The Rundown
The “once-in-a-century” administrative restructuring of Vietnam’s provinces has come into effect as part of Resolution No. 60-NQ/TW, cutting the three-tier system of local government down to two and merging nearly half of the country’s provincial units.
Billed by the Hanoi Times as the country’s most extensive administrative overhaul since the country’s reunification in 1975, the streamlining effort means Vietnam’s 63 localities have now been consolidated into 34, comprising 28 provinces (tỉnh) and six centrally-governed cities.
The intermediate district-level system has also been abolished.
Remember District 1 (Quận 1) in Saigon? That’s just Saigon Ward now (phường Sài Gòn).
Here’s everything you need to know about the great provincial merger.
Hanoi remains unchanged, Ho Chi Minh City to become a megacity
Amid the sweeping reforms, 11 provinces and cities stand unaffected by the mergers. Hanoi remains notably unchanged, with a population density of nearly 2,555 people per square kilometre – the highest in the country.
Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City is slated to become an economic hub and tourist megacity as it absorbs Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau Provinces into what experts label a “strategic tourism triangle” spanning urban, industrial, and eco-tourism zones respectively.
Local state media reports the new triad is an ambitious signal by General Secretary To Lam to raise Ho Chi Minh City’s profile as Southeast Asia’s emerging international megacity.
If you’re visiting as a tourist…
Street addresses have changed and you may need to re-check your itinerary
It could be worth saving your must-go locations on Google Maps in advance for ease of copy-pasting into your preferred taxi apps or communication with drivers once you arrive.
The good news is that the scale of these changes means that it’ll also take some time for the locals to adjust as well – and place-based identity runs deep in Vietnam, regardless of whether the name on paper has changed.
Plan additional flexibility with your travel plans as transportation routes may be affected
Transportation routes and infrastructure planning may also be impacted by the provincial changes, so if you’re utilizing local transportation between provinces be aware that the routes and circuits may soon reflect the new administrative boundaries.
Longer-term, the view from the ground is that the mergers will benefit tourism offerings by integrating access to more regions, so you can experience more of Vietnam in shorter timeframes.
If you’re an overseas Vietnamese or expat living in Vietnam…
Be aware that you may need to update your registration documents and work permits
Work permits and Temporary Residence Cards (TRC) which reflect your address or your employer’s address in Vietnam may need to be updated if linked to specific provincial jurisdictions which have been affected by the changes. It’s worth seeking advice from your employer regarding their official address under the new changes, and whether or not they have interim guidance on any legal processes you should follow as the boundary changes take effect. Similarly, this may be the time to confirm your details with banking and insurance service providers.
For an abundance of caution, queries regarding work permits can be directed to the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (DOLISA), while TRC clarifications as to whether address updates are required can be made at the Immigration Office.
You could be returning to a hometown that no longer exists on paper
If you’re a Vietnamese person who’s lived or worked abroad for an extended period of time, or have parents who haven’t returned to Vietnam in a while, you could be returning to a hometown that no longer exists on paper.
Streamlining agendas aren’t new to Vietnam – older generations of the Vietnamese diaspora may recall a swathe of post-unification mergers during the 1975-78 period which saw the number of localities fluctuate in a move-fast-revise-later approach to government policy.
VietnamPlus notes that some of these mergers were later reversed to account for the identity considerations of particular regions.
Regional identities run deep, and these sweeping reforms won’t settle overnight – but Resolution No. 60 is widely viewed as a transformational reset for Vietnam as it looks to streamline governance, improve efficiency, and reduce bureaucratic redundancy in its pursuit of attracting investment and accelerating economic growth.
Optimists on the ground would say it’s a sign of more ambitious things to come.