Circular No. 08/2025/TT-NHNN amending and supplementing certain provisions of Circular No. 43/2015/TT-NHNN dated December 31, 2015 of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam on the organization and operation of postal transaction offices under Vietnam Post Joint Stock Commercial Bank, Circular No. 29/2024/TT-NHNN dated June 28, 2024 of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam on people's credit funds, and Circular No. 32/2024/TT-NHNN dated June 30, 2024 of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam on the network activities of commercial banks.

CIRCULAR

Amending and supplementing certain articles of Circular No. 43/2015/TT-NHNN dated December 31, 2015 of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam regarding the organization and operation of postal transaction offices under the Vietnam Post Joint Stock Commercial Bank, Circular No. 29/2024/TT-NHNN dated June 28, 2024 of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam regarding people's credit funds,and Circular No. 32/2024/TT-NHNN dated June 30, 2024of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam regarding the network of operations of commercial banksissuedThe Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam issues this Circular amending and supplementing certain articles of Circular No. 43/2015/TT-NHNN dated December 31, 2015 of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam regarding the organization and operation of postal transaction offices under the Vietnam Post Joint Stock Commercial Bank, Circular No. 29/2024/TT-NHNN dated June 28, 2024 of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam regarding people's credit funds, and Circular No. 32/2024/TT-NHNN dated June 30, 2024 of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam regarding the network of operations of commercial banks. Article 1. Amending and supplementing certain articles of Circular No. 43/2015/TT-NHNN dated December 31, 2015 of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam regarding the organization and operation of postal transaction offices under the Vietnam Post Joint Stock Commercial Bank, amended and supplemented in 2022 and 2023. 

Pursuant to the Law on the State Bank of Vietnam dated June 16, 2010;

Pursuant to the Law on Credit Institutions dated January 18, 2024;

Pursuant to the Law on Cooperatives dated June 20, 2023;

Pursuant to Decree No. 26/2025/NĐ-CP dated February 24, 2025 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the State Bank of Vietnam;

At the proposal of the Director of the Credit Institution System Safety Department;

1. Amending and supplementing certain articles of Circular No. 43/2015/TT-NHNN

a) Amending and supplementing Article 1 as follows:

This Circular stipulates the organization and operation of postal transaction offices under the Lộc Phát Joint Stock Commercial Bank (hereinafter referred to as LPBank).

b) Amending and supplementing Clause 7 of Article 3 as follows:

"Article 1. Scope of Regulation

"7. The State Bank branch is the State Bank branch in the relevant areas."

c) Amending and supplementing Article 4 as follows:

"Article 4. Authority of the Director of the State Bank Branch. The Director of the State Bank Branch where the postal transaction office is located has the authority:

1. To approve or not to approve the termination of the operation of the postal transaction office within its jurisdiction.

2. To confirm that the postal transaction office meets the conditions for operating at a new location within its jurisdiction when changing locations.
3. To compel the termination of the operation of the postal transaction office within its jurisdiction."
d) Amending and supplementing Clause 3 of Article 6 as follows:
"3. The documents of LPBank shall be submitted to the State Bank Branch where the postal transaction office is located in one of the following forms:

a) Submitting online through the National Public Service Portal or the State Bank of Vietnam Public Service Portal (if available);

b) Submitting directly at the One-Stop Service Desk of the State Bank Branch;
c) Sending via postal service."
đ) Supplementing Clause 4, 5 of Article 6 as follows:
"4. When submitting documents online through the National Public Service Portal or the State Bank of Vietnam Public Service Portal (if available), electronic documents must be signed with a digital signature in accordance with the laws on administrative procedures in the electronic environment.

In case the National Public Service Portal or the State Bank of Vietnam Public Service Portal encounters technical issues or errors preventing the reception and exchange of electronic information, the declaration, submission, receipt of results, exchange, and feedback of information shall be carried out through postal services or directly at the One-Stop Service Desk of the State Bank Branch.

