New proposal related to granting and changing citizen identification cards

The proposal is included in the draft amendment of 8 articles of the Law on Identification, part of the appraisal dossier of the draft Law amending and supplementing 10 laws on security and order. Compared to the current Law on Identification (effective from July 1, 2024), the new regulation expands the cases of online issuance and replacement, not just limited to lost or damaged cards.

Change citizen identification online: Convenient for people

A notable new point in the proposal of the Ministry of Public Security is allowing citizens to carry out procedures for issuing and changing citizen identification cards online through the public service portal or national identification application.

This regulation applies to cases where information on the card changes due to administrative unit rearrangement. In addition to the online form, citizens can still submit their application for replacement directly at the receiving agency as at present.

This is a step forward compared to the current Law on Identity Cards (effective from July 1, 2024), which only allows reissuance of cards online in case of loss or damage. Expanding the form of online reissuance will help save time and effort for people, in line with the trend of e-government development.

The draft Law also adds an important provision: When people have presented their electronic ID card, agencies and organizations are not allowed to request re-provision of documents or information already integrated on the card.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, the lack of detailed regulations in the past has led to a situation where some agencies still require people to present additional duplicate documents, causing inconvenience and reducing the meaning of this integrated document. The new regulations will contribute to enhancing the legal value and convenience of electronic identification in administrative transactions.

No need to change ID when merging administrative units

According to current regulations, citizens do not have to change their ID cards if they are still valid after the administrative unit merger. The card in use remains legally valid until the expiration date printed on the card. People who need to change their cards will be supported by the authorities according to regulations.

At a press conference in July 2025, Major General Nguyen Quoc Toan, spokesman 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 re-issue valid documents, unless otherwise provided by law.

The Ministry of Public Security's proposal to amend the Law on Identification aims to modernize administrative procedures, reduce inconvenience for citizens and optimize the value of electronic identification. If approved, the new regulation will greatly facilitate citizens in the context of administrative transformation and digitalization.

From July 1, 2025, the citizen identification number will be the personal income tax code.