Circular 20/2026/TT-NHNN amend Circular 22/2015/TT-NHNN on supply and use of cheques

CIRCULAR

Amending and supplementing a number of articles of Circular No. 22/2015/TT-NHNN prescribing the supply and use of cheques

Pursuant to the Law on the State Bank of Vietnam No. 46/2010/QH12;

Pursuant to the Law on Credit Institutions No. 32/2024/QH15, amended and supplemented under Law No. 96/2025/QH15;

Pursuant to the Law on Negotiable Instruments No. 49/2005/QH11;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 52/2024/ND-CP on cashless payment;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 26/2025/ND-CP defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the State Bank of Vietnam

At the proposal of the Director of the Payment Department;

The Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam hereby promulgates the Circular Amending and supplementing a number of articles of Circular No. 22/2015/TT-NHNN prescribing the supply and use of cheques.

Article 1. To amend and supplement Article 10

 “Article 10. Procedures for registration of blank cheque forms

1. Commercial banks, policy banks, cooperative banks or foreign bank branches shall register their blank cheque forms at the State Bank (the Payment Department) before printing blank cheques for provision to customers. A cheque supplier shall submit one dossier for registration of blank cheque forms by any of the following methods:

a) Online submission via the National public service portal;

b) Submission by post;

c) Direct submission at the State Bank’s single-window section.

2. A dossier for registration of blank cheque forms with the State Bank (the Payment Department) must comprise:

a) A written request for registration of blank cheque forms, made according to Appendix 08 to Circular No. 22/2015/TT-NHNN;

b) A bank cheque design, including its dimensions, colours and detailed elements;

c) A copy of the cheque supplier’s establishment and operation license.

The copy of the cheque supplier’s establishment and operation license shall be certified as prescribed by law. If the copy is neither a certified copy nor a copy issued from the master register, the cheque supplier shall produce the original for comparison upon submission of the dossier.

The State Bank (the Payment Department) shall proactively retrieve and use available information in specialized databases in substitution for dossier components required for settlement of administrative procedures. If such information cannot be retrieved or the retrieved information is incomplete or inaccurate, the State Bank (the Payment Department) shall request the cheque supplier to supplement the dossier components for settlement of the administrative procedures.

3. Within 3 working days from the receipt of the complete and valid dossier, the State Bank (the Payment Department) shall issue a certification of the cheque supplier’s blank cheque form registration. In case of refusal, a written response clearly specifying the reasons shall be issued.

The State Bank (the Payment Department) shall notify the cheque supplier the administrative procedure settlement results online on the National public service portal. Such results may be notified in paper form via postal office or directly at the State Bank’s single-window section, as requested by the cheque supplier.

4. In case of online submission of dossiers via the National public service portal, e-dossiers may bear secure specialized e-signatures or digital signatures as prescribed by the law on e-transactions and performance of administrative procedures in the electronic environment.

In the event of the National public service portal’s incident or error, resulting in the failure of receipt or exchange of electronic information, or notification of results, the declaration, submission, receipt, result notification, and information exchange or response shall be carried out via postal office, or directly at the State Bank’s single-window section.

Documents included in the dossier shall be electronic copies scanned from their originals (PDF files).”.

Article 2.  To amend and supplement Point b, Clause 1, Article 21

“b) If a cheque does not bear the phrase ‘for deposit into an account’, the drawee may, at the request of the beneficiary, make payment in cash at the places of presentment specified in Article 20 of this Circular, unless otherwise prohibited by law.

The person receiving cash shall clearly state his/her full name and personal identification number or valid passport number on the back of the cheque;”.

Article 3. To replace phrases at Point b, Clause 2 and Clause 4, Article 16, and Appendices to Circular No. 22/2015/TT-NHNN

1. To replace the phrase ““temporary suspension” with the phrase “freezing”.

2. To replace the phrase “citizen identity card number” with the phrase “personal identification number or passport number” in Appendices 01b, 03, 04, 05, 06 and 07.

Article 4. Responsibility for implementation organization

Heads of units under the State Bank, commercial banks, foreign bank branches, policy banks, cooperative banks, people’s credit funds, and microfinance institutions shall organize the implementation of this Circular.

Article 5. Effect

This Circular takes effect from July 04, 2026.

Article 6. Transitional provisions

Cheque suppliers already printed blank cheques for customers may continue using such printed cheques until they need the change such cheque forms./.