- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Banned
- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Legal, but requires surgery
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✔ Legal
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Discrimination
- ✖ Illegal in some contexts
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- ✖ Single only
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- ✔ Legal
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✔ Banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
Public opinion surveys in Vietnam have pointed to a varied attitude towards LGBTQ+ individuals.
OPPOSE
SUPPORT
Perception of LGBTQ+ People
Survey results from 11 LGBTQ+ Equaldex users who lived in or visited Vietnam.
Overall
Perceived Safety**Survey results represent personal perceptions of safety and may not be indicative of current actual conditions.
Equal Treatment
Visibility & Representation
Culture
Services
History
Homosexual activity in Vietnam is legal.
Current status
Legal
It is believed that homosexual acts have never been illegal in Vietnam and those punished for it have been due to falling foul of other laws, such as those of adultery, with no regard to the sexuality of the offenders.
Same-sex marriage in Vietnam is banned.
Current status
Since Jan 2015
Banned
Article 36(1) of Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (2013) states "Males and females have the right to marry and divorce. Marriage shall conform to the principles of free consent, progressive orientation, monogamy and equality between husband and wife and mutual respect."
Law on Marriage and Family (2015) states that marriage and cohabitation are between a man and a woman.
Article 8(2) states "The State shall not recognize marriage between persons of the same sex."
Law on Marriage and Family (2015) states that marriage and cohabitation are between a man and a woman.
Article 8(2) states "The State shall not recognize marriage between persons of the same sex."
Censorship of LGBT issues in Vietnam is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
In Vietnam, LGBTIQ+ organisations have faced some restrictions in freedoms of assembly, expression and association, however none of these were explicitly related to LGBTIQ+ issues.
Right to change legal gender in Vietnam is legal, but requires surgery.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2017
Gender-affirming care in Vietnam is legal.
Current status
Legal
Gender Redetermination Decree No. 88/2008/ND-CP specifies the rules of care for transgender people, including:
3. Gender reassignment treatment:
a) At the request of the person re-establishing gender, the research and treatment facility will select the gender that will have appropriate treatment methods, maintaining the principle that in the case of a given gender, the person being determined will be the gender that best integrates life mentally, physiologically and socially;
b) The research and treatment facility determines the age of the person applying for gender reassignment surgery, making sure that it is the earliest age;
c) Medical and therapeutic research centers recommend surgical treatment and postoperative hormonal treatment.
3. Gender reassignment treatment:
a) At the request of the person re-establishing gender, the research and treatment facility will select the gender that will have appropriate treatment methods, maintaining the principle that in the case of a given gender, the person being determined will be the gender that best integrates life mentally, physiologically and socially;
b) The research and treatment facility determines the age of the person applying for gender reassignment surgery, making sure that it is the earliest age;
c) Medical and therapeutic research centers recommend surgical treatment and postoperative hormonal treatment.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Vietnam is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
Vietnam does not legally recognize non-binary gender. In Vietnam, individuals are legally classified as either male or female.
LGBT discrimination in Vietnam is illegal in some contexts.
Current status
Since Aug 3, 2022
Illegal in some contexts
There are some legal protections in place.
Official Office 4132/BYT-PC issued in 2022 by the Ministry of Health, reads: "When organizing medical examination and treatment for homosexual, bisexual, transgender people, there must be equality, respect for gender, no discrimination, no prejudice against these subjects."
Decree 13/2023/ND-CP on Personal Data Protection states that "Sensitive personal data" includes information on sex life and sexual orientation.
Official Office 4132/BYT-PC issued in 2022 by the Ministry of Health, reads: "When organizing medical examination and treatment for homosexual, bisexual, transgender people, there must be equality, respect for gender, no discrimination, no prejudice against these subjects."
Decree 13/2023/ND-CP on Personal Data Protection states that "Sensitive personal data" includes information on sex life and sexual orientation.
LGBT employment discrimination in Vietnam is no protections.
Current status
No protections
There are no protections from discrimination in employment provided to LGBTIQ+ people in Vietnam.
LGBT housing discrimination in Vietnam is no protections.
Current status
No protections
There are no protections from discrimination in housing provided to LGBTIQ+ people in Vietnam.
Same-sex adoption in Vietnam is single only.
Current status
Since Jun 9, 2000
Single only
LGBTIQ+ couples are not able to adopt children, however singles can.
Intersex infant surgery in Vietnam is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Not banned in Vietnam.
Serving openly in military in Vietnam is legal.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 1992
Legal
Technically, homosexuals can serve openly in the military. There are no laws protecting them against discriminations though.
Blood donations by MSMs in Vietnam is legal.
Current status
Legal
There are no laws regarding donating blood in Vietnam that restrict men who have sex with men from donating.
Conversion therapy in Vietnam is banned.
Current status
Since Aug 3, 2022
Banned
On August 3, 2022, Vietnamese Health Ministry published a document saying that homosexuality is not disease and that conversion therapy to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity was illegal.
It is currently not clear what the consequences of partaking in the practice will be, if any.
It is currently not clear what the consequences of partaking in the practice will be, if any.
Until Aug 3, 2022
Not banned
Not banned
Equal age of consent in Vietnam is equal.
Current status
Since Dec 21, 1999
Equal
The age of consent is 16 years old. However, this is due to the LGBT population not being officially mentioned or recognized in the law
LGBT Rights by Province
View the LGBT laws in each individual province of Vietnam.
- An Giang
- Ba Ria-Vung Tau
- Bac Can
- Bac Giang
- Bac Lieu
- Bac Ninh
- Ben Tre
- Binh Dinh
- Binh Duong
- Binh Phuoc
- Binh Thuan
- Ca Mau
- Cao Bang
- Dac Lac
- Dak Nong
- Dien Bien
- Dong Nai
- Dong Thap
- Gia Lai
- Ha Giang
- Ha Nam
- Ha Tinh
- Hai Duong
- Hau Giang
- Hoa Binh
- Hung Yen
- Khanh Hoa
- Kien Giang
- Kon Tum
- Lai Chau
- Lam Dong
- Lang Son
- Lao Cai
- Long An
- Nam Dinh
- Nghe An
- Ninh Binh
- Ninh Thuan
- Phu Tho
- Phu Yen
- Quang Binh
- Quang Nam
- Quang Ngai
- Quang Ninh
- Quang Tri
- Soc Trang
- Son La
- Tay Ninh
- Thai Binh
- Thai Nguyen
- Thanh Hoa
- Thua Thien-Hue
- Tien Giang
- Tra Vinh
- Tuyen Quang
- Vinh Long
- Vinh Phuc
- Yen Bai
- Can Tho (Municipality)
- Da Nang (Municipality)
- Ha Noi (Municipality)
- Hai Phong (Municipality)
- Ho Chi Minh (Municipality)
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#59
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Alternative names: Viêt Nam (local name)
