Vietnam taxation authority launches information portal for foreign services providers

The General Department of Taxation (GDT) today [March 21] launched the information portal for foreign services providers and the eTax Mobile app.

The launching ceremony. Source: GDT

The portal, located at the website address of etaxvn.gdt.gov.vn, is designed to aid foreign entities without a representative office in Vietnam and mainly provide services in the cyber environment, which makes it hard for them to declare and pay taxes in conventional ways.

According to the GDT, the website not only helps foreign parties in electronic tax transactions but also to access information on Vietnam’s tax policies and regulations related to e-commerce activities in the country.

Meanwhile, the launch of the eTax Mobile app would help individuals and businesses to pay taxes conveniently and easily, a move seen as significant amid the Covid-19 pandemic and the Government’s ongoing push for cashless payment.

“The move reaffirms the Government’s determination in modernization and digitalization of the national finance and tax management, eventually contributing to national digital transformation efforts,” said Minister of Finance (MoF) Ho Duc Phoc at the launching ceremony.

According to Phoc, for the past years, the MoF has been focusing on applying IT in tax management for greater services quality and facilitating tax transactions for businesses and people.

Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc.

With e-commerce emerging as a key trend for businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic, Phoc said Vietnam is fast becoming a booming market for online shopping.

Vietnam’s white book on e-commerce estimated the country’s e-commerce market expands by 18% in 2020 to $11.8 billion, making it the only country in Southeast Asia with a double-digit growth rate.

“Many multinationals such as Google predicted Vietnam’s digital economy to surpass the $52-billion mark by 2025 and become the third-largest in ASEAN,” Phoc said.

“Such a context requires new revisions in the legal environment to not only ensure effective administration but also to nurture the development of e-commerce, as well as creating a fair playground for both traditional and e-commerce activities,” he said.

GDT Director Cao Anh Tuan expected the launch of the portal and the app would help tax authorities better cope with changes in the new business landscape in the post-pandemic period.

So far, five banks including Vietcombank, Vietinbank, BIDV, MBank, and Agribank have integrated their payment services into the Etax Mobile app.

Tuan called for the business community to take advantage of the online tax services to further push for digitalization and sustainable development.

“The tax authorities are committed to further developing new digital services for businesses and the people,” he concluded.