Citizens hassled, officials overloaded
On a recent Monday morning, Nguyen Van Hoang, a resident of Bau Bang Commune (HCMC), rushed to a photocopy shop on National Highway 13. He urgently needed five copies of his Citizen Identity Card and several other documents to complete a job application. Clutching the stack of papers, he headed to the Bau Bang Commune Public Administration Service Center for certification. It took him nearly two more hours of waiting to complete the procedure and receive the results. “I’ve gone to certify the copies of my Citizen ID Card so many times already; it costs money and wastes time,” Hoang lamented. “Why is certification required when I’ve already integrated my electronic identity on the phone app?”
Nguyen Thi Phuong Mai, a civil servant at the Bau Bang Public Administration Service Center informed that each month, her center has to process over 500 certified copies. Recently, ward officials have been receiving an average of 25 to 30 certified copy documents per day. This, she said, wastes people’s time and money while piling pressure on the officials and civil servants at the center.
In An Phu Dong Ward, staff work late handling over 40,000 certified copy requests since July, 73 percent of their workload. Officials are overloaded because ministerial databases aren’t yet fully integrated. They must process physical and system files simultaneously, manually cross-referencing documents. This complex workflow, which includes digitizing, signing, and archiving, involves numerous steps that create a significant administrative bottleneck.
HCMC Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc ordered strict implementation of the 2023 Law on Electronic Transactions, explicitly forbidding agencies from demanding certified copies when simple copies suffice. He mandated digitizing data onto VNeID to simplify procedures, especially those for business purposes.
Citing Decree 69/2024, the Chairman demanded strict adherence to using VNeID data. He emphasized that integrated electronic identity information has probative value equivalent to physical documents, meaning citizens should not be forced to resubmit papers the system already holds.
Proposal to list procedures not requiring certified copies
In Binh Thoi Ward, staff processed nearly 3,000 certified copy requests recently, a heavy workload driven by external agencies like businesses and schools. Despite VNeID guidelines, these entities continue demanding physical copies, often requiring citizens to return repeatedly for updates.
Ward leaders argue this volume will only decrease if a general regulation explicitly prohibits organizations from demanding physical copies. This shift is essential, they say, to allow wards to focus on electronic certification and finally serve the people in the true spirit of digital transformation.
Deputy Director Bui Truong Giang of the Saigon Ward Public Administration Service Center reported that certified copy requests constitute nearly 86 percent of their workload, creating immense pressure on staff. To mitigate this administrative burden, he proposed that the HCMC People’s Committee explicitly prohibit certified copy requirements for specific procedures, enforcing this with strict sanctions.
He advocated for transparency, suggesting intake counters display notices forbidding such demands when originals are available for verification. Additionally, he recommended establishing a dedicated complaint channel to address the abuse of documentation requirements for common processes like land rights transfers and business licensing.
Some common files still requiring certified copies:
- New issuance or transfer of land use rights certificates;
- School admission;
- Professional practice procedures;
- Business license issuance/renewal;
- Bank loans;
- Bidding participation;
- Construction permits;
- Vehicle ownership transfers.
National Assembly Delegate Do Duc Hien (Committee on Legal Affairs) agreed, noting that if extra certified papers are being demanded, it’s often because receiving agencies are “self-imposing” the requirement, even if the law doesn’t mandate it. This stems from a habit of “administrative safety,” a fear of legal risk, and in some cases, intentional harassment by officials cannot be ruled out. To rectify this, he argued, public service discipline must be tightened, with clear and severe sanctions for officials who intentionally act incorrectly.
Perfecting legal framework for e-authentication
According to the Ministry of Public Security, the Government and the Project 06 Task Force have issued numerous directives to ministries and agencies to push digitization and procedure simplification based on reusing VNeID data. However, implementation has been slow, results are limited, and so far only 16 types of documents have been integrated. This means citizens aren’t enjoying the convenience of reduced paperwork.
Moreover, a segment of officials still lacks seriousness, engaging in harassment and making things difficult for citizens and businesses. This includes demanding physical presentation of documents already digitized on VNeID, adding unauthorized procedures, or requiring citizens to prove things that are the responsibility of state agencies. This causes frustration and erodes public trust in the national digital transformation effort.
To perfect the legal framework, the Ministry of Public Security has finalized a draft decree amending Decree 69/2024. The draft proposes adding content to VNeID, such as the agency operating the electronic identification system and principles for exploiting electronic identities and integrated documents.
It specifically focuses on sharing and exploiting information in the electronic identification system, including documents related to individuals and organizations. The draft also proposes reducing administrative processing time by 30 percent and issuing certificates for electronic authentication service businesses, all to meet the demand for simplifying administrative procedures.
