In Vietnam: Is it possible to issue personal identification numbers for people whose parents have not been identified?

Pursuant to Clause 1 Article 14 of the Decree 137/2015/NĐ-CP stipulating information for issuance of personal identification numbers in Vietnam as follows:

- First name, middle name and birth name;

- Date of birth;

- Gender;

- Place of birth registration;

- Home town;

- Ethnic;

- Nationality;

- Last name, middle name, first name and nationality of the father, mother or legal representative; unless the father, mother or legal representative has not been identified.

Pursuant to Clause 9 Article 1 of the Decree 37/2021/NĐ-CP stipulating procedures for assignment of personal identification numbers to citizens having birth certificates in Vietnam as follows:

- The database management body shall assign personal identification numbers (“PIN”) to citizens who have a birth certificate but no PIN based on information available in the national population database.

- After assigning PIN to a citizen, the database management body shall issue a written notification of the assigned PIN and information on the citizen available in the national population database to the citizen. If the citizen’s information in the database is inadequate, the notification shall include a request for the citizen to provide the missing information for the police of the commune where the citizen lives to have their information in the database updated or edited.

- ...

- Identity card issuing authorities shall use PINs assigned by the database management body to issue identity cards according to regulations in Article 18 of this Decree

As regulations above, the people who have a birth certificate but no personal identification numbers shall supplement information in the national population database.

Information about the father is necessary for issuance of personal identification numbers in Vietnam. However, if the father cannot be identified, this information can be skipped.

Best regards!