New proposals related to the issuance and renewal of citizen identification cards.
The Ministry of Public Security has just put forward a new proposal to simplify procedures for issuing and renewing citizen identification cards, especially in the context of administrative unit reorganization.
The proposal is included in the draft amendment to 8 articles of the Law on Identity Cards, part of the dossier for the appraisal of the draft Law amending and supplementing 10 laws on security and order. Compared to the current Law on Identity Cards (effective from July 1, 2024), the new regulations expand the cases for online card replacement, not just limited to lost or damaged cards.
Online ID card renewal: Convenient for citizens.
A notable new point in the Ministry of Public Security's proposal is allowing citizens to carry out procedures for issuing and renewing citizen identity cards online through the public service portal or the national identification application.
This regulation applies to cases where the information on the card changes due to the reorganization of administrative units. Besides the online option, citizens can still submit applications for card replacement in person at the receiving agency as they currently do.
This is an improvement over the current Identity Card Law (effective from July 1, 2024), which only allows online reissuance of cards in cases of loss or damage. Expanding the online reissuance method will save time and effort for citizens, aligning with the trend of e-government development.
The draft law also adds an important provision: Once citizens have presented their electronic identity cards, agencies and organizations are not allowed to request the re-submission of documents or information already integrated into the card.
According to the Ministry of Public Security, the previous lack of detailed regulations led to a situation where some agencies still required citizens to present additional, duplicate documents, causing inconvenience and diminishing the significance of this integrated document. The new regulations will contribute to enhancing the legal value and convenience of electronic identity cards in administrative transactions.
Changing identity cards is not mandatory when administrative units are merged.
According to current regulations, citizens are not required to replace their identity cards if their current cards are still valid after the administrative unit merger. The cards currently in use retain their legal validity until their expiration date. Citizens who wish to replace their cards will be assisted by the relevant authorities in accordance with regulations.
At a press conference in July 2025, Major General Nguyen Quoc Toan, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Security, cited Resolution 190 of the National Assembly, affirming that documents issued by competent authorities before the restructuring of the state apparatus, if still valid, will continue to be used. Citizens do not have to reissue valid documents, except in cases where the law stipulates otherwise.
The Ministry of Public Security's proposed amendments to the Law on Identity Cards aim to modernize administrative procedures, reduce inconvenience for citizens, and optimize the value of electronic identity cards. If approved, the new regulations will greatly facilitate citizens in the context of administrative transformation and digitalization.
