The 2022 Fund for Assisting Overseas Vietnamese Citizens and Legal Entities (FAOV) has now replaced the 2013 version.

On Dec. 10, the Ministry of Finance promulgates Circular 110/TT-BTC stipulating the changes in the use and settlement of funds on protecting overseas Vietnamese citizens and legal entities.

This circular will be effective from January 26, 2022. The Citizen Assistance Fund operates not for profit and under the financial management regulation of the Fund.

Spending must ensure efficiency and accuracy

219 citizens from Equatorial Guinea held up a photo of Uncle Ho and thanked the Vietnamese Government as they arrived at the airport. Photo: VNT

The Circular states the contents of non-refundable expenditures to include: expenses for Vietnamese official missions to go on business trips to overseas Vietnamese citizens and legal entities abroad; visits to consulates to aiz citizens with criminal records or have been being arrested, detained, tried and imprisoned; expenses for airfare, train travel, and fuel according to a prescribed regime.

The fund will support cases of Vietnamese who want to go home and citizens in extremely difficult circumstances, suffering from serious diseases, terminal illnesses, and/or are victims of human trafficking.

It will also support citizens with extreme difficulties, when they and their families do not have the sufficient financial ability to cover the commute expenses in the host country; and the sustenance, the temporary shelter and other necessities.

Spending of the FAOV will ensure efficiency and accuracy based on payment vouchers.

Notable changes in the 2022 Circular

In addition, the FOAV will help citizens suffering from life-threatening disease, death, and disabilities, as well as when people or their families has no financial inability to pay in natural disasters and epidemics.

The circular does not apply to Vietnamese citizens who already paid insurance abroad. Photo: Tuoi Tre

To receive assistance to return home and other related expenses, the representative Vietnam agencies Overseas must report to domestic units assigned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They then carry out the work of protecting overseas Vietnamese citizens and legal entities granted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The Ministry of Finance will hold FAOV and domestic units accountable for each specific case.

The notable change in the 2022 Circular is in advance payment for airway tickets to return to Vietnam, expenses for medical insurance (including hospital fees and other expenses related to medical insurance), and temporary residence expenses, etc.

For example, the involved party must have a deposit or guarantee from their family, relatives, domestic organizations, and it must be certified in writing by competent authorities.

In case of special emergency or if the involved party does not have a deposit or guarantee they are to refund the advance costs to the domestic unit assigned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the direct person/team perform the work of protecting Vietnamese people living abroad.

Heads of overseas Vietnamese representative missions shall, according to the guidance of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, consider and decide on advance payment for each specific emergency.

An overseas Vietnamese representative mission is only entitled to make an advance payment after the involved parties have made the deposit according to the guarantee and commitment measures.

The Circular will take effect from January 26, 2022,l. This Circular does not apply to Vietnamese citizens residing permanently in foreign countries and territories who have already paid for insurance abroad.

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