How many NGOs and charities are there in Vietnam, and what is this data?
GiveRadar tracks 495 NGOs and charities in Vietnam. This is a small, curated set of mostly international NGOs operating in the country, compiled from COMINGO, the government committee for foreign NGO affairs, and the former VUFO-NGO Resource Centre. It is not a register or a representative census of Vietnam's domestic nonprofit sector.
In Vietnamese an NGO is a to chuc phi chinh phu, and a foreign one a to chuc phi chinh phu nuoc ngoai. Because the set is curated rather than a bulk register, its records are relatively well filled in, with a website or email for about a third of the organizations.
Is this a complete list of nonprofits in Vietnam?
No. GiveRadar's Vietnam data covers mainly international NGOs, not the full domestic nonprofit sector. Vietnam's own associations, funds and research organizations register through separate channels that are not comprehensively covered here.
Domestic associations (hoi) register under Decree 126/2024 with state permission and an approved charter, social and charitable funds (quy tu thien) under Decree 93/2019, and science-and-technology organizations under a separate law, mostly through the Ministry of Home Affairs or a provincial authority.
How are NGOs regulated in Vietnam?
Foreign NGOs register with COMINGO under Decree 58/2022, with certificates issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. An operating registration or representative-office certificate grants lawful existence and permission for the authorized activities, in defined areas.
Vietnam is a one-party state, and organizations face approval, activity, geographic, reporting and supervisory controls (ngocentre.org.vn). Registration is therefore permission to operate under close regulation, not a government endorsement of an organization's quality or effectiveness.
Are donations to Vietnamese charities tax-deductible?
Resident individuals may deduct qualifying charitable or humanitarian donations from taxable salary income only where the recipient is a legally licensed or recognized institution or fund. Documentation requirements must be met, and it is not an automatic deduction for every NGO donation.
Companies may deduct specified sponsorship categories, such as education, healthcare, disaster relief and scientific work, rather than any charitable gift. Confirm the recipient's eligibility and the current rules before assuming relief applies.
How do you check a Vietnamese NGO before you donate?
Vietnam has no confirmed comprehensive public register to search, so verification takes a direct step. A website or a familiar name is not a substitute for confirming an organization's registration.
- Ask the organization for its registration certificate, approved charter and current activity reports.
- Confirm them with the issuing ministry or authority, or with COMINGO for a foreign NGO.
- For a tax deduction, check the recipient is a licensed or recognized institution under the tax law.
- Read the organization's own reports and donation terms. See GiveRadar's integrity score methodology for what each data point proves.
How can you donate to charities and NGOs in Vietnam?
Vietnam's charitable landscape is served by both international NGOs and domestic funds, working in education, health, disaster relief and community development. Choose a cause deliberately, verify the recipient and use only payment details the organization itself publishes.
- Explore the international NGOs GiveRadar lists, many based in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and compare organizations serving the outcome you value.
- Confirm the recipient's registration and, for a tax deduction, its eligibility under the tax law.
- Give through the organization's confirmed bank details or a secure, published payment channel.
- Keep the receipt. See GiveRadar's guidance for donors for more checks.