The Government has streamlined the granting of certificates for land-use rights and ownership of houses and other assets related to land.

As of December 10, one certificate will cover land-use rights and ownership of houses, instead of several certificates as before.

Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Manh Hien confirmed the move in a conference to introduce the Government’s newly-issued Decree 88, dated October 19, and the ministry’s Circular 17, dated October 21, on granting certificates for land-use rights and ownership of houses and other assets related to land.

The new regulations mean that one procedure will replace several procedures, and people will only have to pay one tax for both land-use right and house ownership.

Head of the ministry’s Land Management Department Phung Van Nghe said regulations stated in Decree 88 and Circular 17 would help prevent harassement of land survey staff, which was a regular occurrence during the certificate granting procedure.

People who apply for the certificate will receive information from authorities on what they have to do to ensure a successful application within three days of making it.

They will also be required to grant certificates to successful applicant no later than 50 days after the submission of all relevant documents for the procedure. Authorities will also publicise which documents are needed for the application.

Nghe said the Ministry of Finance was considering cutting land registration tax from 0.5 percent to 0.2 percent. Certificates related to land-use right and ownership of assets related to land before December 10 will still be valid./.