Vietnam implements strict penalties for land document fraud

Under Decree 123/2024/ND-CP, Vietnam has established strict administrative penalties for the falsification, erasure, or alteration of land use right certificates (red books). These regulations aim to combat the increasing complexity of fraudulent documentation used in administrative procedures, sales, and mortgages.

For individuals, penalties include: - Fines of 2,000,000 to 5,000,000 VND for unauthorized erasure or alteration of land documents that do not change legal rights. - Fines of 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 VND for dishonest declarations or alterations that lead to incorrect certificate issuance or fraudulent transactions. - Fines of 10,000,000 to 20,000,000 VND for using forged certificates in administrative procedures.

Organizations face double the fines applied to individuals, reaching up to 40,000,000 VND for using forged documents. Beyond administrative fines, serious violations may result in the cancellation of transactions or criminal prosecution, with potential sentences up to life imprisonment.