Law on Belief and Religion, Law No. 02/2016/QH14

Belief establishment must be registered at least 30 days before starting belief activities

Takes effect on January 01, 2018, the Law on belief and religion No. 02/2016/QH14 passed by the National Assembly on November 18, 2016, emphasizes that the State shall respect and protect the right to freedom of belief and religion of everyone; shall guarantee that all religions are equal before law and shall protect belief establishments and religious establishments and their lawful property.

Another important content is on regulation on registration of belief activities, belief activities of a belief establishment shall be registered, except for lineal ancestor worship houses. At least 30 days before starting belief activities, the representative or management board of a belief establishment shall send  a written registration to the commune-level People’s Committee of the place where the belief establishment is located. A written registration must specify the name of the belief establishment, its belief activities and their contents, scope, time and places. The commune-level People’s Committee shall issue a written reply within 15 days after receiving a valid registration document; in case of refusal, it shall clearly state the reason. For a belief activity not yet stated in the registered document, within 20 days before it takes place, the representative or management board of a belief establishment shall make additional registration.

Also in accordance with this Law, from January 01, 2018, an organization possessing a religious activity registration certificate may be recognized as a religious organization when having operated continuously and stably for five or more years from the date it is granted a religious activity registration certificate; having a charter; having its representative or leader being a Vietnamese citizen permanently residing in Vietnam; having full civil act capacity; not being subject to an administrative handling measure in the field of belief and religion; and having no criminal records or not being subject to a criminal charge under the criminal procedure law; having an organizational structure as stated in its charter and having property independent from those of other individuals and organizations and taking responsibility with its property….