Vietnam has introduced simplified rules for electronic identification accounts for foreign nationals, removing the previous distinction between Level 1 and Level 2 accounts and reducing the time required to process applications.
Under Decree No. 320/2026/ND-CP, issued on August 13, foreigners who legally enter or reside in Vietnam can apply for a single electronic identification account without being assigned a specific account level.
Organizations that are legally established or registered to operate in Vietnam are also eligible to obtain electronic identification accounts under the revised framework.
The changes are intended to streamline registration procedures and make it easier for foreign residents to access Vietnam’s digital identification system.
Foreign applicants must apply in person at the immigration management agency of the provincial-level police. They are required to present a passport or another valid international travel document and provide their personal information through the TK01 application form.
Applicants must also provide a Vietnamese-registered mobile phone number and, where available, an email address. They can additionally request that relevant information be linked to the VNeID national identification application.
During registration, immigration officials will enter the applicant’s information into Vietnam’s electronic identification and authentication system. Authorities will also collect facial images and fingerprints to verify the applicant’s identity against information contained in the national immigration database.
Applicants will receive assistance with downloading the VNeID application and completing the required registration procedures on their devices.
Once the application has been submitted, the immigration management agency will forward it to the authority responsible for operating Vietnam’s electronic identification and authentication system.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome through VNeID, their registered mobile phone number or email address.
The new regulations also reduce the amount of documentation applicants need to provide. Authorities will no longer request original or photocopied documents when the relevant information has already been integrated into the application system.
The rules also introduce additional safeguards for electronic identification accounts. An account can be automatically locked if information from mobile network operators indicates that the registered Vietnamese phone number no longer belongs to the account holder.
Special provisions apply to foreign children under the age of 14. Their applications must be submitted together with a parent, legal representative or guardian at the immigration management agency of the provincial-level police.
The parent or guardian will use their own registered Vietnamese mobile number during the application process. The child must provide a passport or another valid international travel document and complete the TK01 form.
Facial and fingerprint information will also be collected from eligible children for identity verification.
The revised regulations significantly shorten processing times for foreign applicants.
Where an applicant’s biometric information is already available in the national immigration database, the electronic identification account should be issued within two working days.
Applications involving applicants whose biometric information is not available in the database must be processed within five working days.
For organizations, the maximum processing period is 10 working days when information requiring verification is not available in national or specialised databases.
Overall, the reforms reduce the maximum processing period for individual applicants from seven to five working days, while the maximum processing period for organizations falls from 15 to 10 working days.
The changes are part of Vietnam’s wider move toward digital government services and greater use of electronic identification for residents and organizations operating in the country.
For foreign nationals living or working legally in Vietnam, the revised system is expected to make digital identification registration faster, reduce paperwork and provide a more streamlined route to accessing VNeID-related services.