Digital transformation is progressing in Vietnam as the country’s government pursues “Project 06” to modernize its economy and public services. The new national identity system is a cornerstone of the digital transformation plan, which includes civil registration, digital ID and authentication.

With the transition from outdated paper-based identification systems to sophisticated, biometric-based digital IDs, millions of citizens will have better access to their data and improved protection from cybercrime. This digital ID card will integrate multiple public services, including healthcare and social insurance, to make them more efficient and accessible.

Crucially, global partnerships have played a significant part in this transition. NEC has worked closely with Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) on such processes to ensure the robustness of the system combined with its expandability.

The evolution of Vietnam’s digital identity system

Vietnam’s move from paper-based to digital documentation is a landmark in its digital history. Frequently, the country employed slow and manual procedures for identification that were sometimes inefficient and insecure. The Vietnam government sought modernization, hence introducing the Digital Transformation Plan with the objective of the digitally centralized national biometric identity system.

Vietnam’s step has steered the Ministry of Public Security (MOPS), through partnerships with international technology corporations like NEC and VNPT, MOPS uses NEC’s automated biometric identification system (ABIS). The new system combines fingerprint and face recognition technologies to enhance security measures during identity checks for more than 50 million citizens.

NEC’s role in modernizing country’s national ID

NEC Asia Pacific says it was instrumental in upgrading Vietnam’s national ID system as part of its effort to support the country’s digital transformation in the digital economy. Vietnam’s Digital Transformation Plan, the Ministry of Public Security MOPS has chosen NEC’s Automated Biometric Identification System ABIS to upgrade its existing national ID system with biometrics that are advanced. This fingerprint and face-matching-based system has improved identity verification for 50 million Vietnamese.

A scalable and expandable multimodal biometric system was provided by NEC that also allowed 16 million legacy records to be seamlessly migrated from a previous system. In a press release, the Executive Vice President of NEC Corporation, Masakazu Yamashina, said that NEC is proud to support Vietnam’s digital transformation efforts with the modernization of the country’s national ID. This collaboration demonstrates NEC’s commitment to advancing global digitization and contributing towards safer, more sustainable, and prosperous societies.

International collaborations and technological partnerships

Collaborations with international companies such as VNPT and Thales reinforce Vietnam’s digital ID system. For instance, the electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) platform provided by VNPT improves identity verification processes thereby enhancing secure and efficient citizen services. VNPT has surpassed one billion verification and authentication requests, a first in Vietnam. Thales has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which focuses on advancing digital identity and biometrics to make the system more sophisticated and secure.

Vietnam has also partnered with other technological companies for special programs. Recently, TENTEN in collaboration with Vietnam Internet Network Information Centre (VNNIC) organized an event called “Initiating Digital Identity with National Domain Name.” This program aimed at youth will encourage them to use the domain “.id.vn” for the creation of digital identities and branding online. Vietnamese citizens between 18-23 years can register for .id.vn domain at no charge until two years intervene, this includes web hosting along with CV templates plus personalized email addresses.

Thus, these partnerships drive technological advancements that ensure the digital ID system remains robust, scalable, and secure. The collaborations bring in global expertise so that Vietnam can employ innovative solutions that reduce the risks of fraud while improving citizen data protection. The collaboration underscores a shared commitment to improving public administration and citizen engagement in the digital era, facilitating Vietnam’s journey towards a secure digital public infrastructure (DPI).

Digital IDs and enhanced service access

Vietnam briefing news report says that to enable interactions with public sectors, Vietnam is set to launch digital identity cards that will be added to the VNeID mobile app. These digital IDs were introduced in July with a view of supporting various public sector services. Vietnamese citizens must have the national e-identification VNeID app on their phone and be enrolled in level 2 which includes facial photos together with fingerprint biometrics. Level 1 accounts may be established through the mobile app while level 2 applications require an applicant’s presence at either a Ministry of Public Security MPS or provincial police office for verification.

This digital ID system will also assimilate health and social insurance cards, driving licenses, and birth certificates, thereby increasing convenience and security. Furthermore, users can disable ID to secure it but the government can also terminate an account due to violation of its terms.

Moreover, this move extends to foreigners as well as foreign-owned companies as the country’s draft law concerning digital identity registration came into effect on July 1. For domestic transactions, these e-IDs will be equal to passports and other international travel documents making identity and service provision easier for all citizens. This development goes concurrently with Vietnam’s current initiatives aimed at transforming public administration and citizen engagement into an era of digitalization.

Speeding up digital payments

Vietnam Investment Review report highlights that there is a rapid transformation taking place in Vietnam’s digital payment landscape, driven by new laws and technological progressions. Since July, the necessity for facial scans in online money transfers above VND10 million (US$393) has improved security but also prompted substantial adoption of biometrics. Local banks such as Techcombank and Vietcombank have quickly integrated facial recognition while fintech companies like Cake by VPBank are designing cutting-edge biometric solutions such as Cake Face Authen which has obtained international certification. Biometrics are not the only trend with QR code payments and “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) services indicating a transition toward cashless transactions. Consequently, the National Committee for Digital Transformation’s 2024 work plan seeks to develop digital technologies further, increase the use of online public services, and link all management systems together to improve efficiency and productivity throughout Vietnam’s socio-economic sectors.

Privacy risks accompany system

The government of Vietnam is in the process of digitalizing its operations through Project 06, which will require the collection of complete biometric data such as facial recognition, fingerprints, iris scanning, voice recording, and DNA for digital identity cards that are needed to access services like online financial transactions and diagnostic medical services. Some critics believe that the revised law which was initiated on July 1st, 2024 could lead to unprecedented governmental investigation and violations of private information since this privileged information will be controlled by the national police.

Vietnam’s digital transformation, which relies on its extensive biometric national ID system, is overhauling public services and security. Despite international partnerships and technological advances, privacy issues and the possible exploitation of biometric data exist. Balancing innovation and privacy will be critical as Vietnam navigates its digital transformation.

Article Topics

biometric authentication  |  biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  digital ID  |  digital identity  |  national ID  |  NEC Asia Pacific  |  Project 06  |  Vietnam  |  VNeID  |  VNPT