Can I register for VNeID in HCMC as a tourist on a 30-day visa?

Since 28 September 2026, possibly yes, because a residence card is no longer required; before that date, no. Decree No. 69/2024/ND-CP limited Level 2 e-ID registration to foreign nationals legally residing in Vietnam with a valid temporary or permanent residence card, and a 30-day tourist visa does not give you that card. Article 7(2) as amended by Decree No. 320/2026/ND-CP, in force since 28 September 2026, covers foreigners who lawfully enter or reside in Vietnam, which on its wording can include short-term visitors; the decree does not mention tourists specifically and we found no official guidance on how the city office treats them, so ask the immigration office before you go.

What documents do I need to bring for VNeID registration in Ho Chi Minh City?

The process requires a valid passport or international travel document, information submitted through Form TK01, a Vietnamese mobile number registered in your own name, and an email address if you have one. Staff also collect facial images and fingerprints during the visit. Article 7(2) as amended by Decree No. 320/2026/ND-CP no longer ties eligibility to a residence card, Article 11 does not list one among the documents, and nothing in the reviewed material records a fee or other required documents, so ask the office whether it also wants to see your visa or residence card.

How long does it take to get my VNeID account after applying in HCMC?

Since 28 September 2026, the processing period set by Article 13(3) as amended is no more than two working days if your face image and fingerprints are already in the national immigration database, and no more than five working days if they are not. Under the earlier text, a Level 2 account took no more than three working days with biometrics on file and no more than seven without. Applications were received during working hours from Monday through Friday, except public holidays. Results could be sent through VNeID, the registered mobile number or email after processing. These are maximum periods counted from receipt of a complete and valid application; the reviewed material does not record how often offices meet them in practice.

What changed when Decree 320/2026/ND-CP took effect on 28 September 2026?

Decree No. 320/2026/ND-CP, dated 13 August 2026, took effect on 28 September 2026 and amends Decree No. 69/2024/ND-CP: e-ID eligibility now covers foreigners who lawfully enter or reside in Vietnam, not just those with a residence card. It also removes the Level 1 and Level 2 distinction for foreigner accounts, sets a single in-person procedure, and shortens the processing period to no more than two working days with biometrics on file, or five without. We found no transitional rule for foreigner accounts issued earlier and no official implementing guidance for the city offices, so confirm details with the immigration office.

Where exactly are the VNeID registration offices in Ho Chi Minh City?

On 14 July 2025, Ho Chi Minh City's Immigration Management Division listed three receiving locations for foreigner Level 2 VNeID applications: 196 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, 239 Ngo Gia Tu, and 120 Pham Hung. These addresses come from the pre-2026 procedure; nothing in the reviewed material records whether they remain the only locations after Decree 320/2026/ND-CP took effect on 28 September 2026.

e-ID Registration for Foreigners in Ho Chi Minh City: What the Rules Say and What Changed on 28 September 2026

Short answer: since 28 September 2026, foreigners who lawfully enter or lawfully reside in Vietnam can be issued a VNeID account on request, whether or not they hold a residence card, and in Ho Chi Minh City you apply in person at the immigration management office of the city police (three receiving points were listed on 14 July 2025). That comes from Decree No. 320/2026/ND-CP, which amends Decree No. 69/2024/ND-CP: foreigner accounts are no longer split into Level 1 and Level 2, and the processing period is no more than 2 working days if your face image and fingerprints are already in the national immigration database, or no more than 5 if they are not (it used to be 3 and 7 for Level 2). This guide separates what the decrees say from what we could not confirm, such as office hours, appointments, and how the city office treats short-stay visitors in practice, so you do not waste a trip on outdated advice.

Decree No. 69/2024/ND-CP, as amended in 2026, sets the current e-ID rules

Short answer: the current e-ID rules for foreigners in Vietnam come from Decree No. 69/2024/ND-CP, issued on 25 June 2024 and effective from 1 July 2024, as amended by Decree No. 320/2026/ND-CP of 13 August 2026, which has applied since 28 September 2026. Decree 69 governs electronic identification and authentication in Vietnam and remains the legal basis for the registration procedure described in this guide; Decree 320 amends it and does not replace it.

Decree No. 320/2026/ND-CP took effect on 28 September 2026. It rewrites Article 7 so that foreigners who lawfully enter or reside in Vietnam can be issued an account without distinction by level, replaces Article 11 (the procedure for foreigners), and changes the processing periods in Article 13. We found no transitional rule for foreigner accounts issued earlier and no official implementing circular, so confirm details with the immigration office.

