Ministry of Public Security unveils new ID card specimen

Under the draft circular, the new ID card will have the same size and shape as the citizen ID card does. It has basic information such as the bearer’s full name, age, birth date, an identification number, gender and more. However, much of the information shown on the card will change.

Accordingly, the words “citizen identity” will be changed to “identity”; “hometown” to “place of birth registration”; and “place of permanent residence” to “place of residence”.

The card-issuing agency will be the Ministry of Public Security instead of the Police Department for Administrative Management of Social Order.

Notably, on the new ID card there will no longer be information about identity characteristics, left and right hand fingerprints. Information about “place of birth registration” and “place of residence” as well as the QR code will be moved to the back side of the ID card.

Citizens under 14 years old will also have ID cards issued by the Ministry of Public Security, but it is not compulsory.

The new ID card will be issued in line with the new ID card law due to take effect as of July 1, 2024.

The Ministry of Public Security also played down people’s concerns about the legal validity of the current citizen ID card. In the draft circular, the ministry affirmed that the citizen ID card issued before the effective date of this circular will still be valid until the end of the prescribed period.

For anyone who wishes to change from a citizen ID card to an ID card, a new card will be issued according to regulations.