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Overseas Vietnamese and the Right to Obtain ID Cards

A reader from the United States raised the question: as an overseas Vietnamese who still retains Vietnamese nationality but rarely returns to Vietnam, is it possible to apply for a Vietnamese ID card, and what is the procedure?

Overseas Vietnamese with Vietnamese nationality are eligible

According to Dr. Tran Thi Thu Ha, Deputy Head of the Department of Constitutional Law, Faculty of Administrative–State Law, Ho Chi Minh City University of Law, the term “overseas Vietnamese” legally refers to Vietnamese citizens residing abroad.

If a Vietnamese living abroad has not lost Vietnamese nationality before July 1, 2009, they are still considered Vietnamese citizens under the law. In cases where overseas Vietnamese cannot present proof of nationality, they may request verification from Vietnamese diplomatic missions abroad.

Article 5(1) of the 2008 Law on Nationality states: “A person with Vietnamese nationality is a Vietnamese citizen.” Therefore, an overseas Vietnamese who still retains Vietnamese nationality is recognized as a citizen and is entitled to be issued an ID card under Article 19 of the 2023 Law on Identity Cards.

Specifically:

  • Overseas Vietnamese citizens aged 14 and above must apply for an ID card.

  • Those under 14 may obtain an ID card upon request.

Application procedure

For citizens aged 14 and above:

  • Authorities verify information from the National Population Database and related databases.

  • If the applicant’s data is missing, it will be updated.

  • Biometric data (photo, fingerprints, iris scan) will be collected.

  • The applicant signs the identity data form and receives an appointment slip for card issuance.

For citizens under 14:

  • Under 6 years old: The legal representative applies via the national e-service portal, the national identification app, or directly at the ID management agency. If the child has not yet been registered at birth, ID card issuance can be processed together with birth registration. Biometric data is not required.

  • From 6 to under 14 years old: The child and legal representative must appear at the ID management agency for biometric data collection. The representative completes the application.

  • Special cases: Persons lacking legal capacity or having cognitive/behavioral difficulties must be assisted by their legal representatives.

Place of application

From March 1, 2025, following the abolition of district-level police units, all ID card applications are handled by commune-level police.

Citizens can also choose to apply through the National Public Service Portal, the Ministry of Public Security’s service portal, or the national identification application. Additionally, mobile ID issuance services may be organized for Vietnamese citizens both domestically and abroad, subject to legal and international agreements to which Vietnam is a party.

In short, overseas Vietnamese who still hold Vietnamese nationality are treated as citizens under the law and therefore have the right—and in certain cases, the obligation—to apply for and be issued Vietnamese ID cards.

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