For background on how your visa status affects your stay, see the Vietnam visa guide for long-term renters. If you need a Vietnamese mobile number for the procedure, the staying connected guide covers SIM registration.

Who can register today: foreigners who lawfully enter or reside in Vietnam

Short answer: since 28 September 2026, a foreigner who lawfully enters or lawfully resides in Vietnam can be issued an electronic identification account on request, and a residence card is no longer a condition. Until then, only foreign nationals legally residing in Vietnam with a valid temporary or permanent residence card could apply for a Level 2 account, and tourists and short-term visa holders were not eligible.

Under the old rule, a visa alone, whether tourist, e-visa or short business, did not qualify you for the Level 2 VNeID account, because Article 7(2) of Decree No. 69/2024/ND-CP as originally issued required a temporary or permanent residence card. If you held a temporary residence card (TRC) or a permanent residence card, you met that test. Decree No. 320/2026/ND-CP changed this on 28 September 2026: Article 7(2) now covers foreigners who lawfully enter or reside in Vietnam. It does not mention tourists or visa types separately, and we found no official guidance on how the city offices treat short-stay visitors, so confirm with the office before you go.

If you are still on a short-term visa and planning to stay, see the Vietnam visa guide for long-term renters to understand your options, since lawful entry or residence is now the test for e-ID eligibility.

Where to register in Ho Chi Minh City: three immigration offices

Short answer: as of 14 July 2025, the Ho Chi Minh City Immigration Management Division listed three receiving locations for foreigner Level 2 VNeID applications: 196 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, 239 Ngo Gia Tu, and 120 Pham Hung. Applications were made in person.

The pre-2026 process for a Level 2 account required foreign applicants to appear at an immigration management authority, either under the Ministry of Public Security or at the provincial-level police authority. In Ho Chi Minh City, the city's Immigration Management Division or the Immigration Department under the Ministry of Public Security accepted applications. Since 28 September 2026, Article 11 as amended by Decree No. 320/2026/ND-CP names only the immigration management authority of the provincial-level police. The three addresses above are the specific receiving points named by the city division on 14 July 2025, but nothing in the reviewed material records opening hours, whether appointments are needed, or whether these locations still accept walk-ins today. Before you go, confirm the address and current procedure with the immigration office or an official government portal.

For practical context on documents and bureaucracy in Vietnam, the Vietnam visa guide for long-term renters and the banking guide both explain how official processes work on the ground.

What to prepare before visiting: passport, form, phone, face and fingerprints

Short answer: the registration procedure (Article 11 of Decree No. 69/2024/ND-CP, replaced by Decree No. 320/2026/ND-CP from 28 September 2026 with the same core requirements) requires a valid passport or international travel document, information provided through Form TK01, a Vietnamese mobile number registered in your own name, an email address if available, and facial-image and fingerprint collection.

You present your passport or international travel document at the office, and it must be valid when you apply. Form TK01 is the application form attached to Decree No. 69/2024/ND-CP; on it you give your full name, passport number, date of birth, phone number and email address, plus any other information you want linked to the app. The mobile number must be registered in your own name (Article 11 requires an own-name subscriber number), not a friend's or a SIM held under someone else's name. An email address is optional but helps if you need results sent electronically. Facial-image and fingerprint collection happens at the office during the visit, so you cannot complete this step remotely.

If you need a SIM card registered in your name before applying, see the staying connected guide.

Step-by-step: the procedure and processing time

Short answer: the procedure is an in-person application at one of the city's immigration offices during working hours; since 28 September 2026 the processing period is no more than two working days if your face image and fingerprints are already in the national immigration database, and no more than five if they are not (before that date it was three and seven working days for a Level 2 account).

Before 28 September 2026, foreign applicants for a Level 2 account had to apply in person at an immigration management authority, either under the Ministry of Public Security or at the provincial-level police authority. In Ho Chi Minh City, applications were accepted by the city's Immigration Management Division or the Immigration Department under the Ministry of Public Security. That meant you could not complete a Level 2 registration remotely; you had to attend a receiving location in person, and Article 11 as amended by Decree No. 320/2026/ND-CP likewise describes only an in-person application. If you are still settling where to live while sorting out documents, the practical side of renting in the city is covered in Renting in Ho Chi Minh City: The Honest Expat Guide.

Applications were received during working hours from Monday through Friday, except public holidays. Under Decree No. 69/2024/ND-CP the stated processing period for a foreigner Level 2 account was no more than three working days if your face image and fingerprints were already in the national immigration database, and no more than seven if they were not. Since 28 September 2026, Article 13(3) as amended sets no more than two working days with biometrics on file and no more than five without, counted from receipt of a complete and valid application. Once processed, results could be sent through VNeID, the registered mobile number, or the email address you provided. Treat these periods as an administrative target, not a guarantee: nothing in the reviewed material records whether delays were common.

