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Blog, Tax News | September 17, 2025 | 18 min read

Official dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS: Analysis and application instructions

công văn số 3656

Main content

Official Letter No. 3656/CT-CS is an important document issued by the Tax Department to clarify the application of tax policies in some specific cases. In production and business activities, compliance with tax policies is always a key factor to help businesses operate stably and sustainably. 

However, because tax regulations sometimes have many different interpretations, businesses often encounter difficulties in the application process. Therefore, detailed guidance documents such as Official Letter No. 3656/CT-CS have great practical value, helping to remove obstacles and guide the correct implementation of regulations.

In this article, we will comprehensively analyze the content of Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS, and consider its legal basis, main content, impact on businesses, as well as important notes when implementing it.

Overview of Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS

Official Letter No. 3656/CT-CS is a document issued by the Tax Department, aiming to answer and guide on tax policies for specific situations that businesses are facing. The content of the document does not create new regulations, but focuses on:

Tổng quan về công văn số 3656_CT-CS
Overview of Official Dispatch No. 3656_CT-CS
  • Clarifies understanding of current regulations.
  • Indicate the procedures for declaring and paying taxes in each specific case.
  • Practical application guide to avoid penalties for businesses.

The highlight of Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS is its high practicality, because the document originates from questions and recommendations of enterprises and is responded by tax authorities. Therefore, the document is both explanatory and mandatory in the implementation process.

Legal basis related to Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS

To understand the content and practical value of Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS, it is necessary to look at the legal documents on which this dispatch is based. These legal bases not only create the foundation for its promulgation but also ensure consistency in its implementation in practice. Below is a summary of important legal documents directly related to Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS:

Summary table of legal basis related to Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS
Legal documents Main content Relationship with Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS
Current Tax Administration Law General regulations on tax management, declaration and payment of organizations and individuals. This is the foundation for the Tax Department to provide specific guidance in Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS.
Law on VAT, Law on Corporate Income Tax Identify obligations VAT and corporate income tax for business The document relies on these regulations to explain how to apply them in arising situations.
Circular 219/2013/TT-BTC Detailed instructions on VAT. Helps clarify tax declaration and deduction methods, mentioned in Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS.
Decree 123/2020/ND-CP Regulations on invoices and documents in business activities. Provide a legal framework for the document to guide the handling of situations related to invoices.
Previous official dispatches and guidance documents Explain specific problems in each stage. Official dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS inherits and systematizes to ensure consistent application.

Main content of Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS

When studying Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS, it can be seen that the document focuses on the following core points:

Identify taxable entities

The document emphasizes that businesses need to clearly define taxable objects and not subject to tax. Some cases may arise that are confusing, but Official Letter No. 3656/CT-CS has clarified them, making it easy for businesses to apply.

Regulations on deductible and non-deductible expenses

In production and business activities, determining reasonable expenses is a complicated issue. Official Letter No. 3656/CT-CS cites the provisions of the Law on Corporate Income Tax and the guiding Circular, explaining specifically which expenses are considered reasonable expenses, and which expenses are excluded.

Invoices and documents

One of the important contents clarified in Official Letter No. 3656/CT-CS is the use of invoices. Enterprises are required to issue invoices in accordance with regulations when transactions occur. If not, the tax authority has the right to impose fines or not accept input costs.

Tax declaration and payment procedures

The document also emphasizes the deadline, tax declaration form, as well as the penalty mechanism for late payment. This is of great significance in raising awareness of compliance and minimizing administrative risks.

In summary, Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS does not create new regulations, but consolidates and provides detailed guidance on existing regulations, ensuring consistent application in practice.

The meaning of Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS for businesses

The issuance of Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS has brought many positive impacts to the business community, especially in the context of the tax policy system being frequently updated and possibly causing difficulties in the application process.

Firstly, enhancing transparency in tax policy. With detailed regulations and clear explanations, Official Letter No. 3656/CT-CS helps businesses understand the spirit of the law, avoiding the situation where each place applies it differently. This not only helps unify the implementation in the entire tax industry but also creates trust for businesses when complying with the law.

Ý nghĩa của công văn số 3656_CT-CS đối với doanh nghiệp
The meaning of Official Dispatch No. 3656_CT-CS for businesses

Second, minimize the risk of violation. One of the biggest difficulties for businesses is the risk of accidentally violating regulations due to not knowing how to apply them. With specific guidance from Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS, businesses have a clear basis for implementation, thereby avoiding common mistakes and limiting the risk of being subject to administrative penalties for tax.

