Organizing International Conference License in Vietnam

In the context of international integration and increased connectivity, many international seminars and conferences are currently taking place in Vietnam. However, if there is no state management in this field, there is a risk of affecting security and order and may lead to the organization of illegal conferences. Therefore, Vietnamese law has regulations requiring permission when organizing international conferences. In the article below, Viet An Law will provide clients with information about the service for organizing international conferences license in Vietnam.

General overview of Organizing International Conferences License in Vietnam

Legal basis

• Decision 06/2020/QD-TTg on organization and management of international conferences and seminars in Vietnam issued by the Prime Minister;
• Official dispatch 825/BNG-CNV of 2020 on correcting Decision 06/2020/QD-TTg issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Special seminars are under the management of the Prime Minister

• International conferences and seminars whose participants are heads or officials at ministerial level or equivalent or higher from countries, territories, and international organizations.
• International conferences and seminars with themes and content related to issues of national sovereignty, security, defense, ethnicity, religion, human rights, or within the scope of state secrets according to the law on protection of state secrets.

What is an international conference?

According to Clause 1, Article 2 of Decision 06/2020/QD-TTg, an international conference is a conference with foreign elements, organized in the form of a direct meeting on the territory of Vietnam, or in the online form with at least one bridgehead in Vietnamese territory.

International conferences include:

• Conferences organized by Vietnamese agencies and organizations with foreign participation or sponsorship;
• Conferences organized by foreign organizations.

Licensing authority of organize international conference in Vietnam

According to Clause 1, Article 3 of Decision 06/2020/QD-TTg, the authority to allow the organization of international conferences includes:

Prime Minister

The Prime Minister authorized the organization of the following international conferences:

• International conferences and seminars whose participants are heads or officials at ministerial level or equivalent or higher of countries, territories, and international organizations;
• International conferences and seminars with themes and content related to issues of national sovereignty, security, defense, ethnicity, religion, human rights, or within the scope of state secrets according to regulations Law on the protection of state secrets.

Agencies, units, and organizations that are not the Prime Minister

Subjects with authority to decide on the organization of international conferences of their agencies and localities and authorize the following organizational units to organize international conferences in cases not falling under the Prime Minister’s authorization:

• Agencies and units under the authority of the competent person;
• Vietnamese and foreign agencies and organizations whose operations are authorized by competent persons’ agencies;
• For associations, social funds, and charity funds established following Vietnamese law, the competent person is the Head of the state management agency in charge of the industry and field of operation of the association or social fund, charity fund according to the list prescribed by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Information clients need to prepare to carry out procedures for granting a license to organize international conferences

• Name of conference (clearly and accurately state the name of the conference or conference)
• Address (name of venue, address of the venue)
• Organization time: Clearly state the time, date, month, and year of the conference or seminar.
• Participants in the organization: clearly state the Vietnamese and foreign agencies (detailed information with legal documents)
• Chairperson: full name, position, work unit (with a specific list of chairpersons attached).
• Number and participants: Estimated number of guests, including number of delegates (foreign nationality and Vietnamese). Number of participants, clearly stating the guest structure (businesses, guests, etc.)
• Conference informal activities (for example gift giving, charitable donations) (if any)
• Rapporteur: Full name, position, working agency, expected content of the report at the conference or seminar.
• Organizational funding source (sponsors, if any): If there are sponsors, fill in information according to the following list: sponsor name, nationality, sponsor logo.
• Organization form: In person or online.

Provided documents for granting Organizing International Conference and Seminar License

• Enterprise Registration Certificate, Investment Registration Certificate (if any) of the organizer;
• Profile (curriculum vitae + professional qualifications) of the foreign rapporteur: soft file and attached portrait photo of the rapporteur.
• Passport (personal information page) of the foreign reporter (scan copy);
• Summary of presentations by foreign rapporteurs (soft file).

Notes on document preparation

• Documents in English must be translated into Vietnamese or bilingual.
• Provide a scanned copy for Viet An Law to check before sending the hard copy.
• After being provided with the above documents and information, Viet An will draft the documents and send back to the client the documents that need to be signed and stamped.

Application for Organize International Conference License in Vietnam

According to Clause 1, Article 4 of Decision 06/2020/QD-TTg, the permit application dossier includes:

Procedures for applying for a License

According to Article 4 and Article 5 of Decision 06/2020/QD-TTg and corrections in Official Dispatch 825/BNG-CNV, the procedure for applying for permission to organize an international conference is carried out as follows:

Step 1: Apply for the license to organize an international conference.

The organizing unit sends the application for permission to organize an international conference to the competent authority.

Application deadline:

• At least 40 days for international conferences under the deciding authority of the Prime Minister.
• At least 30 days for international conferences under the decision of the competent person.

Submission method:

• Direct;
• Online;
• Postal services.

Step 2: The competent authority receives the documents and collects opinions from relevant agencies

After receiving the dossier, the competent person will seek written opinions from relevant agencies and localities. Specifically:

For international conferences under the authority of the Prime Minister:

• Obtain written opinions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Police; relevant agencies and localities. The agency or locality receiving comments is responsible for responding in writing within no more than 15 days from the date of receipt of the written request.
• After receiving full written opinions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Police; Relevant agencies, localities, and competent persons submit to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision to allow the organization of international conferences.

For international conferences under the authority of the Prime Minister:

• Get written opinions from relevant agencies and localities.
• The agency or locality receiving comments is responsible for responding in writing within no more than 15 days from the date of receipt of the written request.

Step 3: The competent authority responds to the applicant and sends it to relevant agencies

After receiving full written opinions from relevant agencies and localities, the competent person:

• For international conferences under the Prime Minister’s authority: Respond in writing to the organizing unit, and send it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security, and relevant agencies and localities to coordinate.
• For international conferences under the Prime Minister’s authority: Respond in writing to the organizing unit, and send it to relevant agencies and localities for coordinated management.

Results of implementing administrative procedures: Document which replies the organizing unit license to organize an international conference.

Note

• State fee for grating License to organize an international conference: None.
• Time limit for processing documents: 15 or 40 days (depending on which competent person’s agency receives the documents and documents).
• An international press conference is not considered an international conference.
• The unit organizing the international conference is responsible for reporting to the competent person’s agency the results of organizing the international conference within 15 days from the end of the international conference. Besides, they have to send it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for international conferences under the Prime Minister’s authority to synthetic.

Several recent international conference organized in Vietnam

• The 14th international scientific conference on the East Sea with the theme “Sea of Peace – Sustainable Recovery”, organized by the Diplomatic Academy in collaboration with organizing units in November 2022;
• International water industry conference: “Promoting integration of practical needs in smart water governance” organized by Informa Markets Vietnam in collaboration with the Southeast Asia Water Science, Environment and Earth Sciences Network and International Groundwater Organization for Sustainable Development held in October 2023;
• International Scientific Conference “Vietnam in partnership with giants: opportunities and challenges” held at National Economics University in December /2023;
• International conference with the theme “Vietnam – Japan Relations: 50 years of review and new vision and development orientation” Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics in collaboration with the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam held in January 2024.

Service of applying for an Organizing International Conferences License in Vietnam of Viet An Law

• Consulting on conditions, documents, and procedures for applying for permission to organize international conferences;
• Support in drafting documents and consulting on license application documents;
• Representing clients to carry out procedures to apply for permission to organize international conferences at competent state agencies;
• Consulting for units during the process of organizing international conferences and reporting after the end of the conference;

If you have related questions or need legal support regarding licenses to organize international conferences, please contact Viet An Luat for the best support!