The Ministry of Public Security has abolished 11 groups of administrative procedures related to identity card issuance and management, electronic identification and authentication. This directive is detailed in Decision 2079, signed by the Minister of Public Security, which became effective on 15/5. The decision also covers the abolition of procedures in areas such as seals, conditional business lines, driver's license testing, and product quality.

This abolition aligns with Government Resolution 22/2026, which mandates the reduction, decentralization, and simplification of administrative procedures and business investment conditions under the Ministry of Public Security's state management.

Specifically, within identity card issuance and management, the Ministry of Public Security has eliminated various procedures at both ministerial and provincial levels. These include the collection and updating of biometric data, such as DNA and voice, into the national identity database. Additionally, procedures for integrating, updating, and adjusting information on identity cards, as well as those for Vietnamese individuals whose nationality remains undetermined, have also been abolished.

Police collecting data for identity cards. *Photo: Ngoc Thanh*

In the realm of electronic identification and authentication, the Ministry of Public Security has also eliminated several procedures for issuing electronic identification accounts at ministerial and provincial levels. These procedures, previously applicable to foreigners, Vietnamese citizens, and organizations, now abolished, include: * Issuing level one and two electronic identification accounts for foreigners. * Issuing level two electronic identification accounts and electronic identity cards for Vietnamese citizens. * Issuing electronic identification accounts for agencies and organizations.

>> Details of abolished administrative procedures list

Regarding seals, the Ministry has also abolished procedures for: * Registering additional seals. * Registering embossed, miniature, or wax seals. * Exchanging or re-issuing certificates of seal sample registration. These procedures were previously managed at both ministerial and provincial levels.

This move follows a broader government initiative in late April, where eight resolutions were issued, abolishing 184 administrative procedures and 890 business conditions. This comprehensive reform aims to reduce implementation time and compliance costs by 50% compared to 2024. As part of this, the government has also decentralized authority within the Ministry of Public Security's purview, empowering provincial police to handle the licensing, re-issuance, and revocation of operating permits for smart transport vehicles, a responsibility previously held by central authorities.

These government-wide reforms also reinforce the abolition of procedures for collecting and updating biometric DNA and voice data into the national identity database at both ministerial and provincial levels. Similarly, the integration, updating, and adjustment of information on identity cards at these administrative levels have also been eliminated.