New regulations from the Politburo on party membership fees.

Regulation No. 01-QD/TW introduces several important adjustments, most notably the reform of the method for collecting and paying Party membership fees. Except for cases where payment is delayed or made in advance as stipulated, Party members residing in Vietnam (including probationary members) pay their monthly fees through the National Public Service Portal or directly in cash to their Party branch. The collection and payment of Party membership fees by Party organizations at all levels, except in cases of force majeure, will be carried out through the National Public Service Portal according to the roadmap and guidance of the Central Party Office.

Regulation No. 01-QD/TW adjusts the method for determining party membership fees for specific groups. For party members residing in Vietnam, the amount of party membership fees is determined based on their social insurance participation status and specific group.

Party members participating in compulsory social insurance pay monthly party membership fees equal to 1% of their salary used as the basis for social insurance contributions in the previous month; in case of sick leave or maternity leave, they pay 1% of the allowance paid by the social insurance agency.

Party members who do not participate in compulsory social insurance, if they receive a pension, pay party dues equal to 0.5% of their pension. Party members who are students pay 5,000 VND per month.

Party members who have not yet reached retirement age will pay party dues at a rate of 0.3% of the regional minimum wage for the period 2026-2027 and 0.5% from 2028 onwards; party members who have reached retirement age but have not yet received a pension will pay at a lower rate, corresponding to 0.2% of the regional minimum wage for the period 2026-2027 and 0.3% of the regional minimum wage from 2028 onwards.

For Party members who are war veterans, or who receive disability benefits, loss of working capacity benefits, or monthly social welfare benefits, the Party membership fee is 50% of the fee for each corresponding group.

Party members working abroad at Vietnamese representative offices, their spouses serving fixed terms, and students studying abroad with state budget funding or under agreements pay party dues equivalent to 1% of their monthly living expenses.

For other party members abroad, the Party Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will consult and reach an agreement with the Central Party Office and the Central Organization Department; and report to the Party Committee of the Government for consideration and decision on the amount of party membership fees and the specific currency for payment, at a rate equivalent to 30,000 to 400,000 VND per month.

Another noteworthy point is that Regulation No. 01-QD/TW has specified the cases eligible for exemption or reduction of Party membership fees. Besides exempting Party members with 50 years or more of Party membership or those receiving social retirement benefits as stipulated by the Government, the Regulation adds cases of Party members with particularly difficult circumstances, such as belonging to poor or near-poor households, or those suffering from serious illnesses as defined by the Ministry of Health. At the same time, the Regulation allows for consideration of exemption or reduction of 30%, 50%, or 70% of Party membership fees for a maximum of 12 months for other difficult cases, based on the Party member's request and the decision of the competent Party committee.

Regulation No. 01-QD/TW supplements and clarifies cases where party membership fees can be paid late or in advance, especially for party members temporarily exempted from party activities due to mobile work, living far from their place of residence, or in areas without a party organization. At the same time, it stipulates that party membership fees will not be collected during the period when a party member's party membership is suspended due to temporary detention or a court-imposed sentence of non-custodial correctional measures or higher.

Regarding the allocation, management, and use of party membership fees, Regulation No. 01-QĐ/TW specifies in detail and clearly the percentage of party membership fees to be retained for each type of party organization. The regulation requires party organizations to fully update the identifying information of the party organization and party members on the Party's data system to ensure that the allocation of party membership fees through the National Public Service Portal is timely and accurate.

The regulations will take effect from February 1, 2026, replacing the Regulations on Party Membership Fees issued with Decision No. 342-QĐ/TW dated December 28, 2010, of the Politburo. Party committees from the grassroots level upwards and inspection committees at all levels are responsible for guiding, inspecting, and regularly supervising the implementation of the Regulations on Party Membership Fees.

PV