Chip-based citizen ID card and everything Vietnamese citizens need to know

Chip-based citizen ID card and everything Vietnamese citizens need to know (Illustration)

1. Expected rollout of chip-based citizen ID card in Vietnam starting from November 2020

On September 3, 2020, the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam issued Decision 1368/QD-TTg approving the proposal to issue and manage chip-based citizen ID card as suggested by the Ministry of Public Security. According to the report by the Ministry of Public Security in coordination with the Ministry of Information and Communications in document No. 854/BC-BCA-BTTTT, it is projected that if approved by the competent authority, the issuance of the electronic chip-based citizen ID card will be implemented from November 2020. On October 7, 2020, the Office of the Government of Vietnam issued Official Dispatch 8393/VPCP-NC stating the opinion of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc as follows:

- The Ministry of Public Security shall lead, in cooperation with the Ministry of Information and Communications, to guide the ministries, central authorities, and local authorities to review and compile the demand for integrating services and applications related to their areas of work and management into the chip on the Citizen ID card, promoting the use of the multipurpose Citizen ID card in an economical and efficient manner.

- The ministries and central authorities, along with the People's Committees of provinces and centrally administered cities, shall proactively closely coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security to integrate applications and use information on the Citizen ID card in their respective fields of work; build foundational applications to embed in the chip before issuing the Citizen ID card to the citizens.

Thus, it is highly likely that the issuance of chip-based citizen ID card will be implemented from November 2020.

2. Switching to a chip-based citizen ID card is not mandatory

One issue that may concern many people is whether documents similar in value to the chip-based citizen ID card, such as the 9-digit ID card, 12-digit ID card, and citizen ID card with barcode, can still be used if the new citizen ID card with chip is applied.

Regarding this issue, in the Q&A section, the Ministry of Public Security responded to the citizens' concerns as follows:

According to the provisions of the Law on citizen ID card and current legislation, citizens are still allowed to use 03 types of cards (9-digit ID card, 12-digit ID card, and barcode citizen ID card) until these cards expire.

However, to facilitate citizens in conducting transactions, administrative reforms towards the electronic Government of Vietnam, digital Government of Vietnam, the Ministry of Public Security encourages citizens to switch to using the citizen ID card card with an electronic chip.

Specifically, in Article 38 of the Law on Citizen Identification 2014, it is stipulated:

National ID cards issued before this Law takes effect shall remain valid until their expiration date as prescribed; when citizens request, they can switch to the Citizen ID card.

Legal documents issued containing information from the National ID card shall remain legally effective.

Forms issued that mandate the use of information from the National ID card can continue to be used until December 31, 2019.

Thus, in the near future, there will be four types of identification documents that coexist for citizens, including: 9-digit National ID card, 12-digit National ID card, barcode citizen ID card, and chip-based citizen ID card. Citizens currently using the 9-digit, 12-digit National ID cards, and barcode citizen ID cards can continue to use them until they expire. However, the State encourages citizens to switch to the citizen ID card with an electronic chip to facilitate better management and use.

3. What benefits do citizens get from using the chip-based citizen ID card?

According to Decision 1368/QD-TTg issued by the Prime Minister, the issuance and management of citizen ID card cards with chips aim towards:

- Building a unified national Citizen ID database, enabling automatic registration and management of Citizen ID data based on Information Technology infrastructure that helps store, retrieve, share, and search information quickly and conveniently;

- Enhancing the efficiency of state management regarding Citizen IDs, facilitating citizens in administrative procedures and civil transactions;

- Moving towards building the electronic Government of Vietnam, making a breakthrough in the socio-economic development of the country; contributing effectively to the fight against crime.

According to Major General To Van Hue, Director of the Administrative Management Police Department on Social Order (C06, Ministry of Public Security), using the chip-based citizen ID card has many advantages over the current barcode citizen ID card, specifically:

- The chip-based citizen ID card has higher security and stores more information fields. The chip card also integrates information from other units, such as insurance, driving licenses, or other information;

- When citizens switch from barcode cards to electronic chip cards, only the information storage device needs to be changed, while the card number remains the same, ensuring no transaction disruption;

- The new citizen ID card  can store biometric data, personal information, digital signatures, and other identifiers, making it very difficult to forge. The chip used on the Citizen ID card complies with both international and Vietnamese security regulations. It has digital signatures and biometric storage capabilities (fingerprints), personal information for authentication, thus making it very difficult to forge;

- Information about the cardholder on the citizen ID card with chip is accurately identified, minimizing the risk of forgery. Hence, the new Citizen ID card is highly secure, especially in financial transactions;

- Moreover, identity verification can be done offline without an Internet connection.

Therefore, it is evident that the citizen ID card with a chip, which integrates a significant amount of information about citizens, will make transactions and administrative procedures much more convenient and reliable compared to the barcode citizen ID card.

Thuy Tram

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