Tiếng Việt
中文Short answer: Hotel and restaurant enterprises may not collect payment in foreign currency (except in special cases permitted by law). However, they may list and advertise prices of goods and services in Vietnamese Dong and the equivalent foreign currency on electronic news pages and specialized publications exclusively in foreign languages — excluding menus and service price lists at the premises.
Legal basis
- The Ordinance on Foreign Exchange; foreign exchange management regulations (formerly Article 4 of Circular 32/2013/TT-NHNN).
Permitted: bilingual price listing and advertising
Businesses in air transport, hotels, and tourism may list and advertise prices of goods and services in Vietnamese Dong and the equivalent foreign currency on:
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- Electronic news pages;
- Specialized publications exclusively in foreign languages.
Excluded are menus and service price lists at the premises — these must be shown in Vietnamese Dong.
Not permitted: collecting payment in foreign currency
Payment for rooms and dining must be made in Vietnamese Dong, except in special cases permitted by law (e.g., non-resident guests paying under foreign exchange management regulations). Violations may be subject to administrative penalties in the foreign exchange sector.
Frequently asked questions
May a foreign guest pay in USD cash?
Not advisable. Hotel and restaurant enterprises are not among those permitted to collect foreign currency cash; guests should be guided to exchange foreign currency at authorized credit institutions and pay in Vietnamese Dong.
Is showing USD prices on a hotel website a violation?
No, if the website has a foreign-language version and prices are listed together with the equivalent Vietnamese Dong as prescribed.
To build pricing and payment policies for hotels and restaurants that comply with foreign exchange regulations, please contact ANT Legal’s lawyers for review and advice before proceeding.
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