New guidelines on recognizing white and green land ownership certificates from the 1993-1997 period for the issuance of red land ownership certificates.

The Land Management Department clarifies the legal basis for recognizing land documents issued incorrectly from 1993 to 1997, helping people resolve difficulties when applying for new land ownership certificates.

The Land Management Department has officially clarified the legal basis for recognizing land documents commonly known as "white books" or "green books" issued between 1993 and 1997. This is an important step to resolve difficulties for households and individuals who have been using land stably but are facing challenges in the process of exchanging them for land use right certificates according to current regulations.

The legal origin of old land documents.

According to the Land Management Department, the existence of many types of "white books" and "green books" that do not conform to the prescribed mẫu is quite common in large cities such as Ho Chi Minh City. These documents, along with decisions certifying land use rights or land allocation certificates, were mainly issued between 1993 and before March 16, 1998.

Although these documents do not conform to the prescribed forms of land and housing law at the time of issuance, the management agency affirms that they are still legally valid. This fact has previously caused many households difficulties when carrying out procedures to exchange them for new land use right certificates according to the new regulations.

'White certificates' and 'green certificates' are still recognized for the purpose of issuing land ownership certificates. (Illustrative image)

Notably, during the period when the 1993 Land Law was in effect, the issuance of land certificates was carried out according to Decision No. 201 dated July 14, 1989 and Circular No. 302 dated October 28, 1989. Although these documents expired in 2000, the regulations related to the certificate mẫu (template) continue to be applied as announced by the General Department of Land Administration.

Removing obstacles through Resolution 254/2025/QH15

The key to resolving this situation is Resolution No. 254/2025/QH15, passed by the National Assembly on December 11, 2025. This resolution focuses on removing difficulties and obstacles in the implementation of the Land Law, creating a more favorable legal framework for people holding old land ownership documents.

Accordingly, households and individuals with stable land use and holding temporary land use right certificates issued by competent authorities from October 15, 1993 onwards will be considered for the issuance of new land use right certificates. Specifically, all documents issued by the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, the City Land Management Board, or the People's Committees of districts and communes during the aforementioned period are considered valid in terms of issuing authority.

Clarifying these transitional regulations is expected to definitively resolve the long-standing backlog of land and housing applications in major cities. Citizens now have a solid legal basis to exercise their legitimate rights, ensuring transparency and consistency in land management.

Note: Information regarding procedures may change according to detailed guidelines of each locality. Citizens need to verify legal status at the Land Registration Office before submitting their application.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/huong-dan-moi-ve-viec-cong-nhan-so-trang-va-so-xanh-giai-doan-1993-1997-de-cap-so-do-418557.html