Uses of identity cards under the Law on Identification 2023 in Vietnam

What is identity card?

Pursuant to the Law on Identification 2023 (taking effect on July 1, 2024), identity card (ID card) means an identification document containing identification and other information integrated into the card of a Vietnamese citizen and issued by an identification-managing agency according to regulations on identification.

In particular, identification means basic information about the personal record, identity and biometric identifiers of a person.

 Persons eligible for issuance of ID cards are Vietnamese citizens. Vietnamese citizens from 14 years of age shall carry out procedures for issuance of ID cards. Vietnamese citizens under 14 years of age will be issued with ID cards if they have demands

 A Vietnamese citizen issued with an ID card shall carry out procedures for replacement of the card when he/she reaches from 14 years of age, 25 years of age, 40 years of age and 60 years of age. An ID card which is issued, replaced or re-issued within 2 years before a citizen reaches the age specified in Clause 1 of this Article shall remain valid until he/she reaches the subsequent age eligible for card replacement.

 Uses of identity cards under the Law on Identification 2023 in Vietnam (Internet image)

Uses of ID cards under the law in Vietnam

Pursuant to Article 20 of the Law on Identification 2023, regulations on the uses of ID cards in Vietnam are as follows:

- An ID card is used to prove identification and other information integrated into the card of a card holder for performance of administrative procedures, public services, transactions and other activities in the Vietnamese territory.

- ID cards may be used instead of entry and exit documents in case Vietnam and a foreign country have signed a treaty or international agreement permitting citizens of the signatories to use their ID cards instead of entry and exit documents in each other’s territory.

- Agencies, organizations and individuals use ID cards or personal identification numbers to inspect information of card holders on the national population database, the national database and the specialized database according to regulations of law.

In case a card holder must present his/her ID card at the request of the competent agency, organization or individual, such agency/organization/individual must not request the card holder to present another document or provide information printed and integrated into the ID card; in case of any change to information on the ID card, the card holder must provide other legal documents proving the changed information.

- The State shall protect legitimate rights and interests of holders of ID cards in accordance with regulations of law.

Contents stated in ID cards uner the law in Vietnam

Pursuant to Article 18 of the Law on Identification 2023, each ID card has information printed on it and a place for storing encrypted information. Information printed on an ID card includes:

- A national emblem of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam;

- A phrase “CỘNG HÒA XÃ HỘI CHỦ NGHĨA VIỆT NAM, Độc lập - Tự do - Hạnh phúc” (THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM, Independence - Freedom - Happiness);

- A phrase “CĂN CƯỚC” (IDENTIFICATION);

- Portrait photo;

- Personal identification number;

- Family name, middle name and first name;

- Date of birth;

- Gender;

- Place of birth registration. 

- Nationality;

- Place of residence;

- Date of issuance; date of expiry;

- Issuing body: the Ministry of Public Security.

Mai Thanh Loi

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