5. Documents in the electronic dossier are scanned copies from the original or the original (in PDF format)."

e) Amending and supplementing Clause 5 of Article 8 as follows:

"5. In cases where the postal transaction office does not have a cash vault according to the regulations of the State Bank of Vietnam:

a) If there is a cash vault meeting the current standards at the same commune or adjacent communes where the postal transaction office is located, LPBank must be responsible for transporting the money of the postal transaction offices without a cash vault according to the regulations on cash vault standards after the end of each working day's transactions;

b) If there is no cash vault meeting the current standards at the same commune or adjacent communes where the postal transaction office is located, LPBank must be responsible for transporting the money of the postal transaction offices without a cash vault after deducting the daily cash balance limit to meet the cash vault standards after the end of each working day's transactions. LPBank must establish regulations on daily cash balance limits and take measures to ensure the safety of cash balances at the end of the day at the postal transaction offices, and report to the State Bank Branch where the postal transaction office is located for supervision."
2. Replacing and deleting certain terms and phrases in Circular No. 43/2015/TT-NHNN
a) Replacing the phrase "State Bank (through the Banking Inspection and Supervision Department, State Bank Branch where the postal transaction office is located)" with the phrase "State Bank Branch where the postal transaction office is located" in Clause 2, Clause 4 of Article 17;

b) Replacing the phrase "withdraw capital down to" with the phrase "ownership" in Clause 3 of Article 7, Clause 6, Clause 7c of Article 17, Appendix No. 03;

c) Replacing the phrase "Banking Inspection and Supervision Agency" with the phrase "Credit Institution Management and Supervision Bureau" in the name of Article 18, Clause 2 of Article 19, Point 4 of Appendix No. 01, Point 4 of Appendix No. 02;

d) Replacing the phrase "Information Technology Bureau" with the phrase "Information Technology Bureau" in Point 3 of Appendix No. 01, Point 3 of Appendix No. 02;

c) Replace the phrase "Bank Inspection Authority" with the phrase "Credit Institution Supervision Department" in the name of Article 18, Clause 2 of Article 19, Point 4 of Appendix 01, Point 4 of Appendix 02;

d) Replace the phrase "Information Technology Bureau" with the phrase "Information Technology Management Bureau" in Point 3 of Appendix 01, Point 3 of Appendix 02;

d) Replace the phrase "Vietnam Post Joint Stock Commercial Bank" with "LPBank" in Article 2, Clause 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Article 3, Clause 1, 2, Article 6, Clause 1, Point e Clause 2, Clause 3, Point b Clause 4, Article 7, Point a, b Clause 1, Clause 3, Article 8, Article 10, Article 11, Clause 2 Article 12, Clause 1 Article 13, Point a, b Clause 1, Point a Clause 2, Clause 3, Article 14, Point b Clause 1, Clause 2, 3, 4, Article 15, Article 16, Title Article 17, Clause 2, 6, 7b, 7c, 7e, 7g, 7h Article 17, Clause 3 Article 18, Title Article 19, Clause 3 Article 19, Article 20, Article 22, Appendix No. 01, Appendix No. 02, Appendix No. 03;

e) Replace the phrase "Vietnam Post Joint Stock Commercial Bank" with the phrase "Lộc Phát Joint Stock Commercial Bank" in the title of the Circular;

g) Remove the phrases "Director of the Office, Director of the Inspectorate, Banking Supervision," "provinces and centrally governed cities," "Chairman of the Board of Directors, General Director (Director)" from Article 22.

Article 2. Amend and supplement some articles of Circular No. 29/2024/TT-NHNN dated June 28, 2024 issued by the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam on credit unions.

a) Amend and supplement Clause 5, 6, 7, 8 of Article 32 as follows:

"5. As of July 1, 2024, credit unions operating in contiguous communes that are adjacent to the commune where the credit union's main office is located within the scope of one province or centrally governed city and do not meet one of the conditions for operating in contiguous communes as stipulated in Points a, b, c, and d of Clause 1 of this Article must develop a handling plan to ensure compliance with all conditions for operating in contiguous communes. The development of the plan must meet the following requirements:

a) Within a maximum period of sixty days from July 1, 2024, or from the date of determination of non-compliance with the conditions for operating in contiguous communes, the credit union must submit to the State Bank branch a handling plan, which must include at least the following contents:

(i) Current status of operations in multiple communes;

(ii) The degree of compliance with each condition for operating in contiguous communes as stipulated in Clause 1 of this Article;

(iii) A quarterly plan and measures for handling and a commitment to ensure compliance within a maximum period of twelve months from July 1, 2024 (for cases of non-compliance before July 1, 2024) or from the date of determination of non-compliance with the conditions for operating in contiguous communes to comply with the conditions for operating in contiguous communes as stipulated in Clause 1 of this Article;

b) Within a maximum period of twenty days from the date of receipt of the handling plan of the credit union specified in Point a of this Clause, the State Bank branch shall issue a written request to the credit union to amend and supplement the handling plan if it does not meet the requirements. In case the State Bank branch requests amendment and supplementation of the handling plan, within a maximum period of thirty days from the date the State Bank branch issues a written request for amendment and supplementation, the credit union must complete and submit the amended and supplemented handling plan to the State Bank branch. Within a maximum period of twenty days from the date of receipt of the handling plan (including cases of amendment and supplementation), the State Bank branch shall issue a written approval of the handling plan of the credit union.

