All press activities conducted by foreign press agencies, foreign representative missions and foreign organisations in Việt Nam may only be carried out after being approved by a competent agency. — VNA/VNS Photo

DECREE No. 262/2026/ND-CP of June 30, 2026

On press activities of foreign press agencies, foreign representative missions and foreign organisations in Viet Nam

Pursuant to Law No. 63/2025/QH15 on Organisation of the Government;

Pursuant to Law No. 126/2025/QH15 on the Press;

Pursuant to Law No. 47/2014/QH13 on Foreigners’ Entry into, Exit from, Transit through, and Residence in, Viet Nam, which is amended and supplemented by Law No. 51/2019/QH14 and Law No. 23/2023/QH15;

Pursuant to Law No. 05/2022/QH15 on Cinematography;

Pursuant to Law No. 68/2020/QH14 on Residence;

Pursuant to Law No. 19/2012/QH13 on Publication;

Pursuant to Ordinance No. 25-L/CTN on the privileges and immunities granted to diplomatic representative missions, consular offices and representative offices of international organisations in Viet Nam;

At the proposal of the Minister of Foreign Affairs;

The Government promulgates the Decree on press activities of foreign press agencies, foreign representative missions and foreign organisations in Viet Nam.

Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of regulation

This Decree details Clause 1, Article 47 of Law No. 126/2025/QH15 on the Press (below referred to as Law No. 126/2025) regarding press activities and press-related activities of foreign press agencies, foreign representative missions and foreign organisations in Viet Nam.

Article 2. Subjects of application

This Decree applies to foreign press agencies, foreign representative missions and foreign organisations in Viet Nam.

Article 3. Interpretation of terms

In this Decree, the terms below are construed as follows:

1. Foreign press agency means a foreign news agency, radio or television agency, print newspaper, electronic newspaper or another type of press agency that is established and headquartered abroad and recognised by foreign law.

2. Permanent office means a representative office of a foreign press agency established in Viet Nam.

3. Resident correspondent means a foreign-national correspondent or editor assigned by a foreign press agency to work in Viet Nam on a resident basis.

4. Non-resident correspondent means a foreign-national correspondent or editor assigned by a foreign press agency to work in Viet Nam for a short period and not entitled to the status of resident correspondents.

5. Press assistant means a Vietnamese citizen working under a contract for a permanent office in Viet Nam to assist resident correspondents and the permanent office in press activities in Viet Nam.

6. Contributor means a Vietnamese citizen or foreigner lawfully residing and working in Viet Nam who is hired by a permanent office to assist resident correspondents or the permanent office in certain specific press activities for a specified period.

7. Press-related activities of foreign representative missions and foreign organisations in Viet Nam means activities involving the display of pictures, hanging of panels and posters, installation of screens and other forms of information outside the headquarters of foreign representative missions and foreign organisations in Viet Nam; and film screenings and exhibitions held in Viet Nam to which Vietnamese citizens are invited.

8. Information publication of foreign representative missions and foreign organisations in Viet Nam (below referred to as foreign information publication) means a product containing information presented in written, visual or audio form, published in print or distributed electronically for circulation in Viet Nam; foreign information publications include:

a/ Newsletters, special publications and equivalent forms as prescribed by the law on the press;

b/ Non-commercial publications;

c/ Audio and visual information products containing journalistic content.

9. Press conference means an information-providing activity organised in Viet Nam by foreign agencies, organisations, delegations or individuals, with representatives of press agencies and Vietnamese citizens invited to attend, for the purpose of informing, announcing, declaring or explaining a matter falling within the competence of, or relating to the tasks and interests of, such agencies, organisations, delegations or individuals.

10. Competent agency approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs means the agency under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that is in charge of providing guidance to foreign press agencies, or an agency or organisation that directly invites, carries out procedures for, receives, and provides guidance to, foreign correspondents conducting press activities in Viet Nam.

Article 4. Principles of press activities of foreign press agencies, foreign representative missions and foreign organisations in Viet Nam

1. All press activities conducted by foreign press agencies, foreign representative missions and foreign organisations in Viet Nam may only be carried out after being approved by a competent agency specified in this Decree and must comply with the current laws of Viet Nam; and must ensure coordination with the provincial-level People’s Committee of the locality where the activities take place.

2. Online press activities of foreign press agencies, foreign representative missions and foreign organisations in Viet Nam must comply with Viet Nam’s laws on the press and cybersecurity and other relevant laws, and be consistent with treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam is a contracting party.

3. Organisations and individuals that violate the provisions of this Decree shall, depending on the nature and severity of their violations, be handled in accordance with Viet Nam’s law.

4. Matters relating to press activities and press-related activities of foreign press agencies, foreign representative missions and foreign organisations in Viet Nam that are not provided in this Decree must comply with the Law on the Press, relevant specialised laws and treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam is a contracting party.

