Consolidated Document number 36/VBHN-BQP on the recruitment and conscription of citizens for military service

CIRCULAR

Regulations on the selection and conscription of citizens for military service

Circular No. 148/2018/TT-BQP dated October 4, 2018, issued by the Minister of National Defense, regulating the selection and conscription of citizens for military service, took effect from November 20, 2018, and was amended and supplemented by:

Circular No. 68/2025/TT-BQP dated July 3, 2025, issued by the Minister of National Defense, amending and supplementing certain provisions of Circular No. 148/2018/TT-BQP dated October 4, 2018, issued by the Minister of National Defense, regulating the selection and conscription of citizens for military service, took effect from July 3, 2025.

Pursuant to the Law on Military Service dated June 19, 2015;

Based on Decree No. 164/2017/NĐ-CP dated December 30, 2017, of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of National Defense;

At the proposal of the Chief of General Staff;

The Minister of National Defense issues this Circular to regulate the selection and conscription of citizens for military service^[1].

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

1. This Circular regulates the selection and conscription of citizens for military service; the responsibilities of agencies, organizations, and individuals in the selection and conscription of citizens for military service (hereinafter referred to collectively as recruitment).

2. This Circular applies to People's Committees at all levels, agencies, units, organizations, and individuals related to the organization and implementation of recruitment.

Article 2. Principles and requirements for recruitment

1. Implement correctly the Party’s policies, the State’s laws, and the procedures and regulations in the recruitment process.

2. Recruit sufficient quantity, ensure quality, select based on high standards, implement democracy, fairness, transparency, safety, and economy.

3. Emphasize the responsibility of all organizations and individuals to improve the quality of recruitment work.

4. Focus on recruiting and conscripting citizens who have graduated from university or college, ethnic minority citizens, to enhance the quality of building regular forces, reserve forces, contribute to creating sources for building strong political foundations in localities, consolidate national defense and security, and firmly defend the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Article 3. Recruitment quotas and timeframes

1. Annually, implement according to the Prime Minister's decision regarding the conscription of citizens.

2. Based on the Prime Minister's decision, the Minister of National Defense decides to allocate recruitment quotas for citizens to be conscripted for units under the Ministry of National Defense in each province and centrally governed city (hereinafter referred to collectively as provincial level).

Article 4. Recruitment criteria

1. Age:

a) Citizens aged from 18 to 25 years old;

b) Male citizens with higher vocational training or university education who have been temporarily exempted from conscription during their training period shall be selected and conscripted up to 27 years old.

2. Political criteria:

a) Implemented according to Joint Circular No. 50/2016/TTLT-BQP-BCA dated April 15, 2016, issued by the Ministers of National Defense and Public Security, regulating political standards for selecting citizens to serve in the Vietnam People's Army;

b) For agencies, units, and key confidential positions within the Vietnam People's Army; ceremonial guard forces; professional military police and control forces, recruitment shall be conducted according to the regulations of the Ministry of National Defense.

3. Health criteria:

a)^[2] Select citizens meeting health standards of Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 as stipulated in Articles 5 and 6 of Circular No. 105/2023/TT-BQP dated December 6, 2023, issued by the Minister of National Defense, regulating health standards and health examinations for subjects under the management of the Ministry of National Defense;

b) For agencies, units, and positions specified in point b, Clause 2 of this Article, recruitment shall be conducted to meet specific standards as prescribed by the Ministry of National Defense;

c) ^[3] Citizens suffering from myopia exceeding 1.5 diopters, hyperopia of any degree, or body mass index below 18.0 or above 29.9 shall not be conscripted into the military.

4. Cultural criteria:

a) Recruit and conscript citizens with a minimum educational level of grade 8, selecting from the highest down. In areas facing difficulties in ensuring the assigned quota, report to the competent authority for consideration and decision to recruit citizens with a grade 7 educational level;

b) Villages located in remote, mountainous, and extremely difficult socio-economic conditions as defined by law; ethnic minorities with less than 10,000 people may recruit up to 25% of citizens with primary school education, the rest must have secondary education or higher.