Quarterly, before the tenth day of the first month of the next quarter, the credit union must submit a written report on the progress of implementing the approved handling plan to the State Bank branch, either directly or through postal service.

6. After the maximum handling period stipulated in Point a(iii) of Clause 5 of this Article, if a credit union does not meet one of the conditions for operating in contiguous communes that are adjacent to the commune where the credit union's main office is located within the scope of one province or centrally governed city as stipulated in Points a, b, c, and d of Clause 1 of this Article, the credit union must develop a handling plan to cease operations in the adjacent commune according to the following provisions:

a) Within a maximum period of sixty days after the maximum handling period stipulated in Point a(iii) of Clause 5 of this Article, the credit union must submit to the State Bank branch a handling plan, which must include at least the following contents:

(i) Current status of operations in multiple communes;

(ii) The degree of compliance with each condition for operating in contiguous communes as stipulated in Clause 1 of this Article;

(iii) A quarterly plan and measures for handling and a commitment to ensure cessation of operations in the adjacent commune and adjustment of operations to the commune where the main office is located within a maximum period of twenty-four months from the end of the handling plan stipulated in Point a(iii) of Clause 5 of this Article;

b) Within a maximum period of twenty days from the date of receipt of the handling plan of the credit union specified in Point a of this Clause, the State Bank branch shall issue a written request to the credit union to amend and supplement the handling plan if it does not meet the requirements. In case the State Bank branch requests amendment and supplementation of the handling plan, within a maximum period of thirty days from the date the State Bank branch issues a written request for amendment and supplementation, the credit union must complete and submit the amended and supplemented handling plan to the State Bank branch. Within a maximum period of twenty days from the date of receipt of the handling plan (including cases of amendment and supplementation), the State Bank branch shall issue a written approval of the handling plan of the credit union.

Quarterly, before the tenth day of the first month of the next quarter, the credit union must submit a written report on the progress of implementing the approved handling plan to the State Bank branch, either directly or through postal service;

c) During the implementation of the handling plan, the credit union may not admit new members or provide new loans in the commune where operations are to be ceased.

7. As of July 1, 2024, credit unions operating in communes that are not contiguous to the commune where their main office is located or operating in contiguous communes outside the scope of one province or centrally governed city due to administrative boundary adjustments must develop a handling plan to cease operations in non-contiguous communes and communes outside the scope of one province or centrally governed city according to the following provisions:

a) Within a maximum period of sixty days from the effective date of the administrative boundary adjustment document issued by the competent authority or sixty days from the date of full withdrawal of state capital from the credit union, the credit union must submit to the State Bank branch a handling plan, which must include at least the following contents:

(i) Current status of operations in contiguous communes of the people’s credit fund;

(ii) A quarterly plan and measures for handling, including restructuring under the form of division or separation as prescribed by law, and a commitment to ensure cessation of operations in non-contiguous communes and communes outside the scope of one province or centrally governed city within a maximum period of thirty-six months from the effective date of the administrative boundary adjustment document issued by the competent authority or from the date of full withdrawal of state capital from the credit union.

b) Within a maximum period of twenty days from the date of receipt of the handling plan of the credit union specified in Point a of this Clause, the State Bank branch shall issue a written request to the credit union to amend and supplement the handling plan if it does not meet the requirements. In case the State Bank branch requests amendment and supplementation of the handling plan, within a maximum period of thirty days from the date the State Bank branch issues a written request for amendment and supplementation, the credit union must complete and submit the amended and supplemented handling plan to the State Bank branch. Within a maximum period of twenty days from the date of receipt of the handling plan (including cases of amendment and supplementation), the State Bank branch shall issue a written approval of the handling plan of the credit union.

Quarterly, before the tenth day of the first month of the next quarter, the credit union must submit a written report on the progress of implementing the approved handling plan to the State Bank branch, either directly or through postal service;

c) During the implementation of the handling plan, the credit union may not admit new members or provide new loans in the commune where operations are to be ceased.

