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| Collecting citizens’ biometric data serving the registration of level-2 e-ID accounts__Photo: VNA |
As of October 20, 2022, entities and individuals may use electronic identification (e-ID) accounts which are created by the electronic identification and authentication system and connected to and integrated on the National Public Service Portal (NPSP) to carry out administrative procedures on the NPSP and ministerial- and provincial-level information systems. However, it remains unclear whether foreigners living in Vietnam may apply for e-ID accounts in the country and, if so, what are procedures for e-ID account registration?
According to Government Decree 59/2022/ND-CP dated September 5, 2022, providing electronic identification and authentication, foreign residents in Vietnam who are aged full 14 years or older are entitled to apply for e-ID accounts. Those who are aged under 14 years or currently under guardianship may be registered into e-ID accounts of their parents or guardians.
Similar to regulations applicable to Vietnamese citizens, a personal identification number (PIN) of a foreign resident is a sole sequence of natural numbers created by the electronic identification and authentication system to manage e-ID of such person.
The e-ID account of a foreign resident in Vietnam may be either:
- A level-1 account, which contains his/her PIN, full name, date of birth, sex and nationality/citizenship; serial number, sign, date of issuance, document type and place of issuance of his/her passport or international laissez-passer (travel document); and his/her portrait photo; or,
- A level-2 account, which contains his/her PIN, full name, date of birth, sex and nationality/citizenship; serial number, sign, date of issuance, documental type and place of issuance of his/her passport or international laissez-passer; and his/her portrait photo and fingerprints.
For e-ID owners who are foreigners residing in Vietnam, level-2 e-ID accounts created by the electronic identification and authentication system are as legally valid as passports or international laissez-passers in transactions requiring the presentation of passports or international laissez-passers, and help provide information in their personal papers which has been synchronized in their e-ID accounts for collation by competent authorities upon the performance of transactions where such papers are required.
Procedures for e-ID account registration
In case of registration for a level-1 e-ID account:
- The registrant uses his/her mobile device to download and install the VNeID app.
- The registrant uses the VNeID app to enter information on the serial number of his/her passport or international laissez-passer and his/her email address or telephone number (if any); provides information as guided on the VNeID app; takes his/her portrait photo on the mobile device and sends a request for grant of an e-ID account to the electronic identification and authentication management agency via the VNeID app.
- The electronic identification and authentication management agency notifies the registrant of account registration results via the VNeID app or by SMS or to the registered email address.
In case of registration for a level-2 e-ID account:
- The registrants comes to carry out procedures for e-ID account registration at the Vietnam Immigration Department of the Ministry of Public Security or the immigration office of the provincial-level Department of Public Security, producing his/her passport or international laissez-passer and providing information on his/her email address or telephone number (if any), and requests addition of information to be integrated into his/her e-ID account.
- The officer receiving the request for e-ID account registration enters information provided by the registrant in the electronic identification and authentication system; takes a portrait photo and fingerprints of the registrant for authentication with the National Immigration Database, and confirms the approval of his/her registration for creation of an e-ID account.
- The Vietnam Immigration Department or immigration office sends the request for grant of an e-ID account to the electronic identification and authentication management agency.
- The electronic identification and authentication management agency notifies the registrant of e-ID account registration results via the VNeID app or by SMS or to the registered email address.
Time limit for grant of e-ID accounts
After receiving a complete and valid dossier for e-ID account registration, a public security office has to grant or refuse to grant an e-ID account within one working day, for level-1 e-ID accounts; or within three working days, for level-2 e-ID accounts, provided the registrant’s portrait photo and fingerprints are available in the National Immigration Database. Particularly in case the foreigner applies for a level-2 e-ID account but his/her portrait photo and fingerprints are unavailable in the National Immigration Database, the time limit may be extended to seven working days.
Activation of e-ID accounts