Article 5. Postponement and Exemption from Military Service Call-Up

The postponement and exemption from military service call-up during peacetime shall be implemented in accordance with the provisions of Article 41 of the Law on Military Service 2015, as follows:

1. Postpone the call-up for military service for the following citizens:

a) Those who have not yet reached the required health standard for military service according to the conclusion of the Medical Examination Board;

b) ^[4] They are the sole breadwinner directly supporting dependent relatives who are no longer capable of working or have not yet reached the age of labor; their families have suffered severe losses in terms of personnel and property due to accidents, natural disasters, or dangerous epidemics, confirmed by the People's Committee at the commune, ward, or special administrative city level (hereinafter referred to collectively as the commune level);

c) A child of a disabled veteran or a person affected by Agent Orange with reduced work capacity between 61% and 80%;

d) Having a brother, sister, or half-sibling who is currently serving in the military as a non-commissioned officer or soldier; or a non-commissioned officer or soldier performing national defense duty with the People's Public Security Force;

đ) Individuals within the scope of relocation or population dispersal to particularly difficult communes under economic and social development projects of the State for the first three years, as decided by the People's Committee at the provincial level or higher;

e) Cadres, civil servants, public officials, and volunteers assigned to work in areas with particularly difficult economic and social conditions in accordance with the law;

g) Currently studying at a general education institution; or undergoing regular undergraduate training at a university or regular college-level training at a vocational education institution during the duration of one academic year of such training.

2. Exempt from military service call-up for the following citizens:

a) Children of martyrs or first-class wounded veterans;

b) A brother or a younger brother of a martyr;

c) A child of a second-class wounded veteran; a child of a disabled veteran with reduced work capacity of 81% or more; a child of a person affected by Agent Orange with reduced work capacity of 81% or more;

d) Personnel engaged in confidential work who are not members of the military or the People's Public Security Force;

đ) Cadres, civil servants, public officials, and volunteers assigned to work in areas with particularly difficult economic and social conditions in accordance with the law for a period of 24 months or more.

3. Citizens subject to the postponement of military service call-up as stipulated in Clause 1 of this Article, if they no longer have grounds for postponement, shall be called up for military service.

Citizens subject to the postponement of military service call-up or exemption from military service call-up as stipulated in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Article, if they volunteer, may be considered for recruitment and call-up for military service.

4.^[5] The list of citizens eligible for postponement of military service call-up and exemption from military service call-up must be publicly disclosed on the commune-level electronic information portal and posted publicly at the offices of the commune-level People's Committee, agencies, organizations, and community gathering places of villages, neighborhoods, residential groups, communities, hamlets, villages, phums, and socs (hereinafter referred to collectively as the village) within twenty days from the date the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee signs the Decision.

Article 6. Responsibilities of Localities in Delivering Recruits^[6]

1. Responsibilities of People's Committees at all levels:

a) Effectively carry out propaganda, dissemination, and education to enhance awareness and responsibility in implementing the Law on Military Service among the people, especially those of conscription age; direct the recruitment process in accordance with regulations, meeting the assigned quotas, and ensuring quality;

b) Establish Military Service Councils with the required number and composition as prescribed; assign tasks and clearly define responsibilities for organizations and individuals in implementing the process. Fully leverage the role and responsibility of the entire political system at the local level; the advisory role of military agencies at various levels and the responsibility of village chiefs in recruitment;

c) Allocate recruitment quotas suitable to the conditions of each locality and unit, linked to mobilization areas; ensure that all communes, wards, and special administrative cities have citizens enlisting;

d) Conduct thorough recruitment, selecting only qualified candidates; create favorable conditions for receiving units to study files, finalize troop numbers, and conduct three meetings and four knowings as specified by the Ministry of Defense. Coordinate with receiving units to replace enlisted citizens who do not meet the criteria (if any); the replacement ratio shall not exceed 2% of the quota assigned by the locality to the unit; bear responsibility for the quality of recruits delivered;

đ) Direct the Military Service Council and related departments to monitor, guide, urge, and inspect the implementation of recruitment work; annually organize coordination meetings to deploy recruitment work and conduct reviews, mid-term summaries, and final evaluations of recruitment work as prescribed;

e) Timely resolve complaints and denunciations, strictly handle violations in recruitment in accordance with the law; widely publicize to educate and create consensus among the people, preventing negative phenomena.

