Hanoi police has set up mobile teams to issue chip-based identity cards for local residents throughout the city.

The citizens eligible to be granted chip-based identity cards are those who are 14 years of age or older and have never been issued an identification card, or people whose identity card is damaged, lost, or expired. Hanoi police encourage these cases to replace their identity documents with a chip card.

First people apply for chip-based identity cards at the Department for Administrative Management of Social Order under Hanoi police on December 31 morning. Photo: Kinhtedothi.vn

It is estimated that by July 1, 2021, some 2.5 million people will be issued chip-based identity cards.

Old ID cards without chip are still valid until expiration or anyone wishing to replace their ID cards with chip-based one will be able to do so after June 30, 2021.

Colonel Nguyen Hong Ky, deputy director of Hanoi police, said that the introduction of more secure chip-based ID cards which are able to store more information would accelerate the administrative reform and the application of e-government.

The chip-based identity card is a smart card thatmeet international standards and requirements with the latest encryption technology.

Information of 20 different fields like insurance, driving license, tax, health insurance, among others would be incorporated into the card in a project that is now available for feedback from relevant agencies.

The card, which is encrypted, will store facial recognition features, fingerprints, and anthropometry.

Notably, it would be highly secure and shielded against counterfeiting. It can store much more information than identity (ID) card with barcode that has been issued since 2016.

Currently, Vietnamese citizens are using either nine-digit ID cards, 12-digit ID cards or ID cards with barcode.

Over the past 63 years, the ID card in Vietnam has undergone five changes. The first nine-digit ID card made debut in 1957. It was renovated in 1964 and 1999. The 12-digit ID card was introduced in 2012 and ID with barcode in 2016 and now available in 16 cities and provinces.

The Law on Citizen Identification in 2014 stipulates that people from 14 years old are eligible to be granted an ID card and it will be renewed when they turn to 25, 40, and 60 years old.

Chip-based or electronic identity cards promise to supply a universal, nation-wide mechanism for user authentication.

Hanoi police will increase the time of receiving ID card applications (seven days per week) at police offices at districts and towns.