Policies on fees, charges and finance coming into force from the middle of May, 2018

1. Regulations on fees for processing of application for license to provide international travel services

The Ministry of Finance promulgates the Circular No. 33/2018/TT-BTC on fees for processing of applications for license to provide domestic and international travel services; fees for processing of applications for tourist guide identification cards; fees for processing of applications for license to establish representative offices of foreign travel service providers in Vietnam.

According to this Circular, fees for processing of applications for license to provide domestic travel services are charged as follows:

- New license: VND 3,000,000/an application;

- Replacement of license: VND 2,000,000/an application;

- Re-issuance of license: VND 1,500,000/an application.

Additionally, there is a remarkable reduction in fees for processing of applications for replacement or re-issuance of the license to provide international travel services as follows:
 
- Replacement of license: VND 2,000,000/an application;

- Re-issuance of license: VND 1,500,000/an application.

(The current fee for processing of applications for replacement or re-issuance of license is VND 3,000,000/application).

The Circular No.33/2018/TT-BTC comes into force from May 14, 2018.

2. Reduction of fee for processing of application for accreditation of 3 star rated hotel by VND 01 million

The Circular No. 34/2018/TT-BTC on fees for processing of applications for rating of tourist accommodation establishments and applications for accreditation of other tourism service providers, payment, transfer and management thereof comes into force from May 14, 2018.

According to this Circular, the fee for processing of an application for accreditation of 3 star rated hotel is VND 2,000,000 (currently, VND 3,000,000).

The fees currently charged to process applications for accreditation of 1 star, 2 star, 4 star or 5 star rated tourist accommodation establishments and applications for accreditation of other tourism service providers remain unchanged.

3. Guidelines on grant of subsidy on interest rate difference for purchasing social houses

This is the most noticeable content of the Decision No. 18/2018/QD-TTg providing guidelines on grant of subsidy on interest rate difference in implementation of policies on giving concessional loans for purchase of social housing of the Decree No. 100/2015/ND-CP, and coming into force from May 20, 2018.

According to this Decision, interest rate subsidy is granted to cover the interests on a loan if all of the following requirements are satisfied:

- There is a credit agreement duly signed and the borrowed fund has been disbursed by the lending credit institution.

- The loan is granted to an eligible entity and the borrowed fund is used for the purpose prescribed by law. 

- The loan is not due at the time of providing interest rate subsidy.

The interest rate difference on which subsidy is provided by the State for credit institutions granting loans under the social housing program is 3% during the 2016 – 2020 period.

Note: No interest rate subsidy is provided in case the loan is overdue or rescheduled (unless the loan is rescheduled because of force majeure events as prescribed by law).

4. Subsidy provided from state budget for enterprises engaged in supporting industries

This is a content of the Circular No. 29/2018/TT-BTC providing guidelines for preparation, management and use of funding for implementing the Program on development of supporting industries.
 
According to the Circular, subsidies shall be provided to any organizations or individuals engaged in the implementation of the Program on development of supporting industries to cover 100% of the following costs:

- Costs of formulation of standards and regulations:  wages paid to outsourcing officials and experts; cost of hiring consultants; costs of acquiring supplies, raw materials, fuels, standards, procedures, technical documents, copyrights, etc.

- Costs of introducing and disseminating manufacturing technological processes and technical requirements to be satisfied by supporting industry products to enterprises engaging in supporting industries in Vietnam;

- Costs of preparation and organization of training programs for enterprises:  costs of drinks, leasing facilities, halls and classroom supplies, costs of foods, accommodations and travel for learners (if any), etc.

The Circular No.29/2018/TT-BTC comes into force from May 11, 2018.

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