2. Responsibilities of the Provincial People's Committee:

a) Fulfill the responsibilities as prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article and direct the Military Service Council, relevant departments, and commune-level People's Committees to implement recruitment in accordance with regulations, meeting the assigned quotas and ensuring the quality of recruits delivered;

b) Directly implement and direct recruitment work; accurately grasp the number of citizens eligible for enlistment present and absent in the locality; organize training for recruitment staff; direct the strict preliminary screening, medical examination, and review process, ensuring democracy, fairness, transparency, and openness; create favorable conditions for citizens to undergo preliminary screening and medical examination quickly and properly in accordance with regulations; assign members of the Military Service Council to oversee and direct certain communes, agencies, and organizations, and jointly bear responsibility for the assigned quotas and quality of recruits delivered;

c) Establish regional medical examination boards for military service and medical examination teams suitable to the assigned areas and quotas, ensuring the required composition and adequate equipment as prescribed; organize convenient medical examination sites for citizens, meeting the conditions for specialized examinations, clearly assigning responsibilities to organizations and individuals involved in medical examinations for military service to ensure quality, accurate conclusions, and bear responsibility for the results.

d) Direct the examination and approval of temporary deferment from and exemption from military service strictly, democratically, fairly, publicly, and have the Decision signed and issued by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee;

đ) Direct the call-up for military service physical examinations suitable to each locality; the number of calls for examination shall not exceed four times the recruitment quota. Finalize the number of troops, make decisions on recruitment at the commune level with a reserve ratio not exceeding 5% compared to the conscription quota, and complete all necessary procedures and files (including party member and youth league member files) of citizens called up for military service to be handed over to the receiving unit and organize the handover ceremony at the Defense Command of the area or cluster of communes determined by the Provincial People's Committee.

3. Responsibilities of the Commune People's Committee:

a) Implement responsibilities as prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article and direct the Military Service Council, relevant departments, and villages to conduct recruitment in accordance with regulations, ensuring sufficient quotas and quality of conscripts;

b) Direct the villages to organize elections, propose male citizens within the age range for military service to participate in preliminary selection for military service in accordance with regulations, ensuring democracy, fairness, transparency, quality, and effectiveness;

c) Conduct preliminary selection; prepare a list of those called for military service physical examinations to be handed over to the Medical Examination Board and the Defense Command of the area; call for military service physical examinations (the number of calls for examination shall not exceed four times the recruitment quota); review citizens for enlistment;

d) Report to the Provincial Military Service Council through the Provincial Military Command the list of citizens meeting the conditions for call-up for military service, temporary deferment from, and exemption from military service. Prepare and complete all necessary military service files and related procedures for citizens meeting the conditions for call-up for military service to be handed over to the Defense Command of the area;

đ) Publicize on the commune's electronic information portal and post at the commune People's Committee office, agencies, organizations, and community venues of the villages according to regulations the following contents:

- The recruitment quota assigned by the province to the commune;

- Recruitment conditions and standards; cases of temporary deferment from and exemption from military service;

- List of citizens subject to call-up for military service;

- List of citizens temporarily deferred from and exempted from military service;

- List of citizens meeting the conditions for enlistment;

- Preliminary health screening results and health classification according to the conclusion of the preliminary health screening team for military service and the Medical Examination Board for military service in the region;

- List of citizens successfully recruited for military service ready for enlistment.

e) Coordinate with the Defense Command of the area and the receiving unit to synchronize the handover of troops, unify the troop count; decide on calling up citizens for enlistment;

g) Direct the Commune Military Command to coordinate with relevant departments to guide citizens who have received the decision to be called up for military service, fill out the health insurance application form (according to the model), with confirmation from the Commune People's Committee to be handed over to the Defense Command of the area along with the military service file;

h) Direct the Military Service Council, during health examinations, to register uniform sizes for each citizen and inform the receiving unit to ensure issuance according to regulations; three to five days before the handover ceremony, organize the distribution of some uniform items for new recruits to ensure uniformity, compliance with regulations according to each branch and weather conditions of the region;

i) Coordinate with the Defense Command of the area to implement the handover ceremony in accordance with regulations;

k) Regularly exchange information about the situation of citizens called up for military service; coordinate with the Defense Command of the area and the receiving unit to implement replacement at the unit (if any) to ensure quality and the stipulated time;

l) Direct the Commune Military Command to coordinate with the Commune Police Station and relevant departments and mass organizations to thoroughly understand the political criteria, morality, and newly emerging issues of citizens preparing for military service, promptly provide information and supply to the Defense Command of the area and the receiving unit for management. Coordinate with the receiving unit and family to resolve desertion and unauthorized leave of soldiers in accordance with the law.

Article 7. Responsibilities of Units Receiving Military Personnel

1.^[7] Coordinate with localities transferring military personnel to unify recruitment quotas, time for reviewing files, and finalizing troop numbers with localities ten days before the date when the Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune decides to call citizens for military service; organize and attend the handover ceremony at the Regional Defense Command Office or cluster commune; receive troops and transfer them back to units by bus or train, ensuring absolute safety; do not keep troops in localities for long periods; prepare thoroughly in all aspects to receive and train new recruits according to plans.

