Proposed Expansion of Residence Deregistration Cases

The Ministry of Public Security, as the drafting body, emphasized that revisions are necessary to streamline state apparatus restructuring and adapt to the two-tier local government system. According to the draft, residence is defined as citizens living at a lawful address within a commune-level administrative unit, with registration managed directly by local police (commune, ward, or special administrative units).

One key amendment addresses the residence registration of minors. The draft allows minors to register permanent residence at a lawful dwelling not owned by them when living with parents or guardians, without requiring consent from the household head or property owner. This aims to protect minors’ legitimate rights and interests while ensuring convenience in family reunification.

A notable addition is the proposal to expand cases where permanent and temporary residence registrations can be deleted. Specifically, registration would be canceled if a decision allowing an individual to restore Vietnamese nationality is later annulled. This aligns the Residence Law with amendments to the Law on Vietnamese Nationality.

The draft also refines provisions on updating civil status changes in the residence database, ensuring synchronization with the national population database. For lodging notifications, it proposes new obligations for vehicle owners or managers to report temporary stays of passengers or users, improving the timeliness and effectiveness of residence management.

While the National Defense, Security, and Foreign Affairs Committee largely agreed with these changes, some members urged caution, particularly on the provision allowing minors to register permanent residence, to avoid infringing on the housing rights of lawful property owners.

For the Law on Exit and Entry, the draft introduces a new rule that ordinary passports issued under expedited procedures will be valid for only one use and up to 12 months, non-renewable. This applies to cases such as lost passports, deportation orders, or urgent repatriations. The Government argued that limiting such passports to single-use prevents potential misuse.

The draft further adds grounds for revoking or invalidating passports: when a new passport has been issued, when personal details contain errors, or when the holder is subject to a wanted notice.

To simplify procedures, the draft removes the requirement to submit photocopies or originals of ID documents, replacing them with electronic verification via national ID cards or digital identity. This applies to various procedures, including issuing and renewing diplomatic, official, and ordinary passports both domestically and abroad.

The Government requested that the National Assembly give opinions and approve this draft law at its 10th session of the 15th Legislature.