Is the process of issuing a Citizen ID card for overseas Vietnamese complicated? In this article, Tuong Phat Land will help you learn all the necessary processes and procedures. Follow along so you don’t miss any important information!
1. Why should overseas Vietnamese get a citizen identification card when returning to Vietnam?
Overseas Vietnamese is a term used to refer to the Vietnamese community living and settling abroad. So, why is it necessary to get a Citizen ID card for overseas Vietnamese when returning to the country? First of all, since 2021, Vietnam has officially replaced the national identity card with a chip-embedded citizen ID card, becoming the only legal identification document for Vietnamese citizens.
Without a citizen ID card, overseas Vietnamese may encounter obstacles in activities such as:
- Register for residence, declare temporary residence.
- Carry out administrative procedures (notarization, authorization, marriage,…).
- Banking transactions, owning and buying and selling real estate, doing medical procedures, birth registration,…
In addition, one of the important reasons for overseas Vietnamese to make citizen identification cards is to facilitate civil and financial transactions. For example, citizen identification cards are a condition for registering a phone SIM card or transferring ownership of a house.
And if you are planning to return to Vietnam to live long-term, then a citizen identification card is a “tool” to prove that you have reintegrated into the Vietnamese legal, administrative and social systems. You will not be able to work, register a business or send your children to school without this citizen identification card.
2. Conditions for making Citizen ID card for overseas Vietnamese and where to register the procedure
One of the most common questions of Vietnamese people living abroad is “Is it difficult to get a Citizen ID card for overseas Vietnamese?” The simple answer is as long as you still have Vietnamese nationality.
According to Article 19 of the 2023 Law on Identity Cards, all Vietnamese citizens aged 14 and over are required to carry out procedures for obtaining a citizen identification card. For citizens under 14 years of age, the law does not require it but allows for the issuance of an identification card if needed. At the same time, according to Clause 1, Article 5 of the 2008 Law on Vietnamese Nationality, people with Vietnamese nationality are identified as Vietnamese citizens, whose legitimate rights and interests are protected by the State.
SUMMARY: The prerequisite for being granted a Citizen ID card for overseas Vietnamese does not depend on the place of residence or length of stay abroad, but only on the person having Vietnamese nationality.
So, where should overseas Vietnamese apply for a citizen identification card? If you are an overseas Vietnamese returning to the country for a short time, you can contact the police station at the ward/commune level where your relative is residing in advance to receive detailed instructions.
However, according to the general provisions of Article 27 of the 2023 Law on Citizen Identification, Vietnamese citizens can choose to carry out procedures related to citizen identification at one of the following agencies:
- The police station at the ward/commune level where the citizen resides.
- The police station at the provincial or centrally-run city level where the citizen resides.
- The citizen identification management agency under the Ministry of Public Security, applicable to special cases decided by the head of this agency.
3. 4 steps to make Citizen ID card for overseas Vietnamese from A to Z
According to the provisions of Article 25 of the 2023 Citizen Identification Law and Article 21 of Decree 70/2024/ND-CP, the process of issuing a Citizen ID card for overseas Vietnamese (for the first time) is carried out in 4 steps as follows.
3.1. Step 1 – Register to request a Citizen ID card for overseas Vietnamese
Overseas Vietnamese who need to make a citizen ID card for the first time can do it in two ways:
- In person: You can go directly to the police station at the ward/commune or provincial level where you are temporarily residing in Vietnam to request a Citizen ID card for overseas Vietnamese. When you arrive, you need to provide basic information such as full name at birth, personal identification number, place of residence, etc. for the receiving officer to compare with the National Population Database.
- Online: If you want to save more time, registering through the National Public Service Portal or the Ministry of Public Security’s Public Service Portal is a reasonable choice. After checking and confirming that your personal information is correct on the system, you just need to choose the time and location to come to make your CCCD. The system will automatically transfer the information to the police agency where you have chosen.
NOTE: If your personal data on the system is not available or incorrect, you need to adjust the information according to Article 6 of Decree 70/2024/ND-CP before submitting your application to help the process of making Citizen ID card for overseas Vietnamese go more smoothly.
3.2. Step 2 – Police Department receives documents
Next, the receptionist will verify and extract your information to proceed with the card issuance. This is a step to confirm that you are legally eligible to be granted a citizen identification card according to regulations, an important point for overseas Vietnamese applying for a citizen identification card for the first time in Vietnam.
