Lawmakers seek greater clarity around new ID cards

Lawmakers have stressed the need for further elaboration of principles related to managing information relating to the new citizens' identity card so as to ensure privacy and protection of the holders' rights and benefits.

Discussing issues related to the issuance of a new citizen identification card, they agreed that it has to be produced with advanced technology to ensure that it is durable, impossible to fake and able to carry essential information, National Assembly (NA) deputies said at the April 24 working session of the NA Standing Committee.

They said the card should fulfill well its function of simplifying personal documentation needs.

The committee also discussed the use of the new citizen card as a unique identification document that can be used for transactions and travel within Vietnam.

Deputy Minister of Public Security Senior Lieutenant General Bui Van Nam (standing) at the working session.

Commenting on the draft Citizen Identity Law, they noted that under the new legislation, unlike the existing identity card, the new one will be issued at the same time as the birth certificate to ensure the rights of citizens under the 2013 Constitution.

They also said that the new law should make clear the connection between the national demographic database, household database and residency database.

Some deputies said that the demographic database should be the basic one used to collect information on a citizen's identity to ensure accuracy and consistency.

Meanwhile, the NA's Council of National Defense and Security called for further discussion and clarifications on how issuance of the new identity card can help ease citizen documentation procedures. It said there should be greater clarity on exactly what papers it can replace in what set of circumstances.

The NA deputies also felt the need for further elaboration of the principles for managing information relating to citizen's identity so as to ensure privacy and protection of their rights and benefits.

Earlier the same day, the NA's Standing Committee also discussed the draft Household Law, which deals with authorisation and registration procedures for household documentation.

The deputies agreed that the Government needs to focus more effort and resources on development of the national demographic database, given its central importance to the new identity card.