2. Units organized with three meetings, four knowledges: Proactively coordinate with localities to implement as prescribed by the Ministry of National Defense.

3.^[8] Within ten days from the date of receiving troops, organize a review of new recruit standards and complete any replacements (if necessary).

In cases where political, moral verification results or health assessments must be awaited, promptly notify and coordinate with the Regional Defense Command Board, People's Committee of the commune to proactively manage replacement numbers. The replacement period does not exceed fifteen days from the date of handover; the replacement ratio does not exceed two percent compared to the local recruitment quota.

4.^[9] Bear responsibility for the review results, coordinate with the Regional Defense Command Board, People's Committee of the commune to establish documents and implement replacement handovers (if applicable). Annually organize experience reviews, mid-term and final summaries of recruitment work as prescribed.

5. Within fifteen days from the date of receiving troops, the unit establishes a list of new soldiers and eligible relatives to participate in health insurance, report as prescribed.

Article 8. Responsibilities of Military Regions

1. Direct, guide, and inspect subordinate units' implementation of recruitment work as stipulated in Article 7 of this Circular.

2. Direct, guide, and inspect provincial military offices to advise the same-level People's Committees to direct the Military Service Councils to properly implement recruitment work, ensuring quotas and quality.

3. Annually direct, guide localities and units, and directly organize experience reviews, mid-term and final summaries of recruitment work as prescribed.

Article 9. Responsibilities of Agencies and Units Subordinate to the Ministry of National Defense

Based on their functions and tasks, they have the responsibility to direct, guide, and inspect recruitment work; maintain a thorough understanding of the situation, closely coordinate, and ensure that localities and units comply with recruitment regulations.

Article 10. Organization of Handover Coordination^[10]

1. The Provincial People's Committee takes the lead in organizing coordination between localities and units receiving troops to unify quotas and timeframes: Reviewing files, conducting three meetings, four knowledges (for units specified for such meetings), finalizing troop numbers, methods of handover as follows:

a) The Provincial People's Committee coordinates with division, brigade, and equivalent levels (directly subordinate units under the Ministry).

b) The Provincial Military Command directs the Regional Defense Command Board to cooperate with the People's Committee of the commune to coordinate with regiment and equivalent levels (directly subordinate to division and equivalent levels).

2. The Provincial and Commune People's Committees direct provincial and commune-level military and public security agencies to closely cooperate in selecting and calling citizens for military service and participating in the Public Security Force; provincial and commune-level military and public security agencies unify quotas and personnel called for military service and participation in the Public Security Force.

3. Localities and units closely cooperate during the recruitment and management process. The unit receiving troops assigns commanders as prescribed to coordinate recruitment with the Provincial People's Committee, Commune People's Committee, Regional Defense Command Board, and bear responsibility for coordination contents.

Article 11. Organizing the Handover Ceremony

1. The Military Region Command shall coordinate with the People's Committee of the province within its military region to uniformly direct the organization of the handover ceremony for military units and public security units on the same day.

2.^[11] The People's Committee of the province shall direct the Provincial Military Command to coordinate with provincial departments to organize the handover ceremony at the Defense Area Command Office or village clusters under the jurisdiction of the Defense Area Command determined by the People's Committee of the province, ensuring compliance with regulations, solemnity, efficiency, safety, economy, and creating a festive atmosphere for the handover day; the handover and receipt records between localities and units shall be signed at the end of the handover ceremony program.

Article 12. Effective Date^[12]

1. This Circular takes effect from November 20, 2018, and replaces Circular No. 140/2015/TT-BQP dated December 16, 2015, issued by the Ministry of National Defense on the selection and call-up of citizens for military service.

2. In cases where legal normative documents referred to for application in this Circular are amended, supplemented, or replaced, they shall be applied according to the amended, supplemented, or replaced documents.

Article 13. Responsibility for Implementation

The Chief of General Staff, Chairmen of the People's Committees of centrally governed cities and heads of relevant agencies and units are responsible for implementing this Circular./.

