Foreigners legally entering or residing in Việt Nam may obtain electronic identification accounts to access public services, carry out electronic transactions and use other functions available through the VNeID app.

I am an Indian national legally residing in Việt Nam with my wife and two children aged six and 11. I have heard that the Government allows foreigners residing in the country to obtain electronic identification accounts, but I am not clear about the benefits of these accounts. Could you explain how they may be useful to my family and whether my wife and children are also eligible to apply?

Yes. Under Article 7.2 of Decree 320/2026/ND-CP, which revises a number of provisions of Decree 69/2024/ND-CP, foreigners who legally enter or reside in Việt Nam may, if they wish, be issued electronic identification (eID) accounts. Unlike those issued to Vietnamese citizens, eID accounts issued to foreigners are not classified into levels.

For your family, having eID accounts can make a range of everyday procedures more convenient while living, working and studying in Việt Nam.

In particular, the accounts may be used to carry out administrative procedures and access public services electronically, receive the results of such procedures and services, and perform other activities as needed. This can help reduce paperwork and processing time while making identity verification more convenient.

Holders of eID accounts may use their accounts to log in and carry out electronic transactions in areas such as credit, telecommunications, transport, e-commerce, import and export, and other essential activities. They may also access electronic identity information and other data shared, integrated or updated from national and specialised databases, as well as functions, utilities and applications available through the electronic identification and authentication system developed by the Ministry of Public Security and other interconnected information systems in accordance with law.

Beyond accessing digital services and information, eID account holders may also use the VNeID app as a communication channel with authorities and organisations. Through the app, these authorities and organisations may send relevant notifications and receive feedback or recommendations concerning the use of electronic identification accounts and electronic transaction accounts.

Another practical benefit concerns immigration procedures. From September 28, 2026, foreigners whose information has been fully collected and updated in the National Immigration Database, or who have already been issued electronic identification accounts, will be permitted to enter and exit Việt Nam through automated immigration control gates.

As for your family, both you and your wife, as foreigners legally residing in Việt Nam, may apply for eID accounts.

Your two children are also eligible. However, as they are both under 14 years of age, their use of eID accounts is subject to the consent and confirmation of you or your wife, as their parents and legal representatives, through the VNeID app. You or your wife may also use their accounts to carry out transactions and other activities on their behalf to protect and exercise their lawful rights and interests.

What procedures should we follow to obtain eID accounts?

Under Article 11 of Decree 69/2024/ND-CP, you and your wife may apply for eID accounts at the Immigration Division of the provincial-level Department of Public Security in the locality where you reside.

Application procedures

You must present your passport or international travel document and provide complete and accurate information in the application form. This includes the mobile phone number registered in your own name, your email address, if any, and any other information you wish to have integrated into the VNeID app.

The receiving officer will enter the information you provide into the electronic identification and authentication system and collect your facial image and fingerprints for authentication against the National Immigration Database.

You will also be guided to download and install the VNeID app and provide the required information through the app.

The Immigration Division will then forward the request for issuance of an eID account to the agency responsible for managing and operating the electronic identification and authentication system.

Once the application has been processed, you will be notified of the result through the VNeID app, the mobile phone number registered in your own name, or your email address.

For your two children, as they are both under 14 years of age, they must be accompanied by a legal representative or guardian when completing the procedures at the Immigration Division. In your family’s case, you or your wife, as their parent and legal representative, may accompany them and complete the procedures on their behalf.

After obtaining your own eID account, you or your wife may use the mobile phone number registered in your own name to provide the required information and register eID accounts for your children.

No fee is charged for registering for an eID account through the electronic identification and authentication system or for using the account in electronic transactions.

Processing time

From the date of receipt of a complete and valid dossier, the agency responsible for managing and operating the electronic identification and authentication system will process the application within:

(i) Two working days if the applicant’s facial image and fingerprint information is already available in the National Immigration Database; or

(ii) Five working days if such information is not yet available in the National Immigration Database.

After receiving notification that an eID account has been issued, the account holder must activate it through the VNeID app within seven days.

If the account is not activated within that period, the account holder may contact the agency responsible for managing and operating the electronic identification and authentication system through its hotline for assistance with activation.

If I later no longer wish to use my eID account, may I have it locked?

Yes. Under Article 15.2.a of Decree 69, you may request that your eID account be locked if you no longer wish to use it.

The request must be made through the VNeID app. Upon receipt, the electronic identification and authentication system will automatically record, verify and authenticate the request before locking the account. VNS