Key policies effective from July 1st.

No new household registration books will be issued.

The amended Residence Law takes effect today. According to Circular 55 of the Ministry of Public Security, when citizens register for permanent residence, adjust information in the Residence Database, split households, delete permanent residence registration, register for temporary residence, extend temporary residence, or delete temporary residence registration, resulting in changes to their information...household registration bookRegarding temporary residence permits, the residence registration authority is responsible for revoking the issued permit.

This agency will adjust and update information in the Residence Database in accordance with the Residence Law and will not issue new or reissue household registration books or temporary residence books. Therefore, those who do not follow the above procedures will not have their household registration books revoked. These books will continue to be used normally until the end of 2022.

To support the new model of population management, two projects, the National Population Database and the Production, Issuance, and Management of Citizen Identity Cards, will begin operation today. These are the two largest information technology projects ever undertaken in Vietnam, implemented from the central government to all 63 provinces and cities; over 700 districts, towns, and cities; and nearly 11,000 communes, wards, and townships nationwide.

A significant change in the amended Residence Law is that the conditions for permanent residence registration will now be the same in all provinces and cities. Previously, the 2006 Residence Law stipulated separate conditions for permanent residence registration in provinces, centrally governed cities, and the inner city of Hanoi.

From July 1st, authorities will adjust and update information in the Residence Database in accordance with the Residence Law and will no longer issue new or reissued Household Registration Books or Temporary Residence Books. Photo: Xuan Hoa

The allowance for Vietnamese Heroic Mothers is three times the standard rate.

The Ordinance on Preferential Treatment for Meritorious Persons, effective from July 1st, replaces the 2005 Ordinance and stipulates that the monthly allowance for Vietnamese Heroic Mothers is three times the standard rate.

The standard amount for determining allowances and preferential benefits for those who have rendered meritorious services to the revolution is 1,624,000 VND. According to previous regulations, Vietnamese Heroic Mothers were entitled to survivor benefits based on the number of their children who were martyrs, plus allowances. If a mother had one child who was a martyr, she would receive 1,624,000 VND plus an allowance of 1,361,000 VND; if she had two children who were martyrs, she would receive 3,248,000 VND (1,624,000 x 2) plus allowances.

However, the new Decree does not stipulate a survivor's allowance based on the number of children of fallen soldiers. Instead, Vietnamese Heroic Mothers will receive a monthly allowance equal to three times the standard rate (1,624,000 x 3 = 4,872,000 VND) plus additional allowances. Thus, each Vietnamese Heroic Mother will receive 6,233,000 VND per month.

According to leaders of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, with the increase in allowances and social support, Vietnamese Heroic Mothers will have a better life without depending on the number of their children who are martyrs. The Decree retains other preferential regulations for Vietnamese Heroic Mothers such as allowances for caregivers (for mothers living at home); annual health rehabilitation...

Heroic Vietnamese Mother Le Thi Chi. Photo: Nguyen Dong

Increase the standard of social assistance.

According to Decree 20, the standard levelsocial assistanceEffective from July 1st, the standard social assistance rate is 360,000 VND/month, an increase of 90,000 VND compared to Decree 136/2013. This standard rate serves as the basis for determining social assistance levels, financial support for care and nurturing, allowances for nurturing in social assistance facilities, and other social assistance levels.

Accordingly, orphans under 4 years old and HIV-infected children from poor households will receive a monthly allowance of 900,000 VND (instead of 675,000 VND). People aged 60 to 80 from poor households without caregivers will receive a monthly allowance of 540,000 VND (instead of 405,000 VND). People with severe disabilities will receive a monthly allowance of 720,000 VND (instead of 540,000 VND). People with moderate disabilities will receive a monthly allowance of 540,000 VND (instead of 405,000 VND)...

Decree 20 also stipulates policies on regular social assistance in the community; emergency social assistance; care and nurturing of social protection beneficiaries at social assistance facilities and social housing. There are six forms of emergency support, including: providing food and essential necessities from the state budget; covering treatment costs for seriously injured people; supporting funeral expenses; supporting housing construction and repair; emergency support for children whose parents die or go missing due to natural disasters, fires, epidemics, or other force majeure reasons; and job creation and production development.

Health insurance card. Photo:PV

Adding more groups eligible for free health insurance.

Decree 20 adds many more social welfare beneficiaries who are entitled to monthly social allowances and cards.Free health insuranceThe first group consists of individuals classified as near-poor households who are unmarried; or who were married but their spouse has died or is missing according to the law and is raising children under 16 years old, or children aged 16 to 22 years old who are studying at a general education school, vocational school, professional secondary school, college, or university for their first degree.

Secondly, people aged 75 to 80 who belong to poor or near-poor households and live in communes and villages in ethnic minority and particularly difficult mountainous areas are entitled to free health insurance.

Thirdly, this includes children under 3 years old from poor or near-poor households living in communes and villages in ethnic minority and particularly difficult mountainous areas; and people infected with HIV/AIDS from poor households without a stable monthly income such as salaries, wages, pensions, social insurance benefits, or monthly social assistance.

A positive HIV test result must be communicated to a spouse or partner.

The amended Law on Prevention and Control of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV/AIDS) Infection came into effect on July 1st. The law stipulates that people infected with HIV have the obligation to promptly inform their spouse, prospective spouse, or partner living with them of their positive HIV test results.

The law adds priority groups for access to information, education, and communication on HIV/AIDS prevention and control, including transgender people; prisoners, detainees, inmates of compulsory education facilities, students of reform schools, trainees of drug rehabilitation centers; ethnic minorities; people living in mountainous areas, remote areas, islands, border areas, and areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions; and people aged 13 to under 30.