VNeID and Level 2 Digital Identity for Foreigners in Vietnam
Since 1 July 2025 the Ministry of Public Security has issued Level 2 electronic identity accounts to foreigners residing in Vietnam, nationwide. The account lives in the VNeID app and is becoming the key that opens online public services, bank identity checks and rental registration. You apply in person at an immigration office — there is no fully remote route.
Who needs this
- Foreigners holding a valid temporary residence card or permanent residence card who want to use Vietnamese online public services under their own name
- Employees whose bank, landlord or service provider now asks for electronic identity verification rather than a photocopied passport
- Foreign directors and legal representatives who need to sign or file on Vietnamese government portals in their personal capacity
- Long-term residents who want their residence card and other legal documents stored in the VNeID app instead of carried in a folder
- HR teams onboarding foreign staff who want the digital ID done in the same window as the residence card, not months later
What to bring
- Passport or other valid international travel document — the original, not a copy
- Valid temporary residence card or permanent residence card
- The request form for a digital identity account (form TK01), completed accurately — errors in name transliteration are the most common cause of rework
- A Vietnamese mobile number that is active, registered in the applicant's own name, and in the applicant's hands on the day — the activation code goes there
- A personal email address the applicant actually monitors
- Face image and fingerprints — captured at the counter, so the applicant must attend in person
- A smartphone with the VNeID app installed, so the account can be activated as soon as the result is issued
How it works
- 1
Confirm the residence document is valid first
The Level 2 account is built on a valid residence document, so check the temporary or permanent residence card before booking anything. If the card is close to expiry or still in process, deal with that first. Applying with a card that expires within weeks tends to produce a short-lived or rejected account.
- 2
Identify the right immigration office
Applications are received by immigration management authorities under the Ministry of Public Security — the Immigration Department and the immigration units of provincial police across the country. Call or check the local police portal for the current reception point and opening pattern, which is usually weekdays only. Reception points have moved since the 2025 provincial reorganisation, so do not rely on an address from an old blog post.
- 3
Attend in person and give biometrics
The applicant submits the TK01 form with the passport and residence card, then has their face and fingerprints captured. Check the spelling of the name, date of birth and passport number on the screen before signing — the officer transcribes from your documents and a single wrong character will follow the account everywhere. Keep the receipt you are given.
- 4
Wait for the result and activate in VNeID
The Ministry of Public Security announced settlement of no more than three working days where the applicant's face and fingerprint data is already in the national immigration database, and no more than seven working days where that data has to be collected. Result notification goes to the VNeID app or the contact details you supplied. Confirm the current handling time with the receiving office, since published timelines are under revision.
- 5
Test the account on something real
Once activated, log in to a service you will actually use — the National Public Service Portal, or your bank's identity check — rather than assuming it works. A Level 2 account is intended to support things like bank transaction verification, rental registration, public services and holding an electronic residence card in the app. Acceptance varies by institution, so find out now, not on a deadline.
Where people get stuck
- Sending an assistant or HR officer to file on the foreigner's behalf. Face and fingerprint capture is part of the procedure, so the applicant has to be physically present. A colleague can help with the form and the queue, not with the biometrics.
- Using a Vietnamese SIM registered in the company's name or a colleague's name. Verification codes and later logins are tied to that number, and untangling it afterwards means going back to the office.
- Name mismatch between the passport, the residence card and the form. Vietnamese systems match on exact strings; a middle name written on one document and dropped on another will block the account or break later verifications.
- Treating VNeID as a substitute for the physical passport and residence card. Carry the originals when the situation calls for them until the counterparty in front of you says otherwise in writing.
- Letting the account lapse quietly when the residence card is renewed under a new number. Treat a new residence card as a trigger to check that the digital identity record still reflects it.
- Booking the appointment for the day before a business trip. If biometrics have to be captured fresh, the published handling window is longer, and you cannot collect the result from abroad.
Common questions
Can I register for VNeID online without visiting an office?
No. A Level 2 account for a foreigner requires attending an immigration office in person so that face and fingerprint data can be captured and checked against your passport and residence card. The app is where you activate and use the account afterwards, not where you obtain it.
I am on a business visa without a residence card. Can I still apply?
The procedure is aimed at foreigners who hold a residence card. If you have not yet been issued one, sort out the temporary residence card first — the two are handled by the same authority, so plan them as one project rather than two.
What does the account actually let me do?
The Ministry of Public Security describes uses including verifying identity in banking transactions, registering a house rental, using online public services, and storing an electronic residence card and other legal documents in the VNeID app. Whether a specific bank or landlord accepts it today is a question for that counterparty.
What does it cost and how long does it take?
The Ministry of Public Security announced the account as issued without charge, with settlement of no more than three working days where your biometric data is already held and no more than seven where it must be collected. Fees and handling times are set by the receiving authority and are being revised, so confirm the current figures on the public service portal before you plan around them.