Fact check: Vietnam ID validity

1. Old IDs don’t vanish overnight — legal text says printed expiry governs continuity

The Law on Identification stipulates that citizen ID cards issued before the law’s effective date remain valid until their printed expiry dates, and the statute explicitly treats such cards as lawful proof of identity through those dates. Government and legal summaries reiterate that previously issued ID and citizen identification cards continue in force until the expiration printed on each card, meaning holders were not required to discard valid physical cards immediately when the new law took effect ^{[1] [5]}. This provision establishes a clear legal bridge from the old regime to the new, preventing administrative gaps for citizens awaiting reissuance.

2. Nine‑digit “CMND” cards were formally retired at end of 2024

Multiple official and journalistic summaries note that 9‑digit citizen identity cards (CMND) ceased to be valid after December 31, 2024, with January 1, 2025 named as the date those older-format cards would no longer serve as identity documents. Coverage and guidance issued in 2024 made that deadline explicit, requiring affected holders to obtain replacement cards according to the schedule in the new ID law. The deadline applied uniformly to the 9‑digit format, while the broader rule on printed expiries continued to govern other transitions and replacements under the law ^{[2] [6]}.

3. Transitional grace periods for expiration windows were used to avoid disruption

Authorities created specific transitional rules for cards expiring in defined windows, for example permitting citizen ID cards whose expiry fell between January 15 and June 30, 2024, to remain valid until June 30, 2024, if replacement processing was pending. This administrative flexibility appears in official Q&A and guidance aimed at smoothing the mass replacement and reissuance process, acknowledging capacity constraints in issuing millions of new IDs and preventing immediate invalidation of cards while new documents were produced ^{[7] [8]}. The rule balances legal clarity with pragmatic continuity for citizens.

4. Electronic identity rollout changes where proof-of-identity is anchored

Vietnam’s modernization agenda expanded electronic identity and authentication as recognized methods of identity verification, with the Law on Identification and Decree No. 69/2024 framing the procedures for issuing e-ID and registering foreigners’ electronic identification. The government issued guidance requiring corporate e‑IDs for certain digital procedures from July 1, 2025, and began granting level‑2 e‑ID accounts to foreign residents, indicating a parallel shift where digital credentials will increasingly substitute or complement physical cards in administrative and commercial transactions ^{[4] [3]}. These developments signal a planned migration of many identity-dependent interactions to authenticated digital channels.

5. Practical numbers and timelines: millions to be replaced, staged renewals

Implementation planning and reporting estimate tens of millions of cards will be issued or replaced under the new law, with staggered renewals tied to age milestones ^{[9] [10] [11] [12]} and replacement campaigns for expired or legacy-format cards. Officials and reporting put replacement estimates in the multi‑million range and described phased issuance to handle volume; guidance also specified that cards issued prior to the law remain valid until their printed expiry, reducing immediate pressure on issuance systems while large-scale replacement programs proceed ^{[8] [5]}. The numbers underline why the government adopted transitional rules and deadlines.

6. What the documents agree on — and where questions remain for users

All cited materials consistently show three facts: pre-law cards remain valid to printed expiry, 9‑digit CMNDs were decommissioned at end of 2024, and e‑ID frameworks are being implemented for citizens, companies, and foreigners. The sources diverge in emphasis — some focus on legal text and statutory expiry rules, others on practical administrative guidance and digital adoption timelines — but none contradict the core sequence of legal change and transition measures ^{[1] [2] [4]}. Remaining practical questions for individuals concern specific deadlines tied to personal expiry dates, the mechanics of converting to e‑ID, and how private entities will accept digital versus physical IDs; these operational details are governed by implementing regulations and local issuance capacity rather than contradiction in the law ^{[8] [3]}.