On 1 July 2025, Vietnam reduced its 63 provinces and centrally governed cities to 34 and abolished the district level of local government, so that communes and wards now sit directly under the province or city. For foreigners, the most visible effects are new province names on many addresses, the disappearance of districts from official addresses, and some changes in which local office handles residence registration and other procedures. Documents issued before the change generally remain valid, but new paperwork uses the new format.
The reform was the largest reorganisation of Vietnam's administrative map in decades, approved by the National Assembly in June 2025 together with an amendment to the Constitution. It changed the names many foreigners use daily, from where they rent to where they file for a residence card. This guide explains what changed in plain terms and what you should check. Because implementing rules continue to be issued, always confirm details for your own case with the relevant authorities.
What changed, in short
Before July 2025, Vietnam had three levels of local government below the national level: provinces and centrally governed cities; districts, towns and provincial cities; and communes, wards and townships. The reform removed the middle level entirely. Communes and wards were also merged into larger units, greatly reducing their number, and they now report directly to the province or centrally governed city.
At the same time, many provinces were merged in pairs or groups, taking the total from 63 to 34. The new total is made up of 28 provinces and six centrally governed cities: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Can Tho and Hue. Eleven provinces and cities kept their existing boundaries, including Hanoi, Hue, Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Lang Son, Cao Bang, Dien Bien, Lai Chau and Son La.
In most merged pairs, one of the old names was kept for the new unit, and one of the old capitals became the new administrative centre. Some familiar names therefore disappeared from official use, even though they live on in conversation, in the names of businesses and in tourism.
Mergers that matter most to foreigners
These are the changes that affect the places where foreigners most often live, work or retire. The list is not complete; consult official sources for every merger.
| New unit | Formed from | What foreigners notice |
|---|---|---|
| Ho Chi Minh City | Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Ba Ria–Vung Tau | Industrial parks of Binh Duong and the beaches of Vung Tau now fall under the city |
| Da Nang | Da Nang, Quang Nam | Hoi An and Tam Ky are now part of Da Nang city |
| Hai Phong | Hai Phong, Hai Duong | A larger northern industrial and port city |
| Can Tho | Can Tho, Soc Trang, Hau Giang | A much larger delta city |
| Lam Dong | Lam Dong, Dak Nong, Binh Thuan | Da Lat remains the centre; Mui Ne and Phan Thiet are now in Lam Dong |
| Khanh Hoa | Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan | Nha Trang remains the centre |
| Gia Lai | Gia Lai, Binh Dinh | Quy Nhon is the administrative centre |
| An Giang | An Giang, Kien Giang | Phu Quoc is now a special zone of An Giang |
| Dak Lak | Dak Lak, Phu Yen | Buon Ma Thuot remains the centre; Tuy Hoa's coast joins the province |
Other mergers include Bac Ninh with Bac Giang, Hung Yen with Thai Binh, Ninh Binh with Ha Nam and Nam Dinh, Quang Tri with Quang Binh, and Quang Ngai with Kon Tum, among others. If a place you care about is not listed here, check the official list before assuming it is unchanged.
No more districts: how addresses changed
The most practical change for daily life is the disappearance of districts. Foreigners in Ho Chi Minh City were used to saying they lived in District 1, District 2 or District 7; in Hanoi, people named districts such as Tay Ho, Ba Dinh or Hoan Kiem. Those districts no longer exist as administrative units. Official addresses now follow a shorter format: house number and street, ward or commune, and province or city.
Many wards were also merged and renamed, so a building may now belong to a ward with a different name from the one on your lease. In conversation, property listings, delivery apps and on some signs, the old district names continue to be used, and they will probably remain in informal use for years. That is fine for directions; for contracts and forms, use the current official address.
Ride-hailing and map apps have been updating their address data, but not always consistently. When you give an address to a driver or a delivery service, it often helps to mention a well-known landmark or the old district name as well.
Are your documents still valid?
The government stated at the time of the reform that people would not be required to change their documents immediately just because the name of their province, district or ward had changed. Documents issued before 1 July 2025 that show an old address generally remain valid until they expire or need to be reissued for another reason.
For foreigners, this covers documents such as a temporary residence card, a work permit, a lease, a residence registration confirmation, bank records and vehicle papers. When you renew or replace any of them, the new document will carry the new address format. If an official or a bank queries a mismatch between an old document and your current address, explain that the difference comes from the administrative reorganisation, and keep a copy of your updated registration to show that the address is the same place.
This is general guidance. If your residence card, work permit or other document is due for renewal, or if you are applying for something new, confirm with the issuing office what address format it requires and whether any additional step is needed.
