Vietnam Public Security Ministry proposes expanded administrative fines and jurisdiction over non‑resident violators

The Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam has drafted amendments to the Administrative Violations Law that would raise the maximum amount for fines issued without a written record (non‑record fines) to VND 1 million for individuals and VND 2 million for organisations, doubling the current limits. The proposal also allows such non‑record fines for “cold‑fine” cases identified through technical means such as weigh‑in‑motion scales, breath‑alcohol meters or surveillance cameras.

The draft further expands the scope of enforcement to cover foreign individuals and legal entities that have no physical presence in Vietnam but commit violations within its territory, notably in e‑commerce and cross‑border online services. It calls for supplementary measures such as blocking access, suspending platform functions, and removing illegal content, and suggests signing bilateral or multilateral agreements to facilitate enforcement against non‑resident offenders.