Hanoi to go 100% paperless to promote digital government
Hanoi reinforces commitment to seamless e-governance and efficient public services through comprehensive digital transformation.
THE HANOI TIMES — Hanoi will process all administrative documents in digital format, except in cases where data cannot be digitized due to specific technical constraints.
The plan was announced on April 29 in Directive No. 08/CT-UBND issued by Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Tran Sy Thanh, highlighting the city's commitment to a digital governance model based on the principles of "paperless, contactless, full-process, and seamless."
Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Tran Sy Thanh works with the Hanoi Public Administrative Service Center. Photo: Pham Hung/The Hanoi Times
Under the new policy, all interactions between government agencies and individuals or organizations must be conducted in a digital environment, with preference given to fully online processes to minimize the use of paper and face-to-face contact.
Valid electronic documents include those that are digitized and digitally signed in accordance with regulations, electronic copies extracted from original records, certified digital documents, or self-declared digital submissions by individuals or organizations.
The move is a critical step in Hanoi's comprehensive digital transformation strategy to improve public services. Legally valid electronic files will be processed immediately without waiting for hard copies, and the processing time will start as soon as the digital submission is received.
Furthermore, 100% of the results of administrative procedures will be issued and returned in digital form with digital signatures, except where paper copies are legally required.
Chairman Tran Sy Thanh has ordered all city agencies to refrain from requesting paper versions when valid digital documents have already been submitted.
The city officially recognizes the legal validity of electronic documents throughout the administrative process, ensuring that no duplicate paper and digital processes are used for the same task.
The Hanoi Public Administrative Service Center said that the city aims to raise the number of resident using online public services to 80% by the year-end from 30% at the end of 2024.
In support of this goal, the city is also piloting an online public service agency model to assist residents and businesses in navigating online procedures.
In the latest Provincial Innovation Index (PII) ranking by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Hanoi led all localities in 2024, with e-governance highlighted as one of its core strengths.
