Update: Personal Income Tax Finalization for Foreigners in Vietnam

Posted by Reading Time: 3 minutes

Feb. 7 – On January 15, the Vietnam General Department of Taxation issued Official Letter 187/TCT-TNCN (OL187) to provide guidance on the finalization of personal income taxes (PIT). Some of the key updates can be found below.

183 Day Rule
Foreigners who work in Vietnam do not have to pay PIT if they spend fewer than 183 days in Vietnam in their first calendar year. If they return and live a total of 183 or more days in Vietnam, then they will be subject to PIT starting from 1 January (not the date of their arrival).

Professional Service_CB icons_2015RELATED: Dezan Shira & Associates’ International Tax Planning Services

Calculations Based on Calendar Year
Foreigners who finish their Vietnam assignment and depart but return to work in the same calendar year are required to complete the PIT finalization covering the entire calendar year.

PIT Finalization by Employer
An employee can authorize an employer to conduct PIT finalization on their behalf unless:

  • A PIT withholding receipt has been issued to them
  • The employee did not sign a labor contract
  • The employee signed a labor contract with a term of less than three months
  • The employee signed a labor contract with a term of more than three months but they have more than one source of employment income
  • The employee signed a service contract that already has 10 percent or 20 percent PIT withheld

Individuals subject to any of the above conditions must conduct PIT finalization by themselves directly with the tax office.

Deductions for Dependents
Individuals that have obligations to dependents are allowed to take out deductions for their dependents from their monthly PIT filings starting from when they register. For this, the dependent(s) must be registered properly prior to the time of PIT finalization. Individuals who have already registered their dependents but change their place of work must resubmit copies of the information of their dependents that has already been certified by their former employer to their new employer.

If PIT exemptions are claimed, statutory forms (i.e., Form 27/MGT-TNCN and Form 26/MGT-TNCN issued under Circular 140/2012/TT-BTC) must be submitted together with the final PIT return.

Individuals who conduct their tax filings directly with the tax authorities but have overpaid for their tax returns can be refunded the difference or have that difference deducted from the next cycle of PIT finalization.

Dezan Shira & Associates is a specialist foreign direct investment practice, providing corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory and compliance, accounting, payroll, due diligence and financial review services to multinationals investing in emerging Asia. Since its establishment in 1992, the firm has grown into one of Asia’s most versatile full-service consultancies with operational offices across China, Hong Kong, India, Singapore and Vietnam as well as liaison offices in Italy and the United States.

For further details or to contact the firm, please email vietnam@dezshira.com, visit www.dezshira.com, or download the company brochure.

You can stay up to date with the latest business and investment trends across Vietnam by subscribing to Asia Briefing’s complimentary update service featuring news, commentary, guides, and multimedia resources.

Related Reading

An Introduction to Doing Business in Vietnam
This new 32-page report touches on everything you need to know about doing business in Vietnam, and is now available as a complimentary PDF download on the Asia Briefing Bookstore.

Doing Business in Vietnam
The inaugural edition of Asia Briefing’s regional business guide “Doing Business in Vietnam” – offering business-minded individuals an up-to-date reference source for all of the key issues concerning setting up and successfully operating a business in the country.