Third, optimize costs and tax obligations. Correctly determining deductible costs, taxable revenue or how to declare invoices according to the instructions in Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS helps businesses calculate more accurately. This means that businesses can minimize the amount of corporate income tax payable while still complying with the law, thereby saving costs and increasing business efficiency.

Fourth, creating peace of mind in production and business activities. When businesses comply with the regulations in Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS, they will have greater peace of mind, without worrying about being charged or fined by the tax authorities. This peace of mind is important because it helps businesses focus resources on production, business and market expansion instead of having to deal with legal risks.

In short, Official Letter No. 3656/CT-CS can be seen as a “compass” to help businesses operate effectively in a strict legal environment. This document is not only a guide but also a testament to the efforts of the tax authorities in accompanying and supporting businesses to fulfill their tax obligations in a fair and transparent manner.

Notes when applying Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS

To maximize the value that Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS brings, businesses need to pay attention to some important points during the actual implementation process:

Strictly comply with tax declaration and payment deadlines

Late submission of tax declarations or late payment of taxes may result in late payment penalties and late payment fees as prescribed by the Law on Tax Administration. Therefore, when applying Official Letter No. 3656/CT-CS, enterprises need to review the entire tax declaration and payment schedule to ensure compliance with deadlines and avoid unnecessary costs.

Keep full records and valid documents

One of the key principles when applying Official Letter No. 3656/CT-CS is that enterprises must have complete invoices, contracts, payment vouchers and legal documents to prove the reasonableness and validity of expenses. If the documents are incomplete or contain errors, the tax authority has the right to exclude those expenses when calculating corporate income tax.

Những lưu ý khi áp dụng công văn số 3656_CT-CS
Notes when applying Official Dispatch No. 3656_CT-CS

Many businesses often make mistakes in determining deductible and non-deductible expenses. According to Official Letter No. 3656/CT-CS, reasonable expenses must meet the conditions under the Law on Corporate Income Tax, including: being related to production and business activities, having legal documents, and making payments in accordance with regulations. If the distinction is not clear, businesses may have their expenses excluded, leading to an increase in the amount of tax payable.

Use electronic invoices in accordance with regulations

In the context of Decree 123/2020/ND-CP on invoices and documents and Circular 78/2021/TT-BTC guiding on electronic invoices having come into effect, enterprises must pay special attention to the issuance, use and storage of electronic invoices. Official dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS also emphasizes this requirement to ensure transparency and convenience for both enterprises and tax authorities during the inspection and verification process.

Proactively update relevant guidance documents

Tax policies are regularly amended and supplemented. Therefore, in addition to closely following Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS, businesses need to proactively monitor other guiding documents to ensure consistency in application.

Strictly implementing the above notes will help businesses not only comply with regulations but also maximize the benefits from Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS, thereby optimizing costs, reducing legal risks and improving business efficiency.

Compare official dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS with related official dispatches and documents

When comparing Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS with previously issued official dispatches, circulars or decrees, the following highlights can be seen:

About the details

While many previous documents only stopped at stating general principles, Official Letter No. 3656/CT-CS delves into the specific situations of enterprises. Thanks to that, taxpayers can easily apply it to production and business practices, instead of having to interpret it themselves.

About the update

The content of the document reflects important changes in the tax law system, especially the implementation of electronic invoices according to Decree 123/2020/ND-CP and Circular 78/2021/TT-BTC. This helps businesses promptly adjust accounting and document processes to comply with new requirements.

On mandatory

Some previous official dispatches were only guidelines and recommendations, without strong binding force. However, Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS is considered a specific legal basis for tax authorities and enterprises to implement together. This makes the official dispatch highly enforceable, not just limited to reference level.

Conclude

Official Letter No. 3656/CT-CS is one of the important guiding documents, helping businesses and individuals better understand tax regulations. In particular, the document has clarified common problems in determining reasonable costs, using valid invoices and complying with tax declaration procedures. This is the basis for businesses to operate in accordance with the law, while minimizing risks in production and business activities.

Understanding and correctly applying Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS not only helps businesses comply with legal regulations but also brings practical benefits: avoiding administrative penalties, minimizing risks in tax records and optimizing valid expenses when calculating corporate income tax. Therefore, businesses need to regularly update legal documents to promptly adjust accounting and tax management activities.

Understanding and correctly applying Official Dispatch No. 3656/CT-CS not only helps businesses comply with legal regulations but also brings practical benefits: avoiding administrative penalties, minimizing risks in tax records and optimizing valid expenses when calculating corporate income tax. Therefore, businesses need to regularly update legal documents to promptly adjust accounting and tax management activities.

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