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| An exhibition showcases AI-based technological products, AI ecosystems and incentive policies for AI development in Da Nang__Photo: VNA |
1. National Assembly Resolution 203/2025/QH15 amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Constitution
This Resolution is set to take effect on June 16, 2025.
One of the most turning-point reforms brought about by the amendments to the Constitution is the restructuring of local administrations into a two-tier system. The district-level administrative units nationwide terminated their operation on July 1, 2025, marking a structural change in the state apparatus. This is not only a change in management technique but also a profound institutional reform that is likely to change all approaches of delegation and decentralization of powers and organization of operation of local administrations in Vietnam.
2. Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on Vietnamese Nationality
Coming into force on July 1, 2025, the law says that persons with dual nationality may work as civil servants as far as their work is beneficial for the State and is deemed not detrimental to the national interests and provided that they are permanently residing in Vietnam. Their identity cards and e-identity are proofs of their Vietnamese nationality.
The law also adds cases in which a person can retain his foreign nationality upon his naturalization in Vietnam. This is expected to create favorable conditions for foreigners and overseas Vietnamese to be naturalized in Vietnam or restore their Vietnamese nationality. Persons wishing to be naturalized in Vietnam may file their application dossiers to provincial-level Departments of Justice if they are residing in the country, or to Vietnamese representative missions in host countries if they are residing overseas.
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| Brazilian football forward Rafaelson Fernandes acquires Vietnamese nationality, adopting the new name Nguyen Xuan Son__Photo: Internet |
3. Law on Recovery and Bankruptcy
This Law, effective as of March 1, 2026, provides the order and procedures for filing and docketing of requests for initiation of bankruptcy procedures, and for initiating bankruptcy procedures; the determination of property obligations and measures to preserve property in the course of bankruptcy settlement; procedures for business restoration; the declaration of bankruptcy, and execution of decisions on declaration of bankruptcy.
The Law expands its scope of regulation by adding principles for settlement of recovery and bankruptcy cases, while clearly defining the duties and powers of persons carrying out, and the rights and obligations of those involved in, recovery and bankruptcy procedures. The new provisions also clarify the subjects of application, including enterprises, cooperatives and cooperative unions.
Worthy of note, the Law specifies recovery procedures as an independent institution in a comprehensive and detailed manner. It supplements and refines courts’ jurisdiction for settling recovery and bankruptcy cases, and expands duties and powers of judges in handling such cases.-
4. Law on Extradition
The 45-article law provides principles, competence, conditions, order and procedures for performing the extradition of persons between Vietnam and foreign countries, and responsibilities of Vietnamese state agencies involved in the extradition.
Taking effect on July 1, 2026, the law clearly stipulates the holding of persons in cases of emergency before extradition requests are made. Accordingly, in case a foreign country requests Vietnam to hold a person in a case of emergency before making an extradition request under the treaty on extradition to which both Vietnam and such foreign country are state parties, the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam will examine the validity of the request in accordance with such treaty.
In case a foreign country requests Vietnam to hold a person in a case of emergency before making an extradition request but Vietnam and such foreign country are not state parties to any treaty on extradition, the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam will examine the validity of the request under regulations.
5. Law on Investment
This Law, set to come into force on March 1, 2026, allows investors to establish enterprises before formulating a specific investment project while only being required to satisfy the market access condition.
It clarifies the scope of approval of investment policy. Instead of the competence-based approach, the law enumerates 20 types of projects subject to approval, thereby enhancing transparency and applicability. The law also eases special investment procedures (applying the green channel) to projects in functional zones, radically shifting from pre-licensing inspection to post-licensing inspection.
For the first time, investors are permitted to propose prolonging or shortening the project operation duration right during the project implementation to suit their financial or business plans.
6. Law on E-Commerce
This Law, effective as of July 1, 2026, introduces such significant changes as imposing ban on the provision of unlicensed services and trading in counterfeit and imitate goods; forcing e-commerce platforms to remove illegal products when reported; requiring sellers to have their identities authenticated and provide information on business registration and goods quality; requiring livestreamers to have their identities authenticated and present business/advertising licenses and refrain from providing false information; and requiring those engaged in affiliate marketing to get e-identification and refrain from disseminating bad contents.
The law states that violators in e-commerce must pay compensation for damage and may, depending on the extent of the violations, be examined for penal liability.
7. Law on Cybersecurity
This Law consolidates the 2018 Law on Cybersecurity and the 2015 Law on Cyberinformation Security and is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.
It expands the scope of protection of disadvantaged groups in the cyberspace, to cover children, the elderly, and persons with cognition difficulties who need to receive priority in accessing cybersecurity knowledge and skills training.
The law specifies prohibited acts in cybersecurity, laying an important legal ground for functional agencies to handle violations and protect people from cybersecurity risks. One of the noteworthy new points is prohibition of the unauthorized use of artificial intelligence or new technologies to illegally forge others’ images, voices or videos.
8. Law on Artificial Intelligence
This Law, coming into effect as of March 1, 2026, is the first ever of its kind. With 35 articles, it was designed toward the “management in favor of development” approach, ensuring the balance between the control of risks and the promotion of innovation in conformity with international practices, thereby facilitating Vietnam’s approach to emerging technological standards.
The law places humans at the center, stating that artificial intelligence (AI) must serve humanity rather than replacing it, and must ensure human oversight in critical decisions.
The law lays the foundation for AI autonomy, ranging from computing infrastructure to data and research capacity, enabling Vietnam to build an AI workforce capable of global competition. It permits the State to invest in the national AI computing center and the controlled open data system. These are expected to help reduce computing costs, lift the market access barriers, and promote a more competitive and transparent AI ecosystem.
9. Law on Atomic Energy
Effective as of January 1, 2026, and superseding the 2008 version, the law provides the development and application of atomic energy; radiation safety, radiation protection, nuclear safety and nuclear security; nuclear power plants, research nuclear reactors; response to radiation incidents and nuclear incidents; compensation for radiation and nuclear damage; nuclear safeguards; and state management of atomic energy.
Regarding nuclear power plants, the law introduces provisions on investment, construction, operation and decommissioning of nuclear power plants; supervision of safety and assurance of security throughout the lifecycle of nuclear power plants, thereby ensuring the consistency of Vietnam’s legal system and alignment with international practices and IAEA’s guidelines.
10. Law on Population
Replacing the 2003 Ordinance on Population from July 1, 2026, this Law facilitates the transition from family planning to population and human resource development, providing core contents of the current population work, such as sustaining the replacement birthrate, reducing the at-birth sex ratio imbalance, adapting to population aging and aging population, improving population quality, and intensifying the public communication and education about population.
Noteworthy policies introduced in the law include permitting any woman who gives birth to the second child to take a seven-month maternity leave, and providing financial support to birth-giving women of ethnic minority groups with very small populations; women living in provinces or cities with a birth rate below the replacement fertility, and women giving birth to two children before reaching 35 years of age.
Particularly, the law prohibits prenatal sex disclosure for the purpose of abortion.-
[1] Selected by Vietnam Law and Legal Forum.
