Hanoi administrative overhaul cuts costs, accelerates shift to data-driven governance
A reform of public procedures is reshaping how Hanoi serves residents and businesses, replacing paperwork-heavy processes with a digital, data-centered model designed to save time, money and effort.
THE HANOI TIMES — The overhaul of 293 administrative procedures is expected to save Hanoi more than VND1.65 trillion (US$62.7 million) each year, signaling a decisive shift from paper-based administration to data-driven governance, according to the Hanoi Public Administration Service Center.
Residents use app to complete administrative procedures. Photo: Pham Hung/The Hanoi Times
The center’s Director Cu Ngoc Trang said once the restructuring is fully implemented, annual compliance costs will drop to about VND654 billion ($24.8 million) from VND2.3 trillion ($87.5 million).
The reform is also projected to cut more than 15 million hours of travel time each year for residents and businesses, significantly reducing the administrative burden on society, according to Trang.
By December 23, 2025, Hanoi had completed the reorganization of all 293 targeted administrative procedures, exceeding the assigned target. The redesigned procedures took effect on January 1, 2026.
Beyond cost savings, the overhaul enabled the city to clearly identify 23 national and sector-level databases that need interconnection.
This step lays the foundation for the “declare once, use many times” principle, which is critical to the long-term development of digital government and smart urban management.
The restructuring supports a broader transformation in public administration, shifting from pre-approval and paperwork to data-based management, post-check mechanisms and clearer legal accountability.
This approach reduces pressure on one-stop service counters while strengthening coordination and operational efficiency across government agencies.
Under Resolution No. 77, adopted by the Hanoi People’s Council on November 27, 2025, residents are exempt from administrative fees and charges, except appraisal fees, when carrying out administrative procedures.
The city also covers the full cost of returning results to applicants. All electronic outcomes are delivered directly to users’ accounts on the National Public Service Portal and iHaNoi, the capital’s digital citizen application.
The impact is already visible in several areas. For 25 land-related procedures involving financial obligations, residents previously needed at least six in-person visits. Under the new model, they can now complete the entire process remotely.
Procedures to certify eligibility for social housing purchases have been streamlined from two forms and four trips to a single electronic form processed fully online. Social pension procedures now save elderly residents about eight hours of travel and waiting time.
Before the overhaul, Hanoi listed 767 administrative procedures as fully online public services, accounting for roughly 35% of the total. Many still required paper submissions, notarized documents or in-person verification.
The latest reform addresses these bottlenecks at their source by redesigning workflows, integrating data and revising legal requirements, rather than simply digitizing existing paperwork.