8. Within five working days from the date of completion of the disposal plan approved in accordance with Clause 6 and Clause 7 of this Article, the people's credit cooperative shall submit a report on the completion of the disposal plan and request to amend and supplement the License regarding the operating area to the State Bank branch.

Within fifteen days from the date of receipt of the people's credit cooperative's proposal, the State Bank branch shall issue a Decision to amend and supplement the License concerning the operating area of the people's credit cooperative.

b) Supplement Clause 10 of Article 32 as follows:

"10. The submission of the disposal plan in accordance with Clause 5, Clause 6, and Clause 7 of this Article; the submission of the report on the completion of the disposal plan and the request to amend and supplement the License regarding the operating area in accordance with Clause 8 of this Article shall be carried out in one of the following forms:

c) Sending via postal service."

đ) Supplementing Clause 4, 5 of Article 6 as follows:

c) Sending through postal services.

When submitting the dossier online through the National Public Service Portal or the State Bank of Vietnam Public Service Portal (if available), the electronic dossier shall use digital signatures in accordance with the provisions of the law on administrative procedures in the electronic environment. In case the National Public Service Portal or the State Bank of Vietnam Public Service Portal encounters technical issues or errors that prevent the reception and exchange of electronic information, the declaration, submission, acceptance, result delivery, information exchange, and feedback shall be conducted through postal services or directly at the One-Stop Service Unit of the State Bank branch. Documents in the electronic dossier are scanned copies of original documents (in PDF format).

2. Replace and delete some terms and phrases in Circular No. 29/2024/TT-NHNN

a) Replace the phrase "one commune, one ward, one town (hereinafter referred to collectively as commune)" with the phrase "one administrative unit at the commune level (hereinafter referred to as commune)" in Clause 1 of Article 7;

b) Replace the phrase "State Bank branch of province, centrally governed city" with the phrase "State Bank branch in the Regions" in Clause 5 of Article 12, Point b of Clause 1, and Clause 2 of Article 34;

c) Replace the phrase "Bank Inspection and Supervision Authority" with the phrase "Credit Institution Management and Supervision Department" in Clause 1 and Point b of Clause 2 of Article 34;

d) Replace the phrase "People's Committee at district level" with the phrase "People's Committee with competent authority" in Clause 4 of Article 26;

đ) Delete some phrases as follows:

(i) Delete the phrase "People's Committee at district level and" in Point c of Clause 4 of Article 32;

(ii) Delete the phrase "Director of Office, Director of Bank Inspection and Supervision" in Article 36.

1. Amend and supplement some articles of Circular No. 32/2024/TT-NHNN

a) Amend and supplement Clause 3 of Article 1 as follows:

"3. The network operation of Commercial Joint Stock Bank Loc Phat Vietnam shall be implemented in accordance with this Circular and the regulations of the State Bank of Vietnam on postal agency branches under the Commercial Joint Stock Bank Loc Phat Vietnam."

b) Amend and supplement Clause 9, Clause 11 of Article 3 as follows:

"9. The inner city of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City includes the wards of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City."
"11. Rural areas refer to administrative boundaries excluding urban wards."

c) Amend and supplement Point a of Clause 3 of Article 5 as follows:

"a) Submit online through the National Public Service Portal or the State Bank of Vietnam Public Service Portal (if available);"

d) Amend and supplement Clause 4 of Article 5 as follows:

"4. When submitting the dossier online through the National Public Service Portal or the State Bank of Vietnam Public Service Portal (if available), the electronic dossier shall use digital signatures in accordance with the provisions of the law on administrative procedures in the electronic environment. In case the National Public Service Portal or the State Bank of Vietnam Public Service Portal encounters technical issues or errors that prevent the reception and exchange of electronic information, the declaration, submission, acceptance, result delivery, information exchange, and feedback shall be conducted through postal services or directly at the One-Stop Service Unit of the State Bank or the State Bank branch."

đ) Amend and supplement Point b of Clause 3 of Article 14 as follows:

"b) The State Bank branch where the commercial bank intends to establish a branch or agency within the country shall provide an assessment on the necessity of adding a branch or agency in the provincial area where the commercial bank proposes to establish a branch or agency; provide opinions on the proposed locations for opening branches or agencies; and ensure compliance with the conditions stipulated in this Circular for managing the proposed agency (in the case of proposing to establish an agency)."

e) Supplement Article 37a after Article 37 as follows:

"Article 37a. Responsibilities of the State Bank Inspectorate

During the inspection process, if cases specified in Clause 3, Clause 4, and Clause 5 of Article 30 of this Circular are discovered, the State Bank Inspectorate shall immediately provide information to the Credit Institution Management and Supervision Department so that the Credit Institution Management and Supervision Department may issue a written request or propose the Governor of the State Bank to issue a written request for the commercial bank to cease operations of its branch, agency, representative office, or affiliated entity."