^[1] Circular No. 68/2025/TT-BQP amending and supplementing certain provisions of Circular No. 148/2018/TT-BQP dated October 4, 2018, issued by the Minister of National Defense on the selection and call-up of citizens for military service, is promulgated based on the following grounds:

"Based on the Law on Military Service dated June 19, 2015;

Pursuant to the Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of 11 Laws on Military and National Defense dated June 27, 2025;

Based on Decree No. 01/2022/NĐ-CP dated November 30, 2022, issued by the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of National Defense; Decree No. 03/2025/NĐ-CP dated February 28, 2025, issued by the Government amending and supplementing certain provisions of Decree No. 01/2022/NĐ-CP dated November 30, 2022, issued by the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of National Defense;

At the proposal of the Chief of General Staff;

The Minister of National Defense promulgates this Circular amending and supplementing certain provisions of Circular No. 148/2018/TT-BQP dated October 4, 2018, issued by the Minister of National Defense on the selection and call-up of citizens for military service."

^[2] This point is amended and supplemented pursuant to point a, Clause 1, Article 1 of Circular No. 68/2025/TT-BQP amending and supplementing certain provisions of Circular No. 148/2018/TT-BQP dated October 4, 2018, issued by the Minister of National Defense on the selection and call-up of citizens for military service, which takes effect from July 3, 2025.

^[3] This point is amended and supplemented pursuant to point b, Clause 1, Article 1 of Circular No. 68/2025/TT-BQP amending and supplementing certain provisions of Circular No. 148/2018/TT-BQP dated October 4, 2018, issued by the Minister of National Defense on the selection and call-up of citizens for military service, which takes effect from July 3, 2025.

^[4] This point is amended and supplemented pursuant to point a, Clause 2, Article 1 of Circular No. 68/2025/TT-BQP amending and supplementing certain provisions of Circular No. 148/2018/TT-BQP dated October 4, 2018, issued by the Minister of National Defense on the selection and call-up of citizens for military service, which takes effect from July 3, 2025.

^[5] This clause is amended and supplemented pursuant to point b, Clause 2, Article 1 of Circular No. 68/2025/TT-BQP amending and supplementing certain provisions of Circular No. 148/2018/TT-BQP dated October 4, 2018, issued by the Minister of National Defense on the selection and call-up of citizens for military service, which takes effect from July 3, 2025.

^[6] This provision is amended and supplemented pursuant to Clause 3, Article 1 of Circular No. 68/2025/TT-BQP amending and supplementing certain provisions of Circular No. 148/2018/TT-BQP dated October 4, 2018, issued by the Minister of National Defense on the selection and call-up of citizens for military service, which takes effect from July 3, 2025.

^[7] This clause is amended and supplemented pursuant to Point a, Clause 4, Article 1 of Circular No. 68/2025/TT-BQP amending and supplementing certain provisions of Circular No. 148/2018/TT-BQP dated October 4, 2018, issued by the Minister of National Defense on the selection and call-up of citizens for military service, which takes effect from July 3, 2025.

^[8] This clause is amended and supplemented pursuant to Point b, Clause 4, Article 1 of Circular No. 68/2025/TT-BQP amending and supplementing certain provisions of Circular No. 148/2018/TT-BQP dated October 4, 2018, issued by the Minister of National Defense on the selection and call-up of citizens for military service, which takes effect from July 3, 2025.

^[9] This clause is amended and supplemented pursuant to Point b, Clause 4, Article 1 of Circular No. 68/2025/TT-BQP amending and supplementing certain provisions of Circular No. 148/2018/TT-BQP dated October 4, 2018, issued by the Minister of National Defense on the selection and call-up of citizens for military service, which takes effect from July 3, 2025.

^[10] This provision is amended and supplemented pursuant to Clause 5, Article 1 of Circular No. 68/2025/TT-BQP amending and supplementing certain provisions of Circular No. 148/2018/TT-BQP dated October 4, 2018, issued by the Minister of National Defense on the selection and call-up of citizens for military service, which takes effect from July 3, 2025.

^[11] This clause is amended and supplemented pursuant to Clause 5, Article 1 of Circular No. 68/2025/TT-BQP amending and supplementing certain provisions of Circular No. 148/2018/TT-BQP dated October 4, 2018, issued by the Minister of National Defense on the selection and call-up of citizens for military service, which takes effect from July 3, 2025.

^[12] Article 2 of Circular No. 68/2025/TT-BQP amending and supplementing certain provisions of Circular No. 148/2018/TT-BQP dated October 4, 2018, issued by the Minister of National Defense on the selection and call-up of citizens for military service, which takes effect from July 3, 2025, provides as follows:

"Article 2. Implementation Provisions

1. This Circular takes effect from July 3, 2025.

2. The Chief of General Staff, Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities, and Heads of relevant agencies and units shall be responsible for implementing this Circular.”