According to Decree 30/2020/ND-CP on clerical work, administrative documents in Vietnam must follow specific formatting rules for margins and line spacing.
1. Standard Margins
Administrative documents must be formatted on A4 paper (210mm × 297mm) with the following margin settings:
- Top margin: 20–25 mm from the top edge.
- Bottom margin: 20–25 mm from the bottom edge.
- Left margin: 30–35 mm from the left edge (wider for binding).
- Right margin: 15–20 mm from the right edge.
2. Standard Line Spacing
- The main content of the document should use 1.5 line spacing.
- Sections such as the national title, document title, location, and date can use single line spacing (1.0) for better space management.
3. Font and Font Size
- Mandatory font: Times New Roman, Unicode (as per state standards).
- Font sizes:
- National title and motto: Size 12, uppercase, bold, centered.
- Document title: Size 14–16, bold, centered.
- Main content: Size 12–13, 1.5 line spacing.
- Agency name, location, and date: Size 12–13, normal text.
- Signatures, titles, and names of signatories: Size 13–14, bold.
4. Paragraph Formatting
- Paragraphs must be fully justified (aligned on both sides).
- No indentation at the beginning of paragraphs, and appropriate spacing should be used between sections for readability.
- If the document includes a table of contents or lists, bullet points or numbering should be used for clarity.
5. Additional Recommendations
- Use proper punctuation and separators (such as dashes and colons where necessary).
- Avoid using colors or different fonts other than the prescribed standard.
- Do not use abbreviations, except for industry-specific terms that are widely recognized.