Print Invoice for Vietnam

Electronic invoicing became mandatory for most businesses in Vietnam on July 1, 2022, marking a significant shift from traditional paper-based systems. This nationwide mandate, primarily governed by Decree 123/2020/ND-CP and Circular 78/2021/TT-BTC, aims to enhance transparency, combat tax evasion, and streamline tax administration. Businesses are required to register with the General Department of Taxation (GDT) to issue e-invoices. This registration process typically involves submitting Form 01/ĐKTĐ-HĐĐT, which details the chosen invoice type (with or without a tax authority authentication code) and an active email address for notifications.

Recent legislative updates, particularly Decree 70/2025/ND-CP and Circular 32/2025/TT-BTC, effective June 1, 2025, have further refined the e-invoicing regime. These amendments expand the scope to include certain foreign digital businesses on a voluntary basis and introduce stricter requirements for retail and consumer-facing sectors, including mandatory connected Point-of-Sale (POS) invoicing for large retailers. Non-compliance with these regulations can lead to administrative fines, with penalties for failing to issue invoices ranging from VND 5 million to 10 million per violation, and potentially higher for persistent non-compliance.

To ensure legal validity, Vietnamese e-invoices must adhere to specific formats and contain mandatory information. The legally required format for e-invoices is a structured XML file (Extensible Markup Language), which is the official standard set by the tax authority. While a human-readable PDF copy can be generated for convenience, the XML data file is the legally binding form. A crucial element for authenticity and integrity is the digital signature, which is mandatory for most e-invoices, with an exception for those generated from POS cash registers.

E-invoices must include comprehensive details, mirroring the information found on traditional paper VAT invoices. This includes:

• Seller's name, address, and tax identification number.
• Buyer's name, address, and tax identification number (or personal ID for B2C if requested).
• Invoice serial code and number, and date of issuance.
• A clear description of goods or services, quantity, unit price, total value, applicable VAT rates, and the corresponding VAT amount, leading to the total amount payable.

Vietnam's e-invoicing system categorizes invoices into two main types: verification-coded e-invoices and non-verification-coded e-invoices. Verification-coded invoices are essentially cleared in real-time; the seller's system submits the invoice data to the GDT platform, which then issues a unique code to be included on the invoice before it's delivered to the buyer. For non-verification-coded invoices, the data must still be transmitted to the tax authority no later than the day the invoice is delivered to the buyer.

Maintaining the integrity and accessibility of electronic invoices is paramount in Vietnam, with strict requirements for storage and security. Businesses are legally obligated to store e-invoices securely for a period of at least 10 years in compliance with tax regulations. This retention period aligns with the statute of limitations for tax audits, ensuring that records are available for future reference and inspections.

The electronic archive must preserve the integrity of the invoices, meaning that the original XML format, digital signatures, and any tax authority codes must remain intact for audit purposes. Key security measures to protect e-invoice data include:

• Protection against unauthorized access: Implementing robust access controls and encryption to prevent viewing or modification by unauthorized individuals.
• Data integrity: Ensuring that the invoice data cannot be altered after issuance without detection. This is largely supported by the digital signature.
• Data recovery systems: Having mechanisms in place to recover data in case of system failures or data loss.

Businesses can choose to store e-invoices in-house or outsource the storage to certified e-invoice service providers. Even storage on foreign servers is permitted under certain conditions, provided that the integrity and accessibility of the data are maintained. Along with the invoices themselves, any related electronic records, such as e-delivery notes and supporting lists, must also be stored for the same duration.

Beyond e-invoices, Vietnam's tax system also mandates the use of e-delivery notes to meticulously document and control the movement of goods. These electronic documents play a crucial role in complementing e-invoices, particularly when goods are transported separately from the invoicing event or for internal transfers. E-delivery notes ensure traceability and provide a clear audit trail for physical goods movement, which is an aspect often overlooked but vital for comprehensive compliance.

There are generally two main types of e-delivery notes:

• Internal Transfer Delivery Note: Used for goods moved between warehouses or facilities belonging to the same company.
• Commercial Distribution Delivery Note: Utilized when goods are shipped to sales agents, intermediaries, or other third parties.

Regulations surrounding e-delivery notes stipulate that they must meet similar formal requirements as e-invoices, including mandatory content, digital format, and the ability to be reported to or verified by the tax authority. This ensures that the movement of goods is transparent and verifiable, aligning with the broader goals of the e-invoicing system to enhance fiscal control and reduce fraud. These notes, like e-invoices, must also be stored electronically for the statutory 10-year retention period.

Creating compliant e-invoices in Vietnam is made more accessible through the availability of various templates and specialized software tools. Businesses can leverage these resources to ensure their invoices meet the stringent Vietnamese standards. Many e-invoicing service providers offer customizable PDF templates that are aligned with the General Department of Taxation (GDT) guidelines. These templates typically incorporate all the mandatory fields required by Decree 123/2020/ND-CP and its amendments, such as seller and buyer details, tax codes, invoice numbers, transaction descriptions, and VAT breakdowns.

When customizing templates, it's essential to:

• Ensure Vietnamese language compliance: The invoice text must primarily be in Vietnamese. If foreign language text is necessary, it should be placed in parentheses to the right or below the Vietnamese text and formatted in a smaller font.
• Use Arabic numerals: All numbers on the invoice must use Arabic numerals (0-9).
• Incorporate digital signatures: Ensure the template design allows for the clear display of the digital signature, which is crucial for legal validity.
• Align with tax codes: Verify that the template correctly displays the GDT tax code, especially for verification-coded invoices.

Specialized software and platforms are invaluable for automating the e-invoice creation process. These tools often integrate with existing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) or accounting systems, streamlining workflows and significantly reducing manual data entry errors. They can automatically format invoices into the required XML structure, apply digital signatures, and facilitate the secure transmission of invoice data to the tax authorities, either directly or through accredited service providers. This automation not only enhances compliance but also improves operational efficiency and reduces administrative costs.