Procedures for granting social insurance unit codes

For any country, social insurance is always the most important pillar of the social security system. Social insurance policy is issued and implemented to protect the legitimate rights and interests of employees and employers. According to Decree 01/2021/ND-CP of the Government issued on January 4, 2021, regulating social insurance registration for businesses. Businesses participating in social insurance for the first time must carry out procedures to apply for a unit code to be able to transact with the social insurance agency. So what steps are involved in completing the procedures for granting social insurance unit codes in Vietnam?

Legal basis

• Law on Social Insurance 2014, as amended and supplemented in 2015, 2018, and 2019.
• Decree 01/2021/ND-CP regulating business registration.
• Decision No. 922/VBHN-BHXH dated April 5, 2023, stipulates the promulgation of procedures for collecting social insurance, health insurance, unemployment insurance, and labor accident and occupational disease insurance; manage social insurance books and health insurance cards.

What is the social insurance unit code?

The social insurance unit code is a unique series of numbers issued to units and organizations participating in social insurance to manage the payment and payment of social insurance premiums between the participating units and the social insurance agency. Specifically:

Pursuant to Clause 1, Article 8 of Decree 01/2021/ND-CP stipulates:

“1. Each business is issued a unique code called the business code. This code is also the tax code and the social insurance participating unit code of the business.”

In addition, Article 5 of Decree 122/2020/ND-CP stipulates:

“3. Business codes, branch codes, and representative office codes are used as codes of units participating in social insurance.

Thus, the social insurance unit code is also the tax code of that business. Each unit is only given a unique unit code and used until that unit stops operating. Currently, the social insurance unit code is created, sent, and received automatically by the national business registration information system, and tax registration information system and is recorded on the Enterprise Registration Certificate.

Regulations on time for submitting applications for issuance of social insurance unit codes

Procedures for granting social insurance unit codes or procedures for first-time social insurance registration for businesses are carried out in accordance with the law. Pursuant to the provisions of Point a, Clause 1, Article 99 of the 2014 Law on Social Insurance:

“1. The process of registering to participate in social insurance for the first time is as follows:

1. a) Within 30 days from the date of signing the labor contract, employment or recruitment contract, the employer submits the documents specified in Clause 1, Article 97 of this Law to the social insurance agency”.

Thus, within 30 days from the date of signing the labor contract, employment contract, or recruitment, the units must submit documents to be granted a social insurance unit code. After being granted a social insurance code, the unit can fulfill its obligation to pay social insurance and carry out transactions with the social insurance agency.

Procedures for granting social insurance unit codes

After registering to participate in social insurance for the first time and being approved by the social insurance agency, the unit will be issued a social insurance unit code. Thus, the procedure for granting a social insurance unit code is the procedure for registering to participate in social insurance for the first time in a unit or enterprise.

Prepare application documents for issuance of social insurance unit codes

Pursuant to Article 97 of the Law on Social Insurance 2014 and Article 23 of Decision 595/QD-BHXH issued on April 14, 2017, regulations on the unit’s first-time social insurance participation dossier include the following documents:

For employers, registration documents to participate in social insurance include:

• Declaration of participating units and adjustment of social insurance and health insurance information (Form TK3- TS according to Decision determined number 595 / QD-BHXH)
• List of employees participating in social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance, occupational accident (Form D2-TS according to Decision determined number 595 / QD-BHXH)
• List of information (Form D01-TS according to Decision determined number 595/QD-BHXH)

For employees, registration documents to participate in social insurance include:

• 1 declaration of participation and change of information of social insurance and health insurance participants (Form TK1-TS according to Decision determined number 505/QD-BHXH).
• In case the person is entitled to higher health insurance benefits, they need to bring proof.

For foreign workers, registration documents to participate in social insurance include:

• A declaration of participation and change of information of social insurance and health insurance participants (Form TK1-TS according to Decision determined number 505/QD-BHXH).
• Fixed-term labor contract abroad or newly signed in the host country.
• Have a license to practice in Vietnam.

Note: In addition to the above documents, the unit needs to prepare the following documents as a basis for filling out information:

• Labor contract.
• Notarized copy of ID card of the employee.

According to Decision No. 772/QD-BHXH dated June 15, 2018 guiding the first registration of social insurance, if the application does not require submitting the original, the person/business applying can use a photocopy compare with the original.

Procedures for granting social insurance unit codes directly

The implementing unit applies for a social insurance unit code and registers to participate in social insurance for employees. The procedure for applying for a social insurance unit code includes the following steps:

• Step 1: The unit prepares complete documents to participate in social insurance for the first time according to regulations.
• Step 2: The unit submits the declaration of participation and adjustment of social insurance and health insurance information to the district/district social insurance agency where the unit or enterprise registers its headquarters.
• Step 3: Receive notification results via registered email address about being granted the social insurance unit code. Within a period of 1-7 working days, the social insurance agency will issue a unit code.

After confirming the successful registration of the social insurance unit code, the enterprise can perform the operations of declaring an increase or decrease in labor. This unit code will be used throughout the unit’s operation when working with the social insurance agency.

Procedures for granting social insurance unit codes online

Currently, social insurance has implemented online unit code registration to optimize and simplify procedures for units through the following steps:

Step 1: Visit the website: http://gddt.baohiemxahoi.gov.vn/ to register.

Step 2: In the right corner of the screen, click “Register”.

Then, the applicant plugs the digital signature device (USB Token) into a computer with Java installed. Next, click “Register” to proceed with registration.

Step 3: Update information as required including:

• Tax code: Enter the tax code of the business
• Unit name: Enter the full name of the registered unit
• Address
• Email
• Phone
• Province/City
• Managed by the Social Insurance Agency
• Contact name
• Contact phone
• Select digital signature

After entering enough, select “Register” in blue below. Items marked with * are required items.

Then the screen will display the message “Registering account information successfully” if the user has entered enough information. The system will send confirmation information to the email that the unit has previously declared.

Note: For businesses that do not have a digital signature, choose no digital signature.

Step 4: Check the registration email

Account and access password will be sent to the registered email. After receiving account information, you can log in on the Vietnam Social Insurance portal to look up, submit documents, etc.

So when registering the unit code in this way, the unit can minimize paperwork when making documents. At the same time, it also saves time and implementation costs. Fast results return time is only 3-5 days. However, to carry out the procedure for registering for a social insurance unit code online, businesses must make a digital signature and install Java on the computer used.

Instructions on how to look up the social insurance unit code

To look up the social insurance unit code, businesses can currently do it in one of the following two ways:

Method 1: Look up the social insurance unit code through the Vietnam Social Insurance Electronic Information Portal .

• Visit the Vietnam Social Insurance Electronic Information Portal website – gov.vn . Then, select the “Online lookup” function and select “Look up units participating in social insurance”.
• Enter information including province, social insurance agency and corporate tax code of the unit or organization that needs to be looked up. You will see the “social insurance unit code” of the lookup object.

Method 2: Look up the social insurance unit code through the social insurance agency.

• Contact directly the district-level social insurance agency where the unit or organization registered to participate in social insurance to request to look up the social insurance unit code.
• Note: you need to bring proof of identity or authorization documents from the person with authority.

Customers who need to register for a social insurance unit code, please contact Viet An Law for our best support!