Ho Chi Minh is governed by federal Vietnam law. Learn more
- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Unrecognized
- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Legal, but requires surgery
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✔ Legal
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Discrimination
- ✖ Illegal in some contexts
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ Gender identity only
- Adoption
- ✖ Single only
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- ✔ Legal
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✔ Banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
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Homosexual activity in Ho Chi Minh is legal.
Current status
Legal
It is believed that homosexual acts have never been illegal in Vietnam and those punished for it have been due to falling foul of other laws, such as those of adultery, with no regard to the sexuality of the offenders.
Same-sex marriage in Ho Chi Minh is unrecognized.
Current status
Since Nov 12, 2013
Unrecognized
Proposition 110 still states that same sex union is not legal. However, it removed all penalty involved with marriage ceremony or attempts to register, effectively de-criminalizing the act.
Unrecognized
Vietnamese government said that they are trying to get a bill passed. Gay marriage pending and Gay Union pending.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Ho Chi Minh is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
In Vietnam, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Right to change legal gender in Ho Chi Minh is legal, but requires surgery.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2017
Gender-affirming care in Ho Chi Minh is legal.
Current status
Since Aug 5, 2008
Legal
Gender Redetermination Decree No. 88/2008/ND-CP specifies the rules of care for transgender people, including:
3. Gender reassignment treatment:
a) At the request of the person re-establishing gender, the research and treatment facility will select the gender that will have appropriate treatment methods, maintaining the principle that in the case of a given gender, the person being determined will be the gender that best integrates life mentally, physiologically and socially;
b) The research and treatment facility determines the age of the person applying for gender reassignment surgery, making sure that it is the earliest age;
c) Medical and therapeutic research centers recommend surgical treatment and postoperative hormonal treatment.
3. Gender reassignment treatment:
a) At the request of the person re-establishing gender, the research and treatment facility will select the gender that will have appropriate treatment methods, maintaining the principle that in the case of a given gender, the person being determined will be the gender that best integrates life mentally, physiologically and socially;
b) The research and treatment facility determines the age of the person applying for gender reassignment surgery, making sure that it is the earliest age;
c) Medical and therapeutic research centers recommend surgical treatment and postoperative hormonal treatment.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Ho Chi Minh is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
Vietnam does not legally recognize non-binary gender. In Vietnam, individuals are legally classified as either male or female.
LGBT discrimination in Ho Chi Minh is illegal in some contexts.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 1992
Illegal in some contexts
Illegal (housing discrimination) for transgender people
LGBT employment discrimination in Ho Chi Minh is no protections.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 1992
No protections
Discrimination protections pending.
LGBT housing discrimination in Ho Chi Minh is gender identity only.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 1992
Gender identity only
For transgender people only
Intersex infant surgery in Ho Chi Minh is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Not banned in Vietnam.
Serving openly in military in Ho Chi Minh is legal.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 1992
Legal
Technically, homosexuals can serve openly in the military. There are no laws protecting them against discriminations though.
Blood donations by MSMs in Ho Chi Minh is legal.
Current status
Legal
There are no laws regarding donating blood in Vietnam.
Conversion therapy in Ho Chi Minh is banned.
Current status
Since Aug 3, 2022
Banned
On August 3, 2022, Vietnamese Health Ministry published a document saying that homosexuality is not disease and that conversion therapy to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity was illegal.
It is currently not clear what the consequences of partaking in the practice will be, if any.
It is currently not clear what the consequences of partaking in the practice will be, if any.
Until Aug 3, 2022
Not banned
Not banned
Equal age of consent in Ho Chi Minh is equal.
Current status
Since Dec 21, 1999
Equal
The age of consent is 16 years old. However, this is due to the LGBT population not being officially mentioned or recognized in the law
Legal Rights
58 / 100
This region's Equality Index is based on legal rights alone. Please submit survey results that show the public opinion of LGBTQ+ issues in Ho Chi Minh to help improve its accuracy.
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Ho Chi Minh LGBT Organizations
There are no organizations listed in Ho Chi Minh . Suggest one
