The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee has just issued a plan to develop a project to establish urban administrative units in Ho Chi Minh City.
After merging with Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Ho Chi Minh City currently has 168 commune-level administrative units, including 113 wards, 54 communes and 1 special zone.
The plan clearly states the order and procedures for transferring eligible communes to wards with a 9-step roadmap.
Step 1, the Commune People's Committee organizes a current status assessment according to the criteria of urban administrative units, reports to the Standing Committee of the Commune Party Committee for approval and sends it to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee (through the Department of Home Affairs) for appraisal before April 23, 2026. At the same time, communes proactively develop projects, coordinate with departments and branches to complete the unmet criteria. After having the policy of the City Party Committee and Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, the locality completes the project and sends it for appraisal.
Step 2, the Department of Home Affairs presides over and coordinates with relevant units to appraise dossiers, summarize reports to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee; submit to the Party Committee of the City People's Committee before May 8, 2026, then submit to the Standing Committee and the Standing Board of the City Party Committee for consideration of policies.
Step 3, based on the policy, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee directs the Commune People's Committee to complete the project and seek opinions to organize the collection of opinions from all voters in the area, to be completed before May 13, 2026.
Step 4, after taking voters' opinions, the Commune People's Committee submits to the Commune People's Council for approval, promulgates a resolution and completes the dossier to send to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee (through the Department of Home Affairs), completing before May 20, 2026.
Step 5, the Department of Home Affairs continues to appraise, summarize, and submit to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee to report to the Party Committee of the City People's Committee, and at the same time submit to the Standing Committee and the Standing Board of the City Party Committee for consideration and approval, completing before May 30, 2026.
Step 6, Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee submits to the City People's Council to approve the policy of establishing urban administrative units; then complete the dossier and project to send to the Government and the Ministry of Home Affairs, to be completed before June 15, 2026.
Step 7, within 30 days from the date of receipt of the dossier, the Ministry of Home Affairs organizes appraisal, and can conduct actual surveys if necessary. On that basis, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee completes the report on receiving and explaining opinions.
Step 8, the Ministry of Home Affairs submits to the Government for consideration, takes opinions from Government members, issues resolutions and submits to the National Assembly Standing Committee.
Step 9, the National Assembly's Law and Justice Committee appraises before submitting to the National Assembly or the National Assembly Standing Committee for consideration and decision.
The People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City assigns the People's Committees of communes, especially those that meet the conditions and standards to become wards, especially communes originating from towns or have been approved for general urban planning, to urgently implement the steps according to the schedule.
At the same time, localities must coordinate to review and adjust planning, assess urban classification standards, develop classification projects and establish urban administrative units according to regulations.
Standards for establishing wards
According to Resolution 112/2025/UBTVQH15, an administrative unit wishing to be established as a ward must meet the following criteria:
Population size from 21,000 people or more.
Minimum natural area 5.5 km2.
Having a position and function in the approved plan, playing the role of a regional, provincial or sub-regional general or specialized center, contributing to promoting socio-economic development.
The urban population rate reaches 50% or more.
The structure and level of socio-economic development ensure:
- Balanced local budget revenue, reaching 100% compared to expenditure.
- The proportion of industry - construction and services accounts for 70% or more.
- The proportion of non-agricultural labor reaches 70% or more.
- Average income per capita is higher than the average of Ho Chi Minh City in the last 3 years.
The poverty rate is lower than the city's average in the last 3 years.
