The Ministry of Home Affairs recently announced the results of SIPAS 2025, the citizen satisfaction index with state administrative services. The nationwide survey included 36,000 citizens across 720 communes and wards. SIPAS comprises 37 indicators for perceptions, 51 for satisfaction levels, and 10 for citizen needs and expectations, offering a comprehensive overview of state administrative service quality.

In 2025, overall citizen satisfaction with state administrative services reached 83%, a slight decrease from 2024. This decline was observed across both key areas: policy formulation and implementation, and public administrative service delivery.

The Ministry of Home Affairs identified several bottlenecks, including troublesome officials and unofficial costs. Specifically, 89% of respondents reported no harassment from officials, but 11% encountered troublesome officials. Nearly 9% also reported having to pay additional, unofficial fees. "While not a large percentage, this issue is present across all localities and shows a slight upward trend compared to the previous year," the report stated.

Policy formulation and implementation are assessed by government accountability, citizen participation opportunities, implementation quality, and policy outcomes. Satisfaction with these indicators ranged from 82% to 83%, a high rate, but still a slight decrease from 2024. Similarly, citizen satisfaction with public administrative service delivery showed rates between 83% and 84%. This covers indicators like service accessibility, administrative procedures, officials, service outcomes, and complaint handling. Compared to 2024, satisfaction for each indicator saw a decrease of about 1%.

Citizens in 34 provinces and cities generally expressed satisfaction with local public administration, with rates between 78% and 91%. However, a 13% gap existed between the highest and lowest performing localities. Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, and Dong Nai were top performers, while Lai Chau, Lang Son, and Cao Bang recorded the lowest satisfaction indices.

Working hours at the Hanoi City Public Administrative Service Center, 7/2025. Photo: Giang Huy

Public satisfaction with participation and feedback mechanisms remains limited, with rates decreasing from 2024. Nearly 83% of citizens were satisfied with opportunities to participate in policy formulation and implementation. Additionally, 82.5% were satisfied with public administrative service centers/one-stop shops handling feedback and complaints. These areas consistently show the lowest satisfaction levels and have not improved significantly over time. Opportunities for public participation in policy formulation and implementation, alongside the handling of feedback and complaints, received the lowest citizen satisfaction. These issues have been identified for years but show no significant improvement.

Nearly 18,000 surveyed citizens expressed willingness to provide feedback on local policies, contingent on the method of submission. 47% preferred giving feedback directly at resident meetings, while only 10% chose the Internet. Citizens primarily receive policy information through traditional channels, with only 39% using the Internet. These findings suggest that digital transformation in public information and service delivery has not fully integrated into daily life.

The Ministry of Home Affairs noted a slight decrease in the overall satisfaction index compared to 2024. While not numerically significant, this decline was widespread across both policy formulation and implementation, and public administrative service delivery. Localities with low satisfaction levels displayed uniformity across most indicators, suggesting systemic implementation limitations.

The SIPAS results indicate a narrowing scope for institutional improvement and procedural simplification. Simultaneously, limitations in implementation quality and citizen experience are becoming more apparent. The reform focus is shifting towards enhancing substantive service quality, adopting a citizen-centric approach. Conversely, citizens expect improved public service quality. Their top priorities include enhancing official capacity, improving the quality of feedback and complaint handling, and increasing facilities and equipment.

Following mergers, the country comprises 34 provinces and cities, 3,321 communes, wards, and special zones. The two-tier local government model includes 91,784 provincial-level cadres, civil servants, and public employees, and approximately 199,000 commune-level personnel.

Hong Chieu