Starting in August 2023, people will receive a new pension and social insurance allowance; vehicle registration will be permited at the place of temporary residence; passport with 6 months validity will no longer be required when exiting.

Adjustment of pension, social insurance allowance and monthly allowance

According to the Decree 42/2023/ND-CP on pension, social insurance allowance, monthly allowance has been officially adjusted to increase from July 2023. Those who have enjoyed a surge of 7.4 percent from January 1, 2022 according to the Decree No. 108/2021/ND-CP enjoy an increase of 12.5 percent since June 2023 while those who have not enjoyed a benefit rate of 7.4 percent from January 1, 2022, as per the Decree No. 108/2021/ND-CP gain an increase in 20.8 percent of the benefit rate of June 2023.

Because the Decree 42/2023/ND-CP will take effect from August 14, 2023, the social insurance agency will still pay the July pension and allowance payment at the old level.

Therefore, to promptly ensure the regimes and policies for pensioners, social insurance benefits and monthly allowances, the Social Insurance Policy Implementation Board of Vietnam Social Insurance announced that the Vietnam Social Insurance will pay pension, social insurance allowance and monthly allowance according to the new rate from August 14, 2023; at the same time, the agency will fully repay the unpaid extra income of July 2023.

Vehicle registration at temporary residence

This is one of the changes in vehicle registration specified in the Ministry of Public Security’s Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA on granting and revoking motor vehicle registration and number plates.

According to the Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA’s Clause 2, Article 3, vehicle owners are organizations or individuals with permanent or temporary residence in any locality who may register their vehicles at the local vehicle registration authority; except for those who won the license plate auction.

With this regulation, local residents can completely complete vehicle registration procedures at their temporary residence from August 15, 2023, without returning to the locality of their permanent residence to register and issue license plates.

In addition, the Circular 24/2023/ TT-BCA also stipulates many new regulations. According to the Circular, license plates are issued and managed according to the vehicle owner's identification code. Moreover, vehicle owners may keep the license plate for registering another vehicle under their ownership when their vehicles have expired, damaged or have changed ownership. Individuals aged full 15 years or older may register their vehicles. People from 15 to under 18 years of age must be approved by a parent or guardian if they make vehicle registration.

Bank accounts frozen by inspection agencies

The Decree No. 43/2023/ND-CP detailing a number of articles and measures to implement the Law on Inspection, effective from August 15, 2023.

According to Articles 40 and 41 of the Decree 43/2023/ND-CP, heads of inspection teams will issue a decision to block accounts of a person when that person shows signs of property dispersal or that person fails to comply with the time limit for handing over money and assets according to competent agencies' decisions on money and property recovery.

Change of regulations on passports

The application of the Law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Exit and Entry of Vietnamese citizens and the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of foreigners in Vietnam will start on August 15, 2023. This law has included new provisions such as adding information about "place of birth" to passports. The new regulation also deletes the requirement that passports must be valid for 6 months for people who want to go to foreign countries.

Moreover, people can do procedures online for issuing ordinary passports or report the loss of ordinary passports. The new law also restores the use value of ordinary passports and increases the duration of electronic visas from 30 days to no more than 90 days for foreigners, valid once or multiple times. Last but not least, citizens of countries that are unilaterally exempt from visas by Vietnam can enjoy an increase in the temporary residence period from 15 days to 45 days.

Driver's license test fees increase

From August 1, the driving test fee will apply according to the new regulations in the Ministry of Finance’s Circular 37/2023/TT-BTC dated June 7, 2023. This circular increases the driving test fee compared to current regulations. Accordingly, the driving test fee for the driving test of car classes A1, A2, A3, A4 increases by VND20,000 to VND60,000 for a theoretical test and to VND70,000 for the practice test.

For those who register for a car driving test in classes B1, B2, C, D, E, and F, the theoretical test fee is VND100,000, an increase of VND10,000 compared to the old level. Candidates must pay VND350,000 for the practical test, an increase of VND50,000 compared to the old level; VND80,000 for the practical test on roads, an increase of VND20,000 compared to the old level and VND100,000 for the driving test using software to simulate traffic situations.

Source: SGGP