2. Replace and delete some terms and phrases in Circular No. 32/2024/TT-NHNN

a) Replace the phrase "Director of Bank Inspection and Supervision" with the phrase "Director of Credit Institution Management and Supervision Department" in Clause 2 of Article 4, Clause 2 of Article 30, and Clause 3 of Article 37;

b) Replace the phrase "State Bank branch of province, centrally governed city" with the phrase "State Bank branch in the Regions" in Clause 3 of Article 4 and Clause 2 of Article 5;

c) Replace the phrase "Bank Inspection and Supervision Authority" with the phrase "Credit Institution Management and Supervision Department" in Clause 3 and Clause 4 of Article 14, Clause 2 of Article 16, Clause 1 of Article 18, Clause 2 of Article 20, Clause 4 and Clause 5 of Article 29, Clause 6 and Clause 7 of Article 30, Clause 2 of Article 31, Title of Article 37, Article 38, Appendix No. 02;

d) Replace the phrase "Communications Department" with the phrase "Banking Times" in Clause 5 of Article 23.

d) Replace the phrase "4. The State Bank branch where the commercial bank plans to establish a branch or transaction office as prescribed in Clause 5, Article 19 of this Circular shall notify in writing the State Bank branch currently hosting a branch or transaction office" with the phrase "5. The State Bank branch where the commercial bank plans to establish a branch or transaction office as prescribed in Clause 5, Article 19 of this Circular shall notify in writing the State Bank branch currently hosting a branch or transaction office" in Article 36;

e) Replace the phrase "commune/town/district, district/city/district/provincial city under province/provincial city under central government, province/provincial city under central government" with the phrase "name of commune-level administrative unit, province/provincial city under central government" at Point 1.1, Point 1.2 Section 1 Part I Appendix No. 01;

g) Delete the phrase "(including electronic document forms)" at Point b Clause 4 Article 19, Point b Clause 3 Article 22, Point b Clause 2, Point b Clause 3 Article 29;

h) Delete the phrase "Director of the Office, Director of Inspection, Supervision Department," in Article 41;

i) Delete the phrases "Rural Area" and "Other Areas" in the columns "In Hanoi City" and "In Ho Chi Minh City" in Table 1 Appendix No. 02.

The Head of the Ministry’s Office, Heads of Departments, Director of the Vietnam Registration Agency, Heads of agencies, units, and individuals related to this Circular shall be responsible for its enforcement.

Heads of units under the State Bank of Vietnam, commercial banks, cooperative banks, people's credit funds, and related organizations and individuals are responsible for organizing the implementation of this Circular.

Article 5. Implementation Provisions

1. This Circular takes effect from July 1, 2025.

2. Transitional provisions:

a) Commercial banks are not required to adjust the number of branches and transaction offices established before the date this Circular takes effect. In cases of establishing new network units, they must comply with the provisions of Circular No. 32/2024/TT-NHNN dated June 30, 2024, issued by the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam on the network operations of commercial banks and this Circular (except for the provision at Point b Clause 2 of this Article);

b) Commercial banks that have submitted approval requests for the establishment of branches, transaction offices, representative offices, and domestic public service units to the State Bank of Vietnam and have received written comments from the People's Committee of provinces/cities under central government and the State Bank branch as prescribed in Points a and b Clause 3 Article 14 of Circular No. 32/2024/TT-NHNN before the effective date of this Circular are not required to re-obtain opinions from the State Bank branch according to the provision at Point d Clause 1 of this Circular and the People's Committee of provinces/cities under central government.

3. This Circular abolishes Clause 1, Point a Clause 5 Article 1 of Circular No. 27/2022/TT-NHNN dated December 31, 2022, issued by the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam amending and supplementing certain articles of Circulars regulating the delegation of administrative procedures in the field of establishment and operation of banks.

4. This Circular abolishes Clause 1, Clause 2 Article 1 of Circular No. 11/2023/TT-NHNN dated August 31, 2023, issued by the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam amending and supplementing certain articles of Circular No. 43/2015/TT-NHNN dated December 31, 2015, issued by the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam on the organization and operation of postal transaction offices under Viettel Post Joint Stock Commercial Bank.