Vietnam considers issuing ID cards for stateless people

The Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security (MPS) is considering the issuance of identification (ID) cards for long-term stateless residents. 

Accordingly, people of Vietnamese origin who were born in Vietnam or abroad but have returned to Vietnam and lived permanently for more than five years will be eligible to receive ID cards, according to the ministry's suggestions for the draft revision of Law on ID Card. 

Currently, citizens in Vietnam have to carry too many paper documents such as citizen identification card, health insurance card, social insurance book, birth certificate, driver's license, student identification card, social insurance card, among others. 

Identity card with barcode is currently the most modern form in Vietnam. Photo: The Hanoi Times

The fact that there are too many different types of papers issued by competent authorities causes numerous inconveniences for citizens in storing and using them, especially in performing administrative procedures and accessing public services. This is inconsistent with the trend of digital transformation, and application of information technology in state management and social activities. 

It is also a big problem, creating a lot of inconvenience for state agencies, political organizations and companies assigned to provide a number of public services and other organizations and individuals. 

Therefore, the MPS has proposed to amend the Law on Citizen Identification, which is an important legal document regulating the management and identification of citizens to protect their legitimate rights and interests in the web environment. 

Earlier, each Vietnamese had an electronic identification account to perform public administrative procedures online starting February 25. 

Public services will be carried out online without papers in order to help citizens avoid traveling back and forth to settle administrative processes. 

An electronic identification account is a collection of usernames, passwords, or other forms of authentication created by the MSP system. This account is managed and authenticated on the national electronic identification application developed by the MSP. 

Citizens can integrate their identification cards and other papers, including driver's license, vehicle registration, health insurance, among others, in one national electronic identification application. Thus, people would spend less time and paper in settling an administrative process. 

Besides, citizens can use their electronic identification accounts to perform financial transactions such as paying electricity and water bills, social and health insurance premiums; transferring money, and so on. 

Information in citizens' electronic identification accounts will be kept confidential, avoiding forgery and helping to ensure transaction safety.