Papers for foreigners to carry out vehicle registration in Vietnam

I am a foreign expat currently working in Vietnam and have been granted a residence permit with a validity period of three years. I’m considering buying a motorbike or a car for use in Vietnam. What papers do I need for the vehicle registration process?

Under the above-mentioned Circular, a first-time vehicle registration dossier must comprise: 

- A vehicle registration declaration: You may log in to and fill in the declaration form at the Ministry of Public Security’s Public Service Portal (dichvucong.bocongan.gov.vn).

- The vehicle owner’s ID papers: As you are a foreigner residing and working in Vietnam, you need to produce your residence permit which, however, must remain valid for at least six months, counting by the time of registration.

- Vehicle documents:

(i) Proof of origin:

+ If your vehicle is an imported one, the Vehicle Registration and Management System will acquire vehicle information from the Public Service Portal or the custom database.

Particularly, if electronic customs data on your vehicle is unavailable or your vehicle was imported before December 1, 2020, you will have to submit a declaration of origin as prescribed for vehicles imported under commercial contracts.

+ If your vehicle is manufactured or assembled in the country, the proof of origin will be the certificate of ex-works quality inspection which will be taken in the form of electronic data from the Public Service Portal or the car inspection database in case such electronic data are available; otherwise, the paper certificate will be required.  

(ii) Proof of ownership: If you buy the vehicle from, or are gifted the vehicle by, its former owner, you will need a document proving the transfer of title, which may be:

+ The e-invoice data, which will be acquired by the Vehicle Registration and Management System from the Public Service Portal or the tax administration database. In case of unavailability of e-invoice data, you will be required to submit the paper invoice or an invoice converted from the e-invoice; or,

+ A notarized or authenticated agreement on the sale and purchase or gifting of the vehicle.

(iii) Proof of payment of registration fee, which will either be taken by the Vehicle Registration and Management System in the form of electronic data from the Public Service Portal or the tax administration database or a receipt of payment of registration fee to the state budget or another registration fee payment document according to regulations. If your vehicle is exempted from the registration fee, you have to produce a tax authority’s notice of registration fee payment, containing information on registration fee exemption.

By VLLF