Vietnamese identity card

In Vietnam identity cards were used during the French colonial period (before 1945) as a passport or identification card within the entire Indochina.

According to Decree No. 175 - b dated September 6, 1946 of the President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the Citizen Card (Vietnamese: Thẻ Công Dân) was used instead of the ID card. The Citizen Card certifies the personal identity and specific characteristics of each citizen, including full name, date of birth, parents' names, place of origin, residence, occupation issued by the People's Committee of the commune, town or city where the citizen's place of origin or residence is to Vietnamese citizens aged 18 and over.

Since 1957, the Citizen Card has been replaced by the Identity Card (Vietnamese: Giấy Chứng Minh). In 1964, the "Identity Certificate" (Vietnamese: Giấy chứng nhận căn cước) was added for people from 14 to 17 years old in addition to the "Identity Card".

In the South Vietnam identity cards were widely used until the end of April 1975.

Since the reunification of the country after the war in 1976, the People's Identity Card (Vietnamese: Giấy Chứng Minh Nhân Dân) has been used uniformly throughout the country. Since 1999, it has been replaced by the new People's Identity Card (Vietnamese: Chứng Minh Nhân Dân) according to the regulations of the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Starting from July 1, 2012, the Ministry of Public Security applied a new plastic People's Identity Card model of 85.6mm x 53.98mm, which clearly states the full names of the father and mother, with a two-dimensional barcode. The citizen's photo is printed directly on the card; the new ID number consists of 12 numbers.^[3] Starting in 2016, the People's Identity Card was officially replaced by the card-size Citizen Identity Card (Vietnamese: Căn cước công dân).^[4] However, at the provincial and district police levels, the procedures for issuing, exchanging and reissuing the People's Identity Card were still carried out until October 30, 2017, when it was officially abolished. From January 1, 2025, old-style identity cards are no longer valid. Unlike the previous ID card number, the 12-digit code printed on the identity card (officially called the personal identification number or also known as the TCC code) will never change, even if people reissue it due to loss or change of permanent residence information.

The 2023 Law on Identification^[5] stipulates the expansion and integration of many other information of citizens and people of Vietnamese origin in other databases into the National Population Database and the Identification Database compared to the 2014 Law on Identification to directly serve the application of the utility of identification cards, electronic identification, connection, and sharing of people's information. The 2023 Law on Identification also stipulates the contents on the identification card, including changing the name of the card "Citizen Identification" to "Identification". The Law has also been amended and supplemented in the direction of removing fingerprints and amending the regulations on information on the identification card number.

The front of the Citizen Identity Card (chip-based) includes information in Vietnamese language, with English language as a secondary language^[6]:

• National emblem, motto
• QR code
• Photo of the cardholder:
• Personal identification number:^[7]
• Full birth name:
• Date of birth:
• Gender:
• Nationality:
• Native place:
• Place of permanent residence:
• Expiration date:^[8]

Back of the card

• Encrypted information storage component (electronic chip)
• Index fingerprint, identifying characteristics of the cardholder;
• Identifying features:
• Date of issue;
• Full name, title, and signature of the issuer;
• Seal of the issuing authority:
• MRZ line

The identity card number is also the personal identification number. Each citizen is issued a unique, non-repeating personal identification number. The citizen identity card must be renewed when the citizen reaches 25, 40, and 60 years of age.^[1]

With the goal of building an e-Government and creating a breakthrough in the country's socio-economic development; contributing to the effective fight against counterfeiting crimes, starting from November 2020, citizen identity cards have been equipped with electronic chips instead of barcodes.^[9][10]

According to new regulations in the 2023 Law on Identification^[11], the content on the Identity Card includes encrypted information and information printed on the card:

a) Image of the National Emblem of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam;

b) The words “CỘNG HÒA XÃ HỘI CHỦ NGHĨA VIỆT NAM, Độc lập - Tự do - Hạnh phúc” (SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM, Independence - Freedom - Happiness);

c) The word “CĂN CƯỚC” (IDENTIFICATION);

d) Facial photo;

đ) Personal identification number;

e) Surname, middle name, and birth name;

g) Date of birth;

h) Gender;

i) Place of birth registration/Place of birth;

k) Nationality;

l) Place of residence;

m) Date of issue and expiration date;

n) Issuing authority: Ministry of Public Security;

p) MRZ line.

Thus, compared to the CCCD card format, the Identity Card has removed the "native place" field, replacing it with "place of birth registration" or "place of birth" and "place of residence"; it also removed fingerprints and identifying features.