Process of publishing a book in Vietnam

 To publish a book in Vietnam, it is mandatory that the book is required a permission of a publisher in over 60 publishers operated in Vietnam (list of the publishers, click here) .

Process of publishing a book in Vietnam

 We would like to introduce a process of publishing a book (first publication and republication, writing and translated books in all kinds) in Vietnam, including the following steps:

1. The decision on publishing.

 Author or individuals, organizing having legal ownership for a book can choose a publisher having suitable function for the content of the book, send the manuscript (printed on A4 paper or a file) to the publisher. The publisher read, review and edit the content in accordance with current law. Publisher reviews the contents which meet the regulations required, shall register with the Ministry of Information and Communication in the prescribed form and the publisher is responsible before the law for registration of published content.

 Within 7 working days after receiving a complete publication registration dossier from a publishing house, the Ministry of Information and Communications shall certify the publication registration in writing and grant publication registration certification numbers for each work, document or publication registered for re-publishing, and international standard book numbers (ISBNs); in case of refusal to certify publication registration, it shall issue a written reply clearly stating the reason.

 The written publication registration certification serves as a basis for a publisher to issue decision on publishing for each work, document or to-be-re-published publication. The deadline for issuing the decision on publishing is December 31 of the year of registration certification; if failing to publish a work or document or re-publish a publication, the publisher shall report such to the Ministry of Information and Communications before March 31 of the year following the year of registration certification, and the granted publication registration number and ISBN will be no longer valid.

 The decision on publishing is signed by the director or authorized deputy directors of the publisher, presents the duration and specifies the printing unit of publications.

2. Association in publishing activities:

 Publishers are associated with the following organizations and individuals (collectively referred to as associated partner) in order to publish for each publication:
 a) Author and copyright owner;
 b) Publisher, publication printing and release establishment;
 c) Other organizations with legal entity.

Form of association of the publisher with associated partner includes:

 a) Using manuscripts;
 b) Preliminarily editing manuscripts;
 c) Printing publications;
 d) Releasing publications.

The association is only made only with the following conditions:
 a) There is a written consent of the author, the copyright owner under the provisions of the law on intellectual property rights for works and materials of associated publishing;
 b) There is publishing association contract between publishers and associated partners. The association contract must have the basic contents as prescribed by the Minister of Information and Communications
 c) In case of preliminary editing association of manuscript, in addition to the conditions specified at Points a and b of this Clause, the associated partner must have editors.

For works and materials with the content on political theory, history, religion, national sovereignty, memoir, the publisher is not allowed for preliminary associated editing of manuscript.

3. Electronic versions
 After having decision on publishing, the work data, the book was typed and restated in book with size selected for print, and is printed on a paper called can paper ((French: Papier calque - paper for copying or tracing) paper is capable of high optical lenses (it means the light can pass through) and transferred to the printing house.

4. Cover design
- First book cover (front cover of the book) specifies name of book, author or compiler and editor (if any), full name of translator (for translated books), transcriber (if the book is transcribed from Nom language); name of publisher or the agency or organization which are issued publishing license;
- Fourth book cover specifies retail prices for commercial books, for books ordered by the State specify "Book ordered by the State". For non-commercial books, specify "Not for sale", the standard bar codes etc. The author is introduced on the cover 4. Cover pages prohibit advertising any kind whatsoever.
-The first book page specifies Name and title of General Director (Director) responsible for publishing; full name and title of Chief Editor responsible for the content; full name of editor; frame and size of book, publishing registration confirmation number, publishing decision number of the Director General (director) of the publisher or publishing license number of state management agencies on publishing activities; full name of presenter and illustrator, technical editor, printing corrector, printing number; name and address of the printing establishment, time of copyright deposit; International Standard Book Number (ISBN);

5. Publication Printing - Processing - Packing

 Printing house receives the publication printing in accordance with the following provisions:
 a) For publications made through the publisher, there must be publishing decision (the original) and the manuscript signed for approval of the General Director (Director) of the publisher;
 b) For non-commercial materials of Vietnamese organizations and agencies and foreign organizations not done through the publisher, there must be publishing license (the original) and the stamped manuscript of the licensing agency specified in Article 25 of this Law;
 c) For publications printed for foreign countries, there must be a printing license and publication templates for printing with the seal of the licensing agencies provided for in Article 34 of this Law.

The publication printing must made into contract in accordance with the law between the printing establishment with the publisher or agency or organization which is issued the license of non-commercial material publishing.

 The number of publications printed must be shown in the contract and in accordance with the publishing decision or publishing license of non-commercial materials.

6. Submitting legal deposit publication and submitting publication to National Library of Vietnam

All publications must be deposited their copyrights with the State management agencies on publishing activities at least 10 days before release. The legal deposit of publications shall comply with the following provisions:

 a) Publishers or agencies, organizations which are issued the publishing license by the Ministry of Information and Communications must submit three copies to the Ministry of Information and Communications. In case the printing number is less than three hundred copies, two copies shall be submitted;
 b) Agencies, organizations which are issued the publishing license by the provincial-level People”s Committee shall submit two copies to the provincial People”s Committee and one copy to the Ministry of Information and Communications; In case the printing number is less than three hundred copies, one copy shall be submitted to the provincial-level People”s Committee and one copy to the Ministry of Information and Communications;
 c) For publications reprinted without correction and supplementation, one copy shall be submitted to the Ministry of Information and Communications. In case of correction and supplementation, the provisions at Points a and b of this Clause shall apply;
 d) Publications with content of State secret as prescribed by law only submit declaration of copyright deposit;

 Within 45 days from the date of publications are released, the publishers, agencies and organizations with publishing permission must submit three copies to the National Library. In case the printing number is less than three hundred copies, two copies shall be submitted.

7. Release
After a book being printed, the quality checks made and complete submitting legal deposit publication. The books are only released when the publisher issues a decision on release.

All individuals and organizations can publish their works, their books, as long as compliance with the provisions of the Law on publishing in Vietnam, namely to comply with the process of publishing a work, book in Vietnam Nam as mentioned above.

Lawyervn.net