Foreigners in Ho Chi Minh City rush to register for digital ID accounts

Early on Tuesday morning, Roberto Kauffmann, a 57-year-old German national, arrived at the city’s Immigration Office on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street in Xuan Hoa Ward to register for a digital ID.

With support from immigration officers, his application was completed swiftly following simple procedures including photo capture, fingerprinting, and personal information entry.

His data was immediately transmitted to the national population data center operated by the Ministry of Public Security.

Within three to seven working days, Kauffmann is expected to receive his level-2 digital ID via email, allowing him to use the VNeID app to replace traditional documents in various administrative procedures, just like Vietnamese citizens.

According to the municipal Immigration Office, Kauffmann is among more than 4,000 foreigners who have registered for digital ID since July 1.

During the city's 50-day campaign from July 1 to August 19 to raise awareness about and streamline digital ID registration for foreigners, immigration officers have extended working hours from 7:30 am to 9:00 pm daily to handle applications, excluding weekends and public holidays.

Major Huynh Ngoc Hoai Thuong, an officer from the Immigration Office, said the unit starts opening doors from 7:00 am to minimize overcrowding and long queues.

Currently, digital ID applications for foreigners are being accepted at three locations:

- 196 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Xuan Hoa Ward

- 239 Ngo Gia Tu Street, Thu Dau Mot Ward

- 120 Pham Hung Street, Ba Ria Ward

Foreigners living or working in Ho Chi Minh City can bring their passports or temporary/permanent residence cards and a verified phone number to register for level-2 digital ID.

The city police emphasized that digital ID registration enables foreigners to complete administrative procedures more easily, saving time and reducing paperwork.