3.3. Step 3 – Take photo and collect fingerprints
At the application reception point, the officers will:
- Take a portrait photo of the person applying for the CCCD.
- Collect fingerprints and describe identification characteristics.
- Print information on the Receipt Form and ask the citizen to check and sign for confirmation.
If you follow a religion or ethnicity that has its own traditional costumes such as ceremonial costumes or headscarves, you can completely keep them but need to ensure that your face and ears are clearly visible. This is a point that shows flexibility and cultural respect in making Citizen ID cards for overseas Vietnamese.
3.4. Step 4 – Get your Citizen ID card for overseas Vietnamese
After completing the above steps, you will pay the prescribed fee and receive an appointment letter. According to Clause 2, Article 5 of Circular 59/2019/TT-BTC issued by the Ministry of Finance, overseas Vietnamese applying for a citizen identification card for the first time will be exempted from fees. When the date comes, you can return to the place where you submitted your application to get the card or choose to receive your citizen identification card by post if you want to save time.
4. [FAQs] 3 frequently asked questions related to Citizen ID card for overseas procedures
If you are an overseas Vietnamese and need to make an ID card when returning to Vietnam, don’t miss the FAQs section that Tuong Phat Land has compiled below.
4.1. Overseas Vietnamese who want to naturalize as Vietnamese must stay in the country for at least 6 months to get a citizen ID card or is it enough to stay for just 1 month?
As mentioned, according to Article 19 of the 2014 Citizen Identification Law, Vietnamese citizens from the age of 14 will be issued a citizen identification card. The law does not stipulate a minimum residence period in Vietnam (such as 1 month or 6 months) to be eligible for a Citizen ID card for overseas Vietnamese.
However, according to Article 22 of this law, to be issued a Citizen ID card for overseas Vietnamese, the authorities will check and compare your information in the National Population Database. Therefore, you should go directly to the police station where you live to get the most specific and accurate instructions according to the status of your application.
4.2. How long does it take to make a Citizen ID card for overseas Vietnamese? Can I make it in time if I am returning to Vietnam for a short time?
The procedure at the police station is very quick, only about 15 – 30 minutes for the 4 steps above. Regarding the waiting time for the card, normally the time for you to receive it according to the law is 7 working days. However, you should plan about 2 – 3 weeks to receive the card. If you are coming back for a short time, you should go through the procedure right in the first days of the trip.
4.3. Can I wear makeup when making a Citizen ID card for overseas Vietnamese?
The answer is YES but at a gentle, natural level. This is a general answer for all Vietnamese citizens who need to make an ID card, not just for the case of issuing a Citizen ID card for overseas Vietnamese.
The citizen ID photo is a photo used for personal identification, so the face needs to clearly show the real features on the face. If you do not want to fall into the “half-crying, half-laughing” situation of having to remove makeup on the spot, please note the following points:
- Do not apply foundation that is too light, making the face pale, clearly different between the face and the neck area, causing unnaturalness in the photo.
- Use extremely light makeup, limit the use of heavy contour powder, elaborate eyeliner or drawing eyebrows that are too sharp.
- Prioritize light lipstick tones such as earthy pink or earthy orange, avoid using bright red, plum purple or too bright colors.
4.4. My spouse (also an overseas Vietnamese) and I want to have our names on a property together. Do we both need to have a citizen ID?
TRUE. According to Article 7 and Article 8 of the 2014 Housing Law, to be co-owners of the pink book, both people must prove that they are Vietnamese citizens. And citizen identification is the simplest and clearest way to verify. Otherwise, notarization or registration of ownership may be difficult or denied.
For many Vietnamese living far from home, the citizen identification card is not only a legal document confirming their identity but also a “memory ticket” that takes them back to where they used to belong. A familiar street, a small alley, a morning cry or the figure of a relative who has aged over the years, all evoke memories of a time that was very close!
In short, the process of making a Citizen ID card for overseas Vietnamese consists of 4 clear steps, easy to do if you prepare all the documents. Through this article, Tuong Phat Land hopes that you will no longer have any concerns about making a Citizen ID card for overseas Vietnamese. Thank you for accompanying Tuong Phat Land.
And if you encounter difficulties during the procedure, do not hesitate to contact us. Tuong Phat Land is always ready to provide detailed instructions and support to make a Citizen ID card for overseas Vietnamese quickly!
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