Fee waivers drive shift to online public services in Hai Phong
A policy waiving fees and charges for online administrative procedures is making it easier for people in Hai Phong to switch from filing applications in person to submitting them online from home.
“Zero” fees and charges for online land procedures
In early August 2026, Pham Thi Nghin, a resident of Luu Ha residential quarter in Kinh Mon Ward, applied to change the use of land for perennial crops to urban residential land. Instead of going to the Public Administration Service Center in person, Nghin submitted her application online and was exempt from fees and charges.
Vu Thi Khanh Ly, director of the Kinh Mon Ward Public Administration Service Center, said that from the beginning of 2026 to Aug. 19, the ward had received 58 online applications to change land-use purposes and for the first-time issuance of land-use rights certificates, all of which were subject to zero fees.
In addition, 109 construction permit applications, 278 applications for business registration and amendments to business registrations, and 707 applications for certified copies submitted through the city's administrative procedure system were also exempt from fees. More than 33 million dong in fees and charges was waived.
The policy was implemented under Resolution 07, issued by the former Hai Duong provincial People's Council on June 10, 2025. It was later replaced by Resolution 23, issued by the Hai Phong People's Council on July 28, 2026, setting fees and charges under the council's authority for online administrative procedures in Hai Phong.
Resolution 23 took effect on Aug. 8, 2026, replacing Resolution 08, issued by the former Hai Phong city People's Council on June 17, 2025, on online administrative procedures.
Promoting digital citizenship
Under Resolution 23, individuals and businesses submitting applications online are exempt from four types of fees and seven types of charges.
The four fees cover civil status procedures; work permits for foreign workers in Vietnam; certificates of land-use rights and ownership of assets attached to land in Hai Phong; and construction permits in Hai Phong.
The seven charges cover registration of secured transactions in the city; appraisal of applications for certificates of land-use rights and ownership of assets attached to land; appraisal for the issuance, reissuance and adjustment of environmental permits; appraisal of environmental impact assessment reports; appraisal of applications for water resource permits in Hai Phong; selection and recognition of mother trees, plus trees, forest seed orchards and seed forests; and appraisal for certificates of eligibility to operate sports facilities and professional sports clubs in Hai Phong.
Bringing a wide range of fees and charges down to zero not only reduces costs but also provides a tangible incentive for people to change their habits and switch from filing applications in person to submitting them online. For procedures with large numbers of applications, such as civil status, certification, land, construction and business registration, a higher share of online applications would help ease pressure on public administration service centers at the commune level.
Nguyen Thi Trang, deputy director of the Le Chan Ward Public Administration Service Center, said that from the beginning of 2026 to Aug. 18, the center had received and processed 40,072 online applications, but residents themselves had submitted only just over 20% from home, with officials assisting with the rest.
Going forward, authorities need to step up public awareness efforts, make greater use of community digital technology teams and improve residents' digital skills, helping them gradually take the initiative in completing administrative procedures from home.
Agencies, organisations and businesses should also accelerate the digitisation of records and data, reduce reliance on paper documents and make it easier for residents to complete the full process online.
Hai Phong News