Chapter II

PRESS ACTIVITIES OF FOREIGN PRESS IN VIET NAM

Section 1

NON-RESIDENT CORRESPONDENTS

Article 5. Procedures for issuing press activity permits to non-resident correspondents

1. A foreign correspondent wishing to conduct press activities in Viet Nam shall send a dossier of application online, by post, in person or by email to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a Vietnamese diplomatic mission, a consular office or a Vietnamese representative mission to an international organisation (below collectively referred to as Vietnamese overseas mission) at least 10 days before the proposed date of entry into Viet Nam.

A dossier of application must comprise:

a/ An application for permission to conduct press activities in Viet Nam as a non-resident correspondent, made according to the form provided in the Appendix to this Decree.

b/ A copy of the personal information page of the foreign correspondent’s passport, which must remain valid for at least 6 months.

2. In case a dossier of application is sent through a Vietnamese overseas mission, within 24 hours after receiving a valid dossier, the Vietnamese overseas mission shall forward it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for processing in accordance with regulations.

3. Within 7 working days after receiving a complete and valid dossier of application, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall issue an electronic press activity permit to the non-resident correspondent. In case of disapproval, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall issue a written or electronic reply, clearly stating the reason.

Article 6. Press activities of non-resident correspondents

1. Upon entering Viet Nam, a non-resident correspondent shall comply with the instructions of the competent agency approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The competent agency approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall guide the non-resident correspondent in conducting activities for the proper purpose and in accordance with the programme for which permission has been granted, and shall report on the activities of the press delegation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within 3 working days after completion of the programme.

When conducting press activities in Viet Nam, a non-resident correspondent shall carry his/her press activity permit and passport.

2. In case of any adjustment to or supplementation of the programme of activities or the scope of reporting activities in a locality, a non-resident correspondent shall send a written or electronic notice to the provincial-level People’s Committee of the locality where the reporting activities are conducted, while notifying the Ministry of Foreign Affairs thereof. The non-resident correspondent may only conduct such activities after obtaining written approval from the provincial-level People’s Committee.

3. In case a Vietnamese organisation or individual provides content or produces programmes for a foreign press agency that does not have a permanent office in Viet Nam, the foreign press agency shall send a dossier of application for a permit as specified in Article 5 of this Decree, and follow the instructions of the competent agency approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Article 7. Violations in press activities by non-resident correspondents

1. A non-resident correspondent who commits any of the violations specified in Clause 2 of this Article shall, depending on the nature and severity of their violations, be subject to one or more of the following measures: reminder, warning, suspension of press activities for a specified period, or revocation of the press activity permit, and shall also be handled in accordance with law.

2. Violations subject to handling include:

a/ Conducting press activities for purposes or with content, for a duration or at locations other than those specified in the press activity permit.

b/ Committing acts in violation of the law on the press or other provisions of Viet Nam’s law.

c/ Obstructing the activities of competent agencies or seriously affecting security and public order at the place where reporting activities are conducted.

3. Competent agencies and the provincial-level People’s Committee of the locality where a violation occurs shall promptly make a written record, suspend the violating activities and send a written or electronic notice, together with supporting documents, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Within 24 hours after receiving the notice of the violation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall verify the matter and issue a document to remind or warn the correspondent, suspend his/her press activities for a specified period, or revoke his/her press activity permit.

In case of revocation of the press activity permit, the competent agency approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall return the permit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Article 8. Foreign correspondents accompanying foreign delegations

1. Foreign correspondents accompanying foreign delegations visiting Viet Nam at the invitation of Party and State leaders or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall be permitted to report on activities included in the official programmes of the foreign delegations.

In case foreign correspondents wish to conduct press activities outside the official programme of a foreign delegation, they shall send a dossier of application for a press activity permit online, by post, in person or by email to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The dossier must comprise the documents specified in Clause 1, Article 5 of this Decree.

Within 3 working days after receiving a complete and valid dossier of application, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall issue a press activity permit to the foreign correspondent. In case of disapproval, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall issue a written or electronic reply, clearly stating the reason.

After being issued a press activity permit, the foreign correspondent shall conduct press activities in accordance with Article 6 of this Decree and comply with the instructions of the competent agency approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

2. For foreign correspondents accompanying foreign delegations visiting Viet Nam at the invitation of ministries, commissions, sectors or localities, the host agency shall guide the foreign correspondents to send a dossier of application for a press activity permit online, by post, in person or by email to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The dossier must comprise the documents specified in Clause 1, Article 5 of this Decree. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall issue a press activity permit in accordance with Clause 3, Article 5 of this Decree.

After the foreign correspondent is issued a press activity permit by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the host agency shall carry out procedures to sponsor the foreigner’s entry into Viet Nam in accordance with law and shall manage the correspondent’s activities after his/her entry in accordance with Article 6 of this Decree.

(To be continued)

<Source: Official Gazette, Issue Nos 73-79/2026>