bank of Vietnam refinancing interest rate, re-discount interest rate, interest rate on overnight loans in interbank electronic payment and loans for making up fund deficits in clearing payment given by the State Bank of Vietnam to credit institutions and foreign bank branches (referred to as the “Decision No. 1123/QĐ-NHNN”).
• Effective date: 19/06/2023.

The content should be noted: The interest rates are adopted by the State Bank of Vietnam.

Specifically, Article 1 of Decision No. 1123/QĐ-NHNN stipulates: “Article 1. The following interest rates are adopted by the State Bank of Vietnam, including:

1. Refinancing interest rate: 4,5%/year.
2. Re-discount interest rate: 3,0%/year.
3. Interest rate on overnight loans in interbank electronic payment and loans for making up fund deficits in clearing payment given by the State Bank of Vietnam to credit Institutions and foreign bank branches: 5,0%/year.”

2.2. Decision No. 1124/QĐ-NHNN on maximum interest rates of deposits in Vietnam Dong of organizations and individuals at credit institutions and foreign bank branches according to Circular No. 07/2014/TT-NHNN dated March 17, 2014

• Name of legal document: Decision No. 1124/QĐ-NHNN issued on 16/06/2023 by the State Bank of Vietnam on maximum interest rates of deposits in Vietnam Dong of organizations and individuals at credit institutions and foreign bank branches according to Circular No. 07/2014/TT-NHNNdated March 17, 2014 (referred to as the “Decision No. 1124/QĐ-NHNN”).
• Effective date: 19/06/2023.

The content should be noted: Maximum interest rates of deposits in Vietnam Dong (VND) of organizations and individuals at credit institutions and foreign banks branches according to Circular No. 07/2014/TT-NHNN.

Specifically, Article 1 of Decision No. 1124/QĐ-NHNN stipulates: “Article 1. Maximum interest rates of deposits in Vietnam Dong (VND) of organizations (except credit institutions and foreign bank branches) and individuals at credit institutions and foreign banks branches according to Circular No. 07/2014/TT-NHNN dated March 17, 2014 are as follows:

1. The maximum interest rate of demand deposits and deposits with a term less than 1 month is 0,5%/year.
2. The maximum interest rate of deposits with a term from 1 month to less than 6 months is 4,75%/year. Particularly, people’s credit funds and microfinance institutions shall apply the maximum interest rate of 5,25%/year with respect to deposits with a term from 1 month to less than 6 months.”

2.3. Decision No. 1125/QĐ-NHNN prescribing maximum interest rates of short-term loans in Vietnamese Dong granted by credit institutions and foreign bank branches to meet borrowers’ funding demand in certain business sectors according to Circular No. 39/2016/TT-NHNN dated December 30, 2016

• Name of legal document: Decision No. 1125/QĐ-NHNN issued on 16/06/2023 by the State Bank of Vietnam prescribing maximum interest rates of short-term loans in Vietnamese Dong granted by credit institutions and foreign bank branches to meet borrowers’ funding demand in certain business sectors according to Circular No. 39/2016/TT-NHNNdated December 30, 2016 (referred to as the “Decision No. 1125/QĐ-NHNN”).
• Effective date: 19/06/2023.

The content should be noted: Maximum interest rates of short-term loans in Vietnamese Dong (VND) according to Clause 2 Article 13 of the Circular No. 39/2016/TT-NHNN.

Specifically, Article 1 of Decision No. 1125/QĐ-NHNN stipulates: “Article 1. Maximum interest rates of short-term loans in Vietnamese Dong (VND) according to Clause 2 Article 13 of the Circular No. 39/2016/TT-NHNN dated December 30, 2016 are as follows:

1. Credit institutions and foreign bank branches (except for People’s Credit Funds and microfinance institutions) shall grant short-term loans in VND with the maximum interest rate of 4,0%/year.
2. People’s Credit Funds and microfinance institutions shall grant short-term loans in VND with the maximum interest rate of 5,0%/year.”

2.4. Official Letter No. 2535/TCT-TTKT on strengthen coordination in tax administration

• Name of document: Official Letter 2535/TCT-TTKT issued on 21/06/2023 by the General Department of Taxation on strengthen coordination in tax administration (referred to as the “Official Letter No. 2535/TCT-TTKT”).

The content should be noted: Providing information on transactions through accounts, account balances, transaction data.

Specifically, Section 1 of Official Letter No. 2535/TCT-TTKT stipulates: “1. About providing information on transactions through accounts, account balances, transaction data.

– Commercial banks and other credit institutions provide information on transactions through accounts, account balances and transaction data at the request of the Director of Taxation Department for purposes of inspection, examination, determine the tax payable and take measures to enforce the administrative decision on tax administration in accordance with the tax law, within 10 working days from the date of receipt of the written request of the tax authority. In case commercial banks and other credit institutions fail to provide data at the request of tax administration authorities, they will be administratively sanctioned as prescribed in Article 19 of Decree No. 125/2020/ND-CP dated October 19, 2020 of the Government on penalties for administrative violations on taxes and invoices.

– Tax Departments, upon request for information, shall send documents to the Head Office of commercial banks and other credit institutions for implementation. The requested content needs to be complete and detailed with identification information and content for commercial banks and other credit institutions to implement. For complicated and important matters, it is possible to organize a meeting between the Tax Department and commercial banks and other credit institutions; or coordinate and work with the Tax Department to directly manage such commercial banks and other credit institutions in accordance with law. Tax Departments that directly manage commercial banks and other credit institutions are responsible for coordinating with Tax Departments upon request.

– Tax Departments are responsible for keeping information confidential, using information for the right purposes and taking full responsibility for the safety of information in accordance with the Law on Tax Administration and relevant laws.”