Which office handles what now
With districts gone, tasks that used to be handled at district level have been redistributed, generally upward to the province or city, or downward to the commune and ward. Residence registration for foreigners continues to be done with the local police where you live, which is now organised at the commune and ward level. Applications for temporary residence cards, visa extensions and similar matters are handled by the provincial or city immigration office or by the national Immigration Department, depending on the case and the sponsor.
Work permits are handled by the labour authority at provincial level, with procedures that have been revised several times in recent years. Marriage registration with a foreign element and other civil status matters have their own responsible offices under current rules.
Where provinces merged, the main offices are usually located in the new administrative centre, though some branches continued to operate in the former provincial capitals during the transition. Before you travel to an office, check the current address and whether applications can be submitted online through the national public service portal.
What the reform means for choosing a city
For someone deciding where to live, the reform changes labels more than landscapes. Hoi An is still a slow, beautiful old town; it is simply now part of Da Nang. Vung Tau is still a seaside city a few hours from Saigon; it is now technically Saigon. Mui Ne still has its winds and dunes; it now belongs to the same province as Da Lat.
There are some practical effects. Being part of a larger city may simplify paperwork for people who live in one place and work in another within the same unit, for example in Ho Chi Minh City and the former Binh Duong. Investment, infrastructure and services in the merged areas may be planned differently over the coming years. And travel guides, property websites and expat forums written before mid-2025 will often use outdated names, so you need to translate them mentally.
When reading about a place, check whether the source is from before or after July 2025. When signing anything, use the current official names, and ask a Vietnamese-speaking friend or adviser to confirm the address if you are unsure.
Common misunderstandings about the reform
One common misunderstanding is that the reform changed borders on the ground or moved people. It did not. Streets, buildings and neighbourhoods stayed where they were; what changed is how they are grouped and named for administrative purposes. Your landlord, your local market and your neighbours are exactly where they were before.
Another is that the old names are now wrong to use. In everyday life, names like Saigon, Hoi An, Vung Tau, Phan Thiet, Thao Dien or Tay Ho remain perfectly normal and widely understood. They simply do not appear in official address lines in the same way. Many towns that lost their official status kept their names as wards or communes.
A third is that every procedure moved to a new office overnight. In practice, the transition was gradual, with some offices continuing to receive applications in former provincial capitals for a period, and with online submission expanding. Finally, some people assume the reform changed visa or residence rules. It did not; immigration law and the categories of visa and residence card are set separately, and any changes to them come through their own laws and decrees.
A checklist for foreign residents
Most foreigners do not need to do anything urgent because of the reform, but a short review is worthwhile. Check that your residence registration at your current home shows the correct current address, and keep a copy. Look at the expiry dates of your visa or residence card and work permit, and plan renewals with the new address format in mind. Ask your landlord whether the lease should be updated, especially if you are renewing it.
Update your address with your bank, your insurer and your employer when they ask for it or when you next change something. Make sure your embassy registration, if you have one, and any address on file with your home country's authorities still make sense.
Finally, keep both versions of your address, old and new, in a note on your phone. It makes conversations with drivers, couriers, and officials who still think in old districts much easier. If anything is unclear, confirm with the immigration authorities or the local ward office rather than relying on social media posts.
Câu hỏi thường gặp
How many provinces does Vietnam have now?
Since 1 July 2025, Vietnam has 34 provincial-level units: 28 provinces and six centrally governed cities, namely Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Can Tho and Hue. Before the reform there were 63. Eleven units kept their previous boundaries, while the rest were merged.
Does District 1 still exist in Ho Chi Minh City?
Not as an administrative unit. Since July 2025, all districts in Vietnam have been abolished, and the area once called District 1 is now divided into wards that report directly to the city. People still use the old name in conversation and listings, but official addresses use the ward name.
Do I need to change my residence card because of the new address?
Generally, no immediate change is required just because the administrative name of your address changed. Your card normally remains valid until it expires or needs to be reissued for another reason. When you renew, the new address format will be used. Confirm your specific case with the immigration office.
Is Hoi An still a separate city?
No. Since July 2025, Hoi An has been part of Da Nang city, following the merger of Da Nang and Quang Nam. The old town, its heritage status and its daily life are unchanged, but administrative matters now fall under Da Nang authorities.
Where do I register my residence after the reform?
Foreigners still register their place of residence with the local police where they live, now organised at the ward or commune level. Usually the landlord or accommodation provider does this. Make sure registration happens whenever you move, and keep a copy of the confirmation for your records.
Why did Vietnam merge provinces?
The government presented the reform as a way to streamline the state apparatus, reduce administrative layers and costs, and create larger provinces with more room for development planning. The changes were approved by the National Assembly in 2025 alongside a constitutional amendment. Foreigners mainly experience the reform through new names and addresses.