Cases when citizens must exchange for chip-based ID cards

The Ministry of Public Security has issued Circular 06/2021/TT-BCA which takes effect from 23 January 2021, accordingly, areas across the country will stop issuing the old identification (ID) card and the barcode-based one. Instead, chip-based ID cards that integrates more information and has more utilities shall be issued.

Thus, in the coming time there will be 04 types of individual identification documents coexisting: 09-digit, 12-digit, barcode-based and chip-based ID card.

Let’s find out the answer through this article by PL & Partners Law Firm.

Căn cước công dân gắn chip — *Chip-based ID cards integrate more information and have more benefits.*

1. IN WHAT CASES DO YOU HAVE TO EXCHANGE FOR CHIP-BASED ID CARDS?

For now, only people in the prescribed cases will have to change to new ID cards embedded with microchips. If the old and barcode-based ID cards are still valid and the information remains unchanged, people can continue to use them normally until they expire according to the Law on Citizen Identification 2014.

Specifically, according to Article 5 of Decree No.05/1999/ND-CP, there are 6 cases where you must change your ID cards, including:

The ID card has expired.
The ID card is damaged and cannot be used.
Citizens change last name, first name, middle name, date of birth.
Citizens change the registered permanent residence addresss outside the present province or municipality.
Citizens change his/her characteristics.
Citizens lost his/her ID card.

2. CASES OF REISSUANCE AND EXCHANGE OF CHIP-BASED ID CARDS.

Pursuant to Article 23 of the Law on Citizen Identification 2014

2.1. ID cards shall be exchanged in the following cases:

When citizens are 25 years old, 40 years old and 60 years old;/span>
The card is damaged and cannot be used;
Citizens change information about surname, middle name, first name; characteristics;
Citizens re-identify his/her gender and hometown;
There are errors in the information on the current card;
Citizens request for it.

2.2. ID cards shall be reissued in the following cases:

Citizens lost his/her ID card;
Citizens are entitled to restoration of Vietnamese nationality according to the provisions of Vietnamese Nationality Law.

3. IS IT REQUIRED TO EXCHANGE FOR CHIP-BASED ID CARDS?

Pursuant to , ID Cards issued before 1 January 2016 are still valid until the end of the prescribed period; Citizens can change to the new one upon their request.

According to Clause 2, Article 4, Circular 06/2021/TT-BCA:

ID cards issued before 23 January 2021 shall remain valid until the end of the prescribed period;
Upon citizens’ request, they can change to a chip-based ID card.

Thus, cases where citizens have been granted the old and barcode-based ID cards that are intact and haven’t expired are not subject to change in or reissuance of ID cards as mentioned above. If they wouldn’t like to exchange for chip-based ID cards, they can still use their current cards normally until expiration date.

ID cards have a very long term which is up to 15 years. Citizens must change to chip-based ID cards only when their present cards expire.