The change from 28 September 2026: eligibility is expanded and levels are removed

Short answer: from 28 September 2026, Decree No. 320/2026/ND-CP expands eligibility to foreigners who lawfully enter or reside in Vietnam and removes the Level 1 and Level 2 distinction for foreigner accounts; this is the current rule.

Decree No. 320/2026/ND-CP, dated 13 August 2026, took effect on 28 September 2026. Its amended Article 7(2) lets foreigners who lawfully enter or reside in Vietnam be issued an account on request, rather than only those holding a temporary or permanent residence card as before. The same paragraph no longer distinguishes Level 1 and Level 2 for foreigner accounts.

We found no official guidance yet on how the city offices apply the amended rules, so check with the office before you plan a registration trip. The procedure described above, with the periods set by Decree 320, is the current path. If your legal status is still being arranged, the residence requirements are separate from e-ID rules; see The Honest Visa Guide for Renting Long-Term in Vietnam (2026) for the visa side. Nothing in the reviewed material records an official implementation circular for the new decree.

Frequently asked questions

Can I register for VNeID in HCMC as a tourist on a 30-day visa?: Since 28 September 2026, possibly yes, because a residence card is no longer required; before that date, no. Decree No. 69/2024/ND-CP limited Level 2 e-ID registration to foreign nationals legally residing in Vietnam with a valid temporary or permanent residence card, and a 30-day tourist visa does not give you that card. Article 7(2) as amended by Decree No. 320/2026/ND-CP, in force since 28 September 2026, covers foreigners who lawfully enter or reside in Vietnam, which on its wording can include short-term visitors; the decree does not mention tourists specifically and we found no official guidance on how the city office treats them, so ask the immigration office before you go.
What documents do I need to bring for VNeID registration in Ho Chi Minh City?: The process requires a valid passport or international travel document, information submitted through Form TK01, a Vietnamese mobile number registered in your own name, and an email address if you have one. Staff also collect facial images and fingerprints during the visit. Article 7(2) as amended by Decree No. 320/2026/ND-CP no longer ties eligibility to a residence card, Article 11 does not list one among the documents, and nothing in the reviewed material records a fee or other required documents, so ask the office whether it also wants to see your visa or residence card.
Do I have to apply in person, or can I register VNeID online?: You have to apply in person: since 28 September 2026, Article 11 as replaced by Decree No. 320/2026/ND-CP describes only an in-person application at the immigration management authority of the provincial-level police. Before that date, foreign applicants for a Level 2 account had to appear at an immigration management authority under the Ministry of Public Security or at the provincial-level police authority; in Ho Chi Minh City, the city's Immigration Management Division or the Immigration Department accepted applications. Registration results could later be sent through VNeID, your registered mobile number or email, but the application itself was not done fully online in the reviewed material.
How long does it take to get my VNeID account after applying in HCMC?: Since 28 September 2026, the processing period set by Article 13(3) as amended is no more than two working days if your face image and fingerprints are already in the national immigration database, and no more than five working days if they are not. Under the earlier text, a Level 2 account took no more than three working days with biometrics on file and no more than seven without. Applications were received during working hours from Monday through Friday, except public holidays. Results could be sent through VNeID, the registered mobile number or email after processing. These are maximum periods counted from receipt of a complete and valid application; the reviewed material does not record how often offices meet them in practice.
What changed when Decree 320/2026/ND-CP took effect on 28 September 2026?: Decree No. 320/2026/ND-CP, dated 13 August 2026, took effect on 28 September 2026 and amends Decree No. 69/2024/ND-CP: e-ID eligibility now covers foreigners who lawfully enter or reside in Vietnam, not just those with a residence card. It also removes the Level 1 and Level 2 distinction for foreigner accounts, sets a single in-person procedure, and shortens the processing period to no more than two working days with biometrics on file, or five without. We found no transitional rule for foreigner accounts issued earlier and no official implementing guidance for the city offices, so confirm details with the immigration office.
Where exactly are the VNeID registration offices in Ho Chi Minh City?: On 14 July 2025, Ho Chi Minh City's Immigration Management Division listed three receiving locations for foreigner Level 2 VNeID applications: 196 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, 239 Ngo Gia Tu, and 120 Pham Hung. These addresses come from the pre-2026 procedure; nothing in the reviewed material records whether they remain the only locations after Decree 320/2026/ND-CP took effect on 28 September 2026.

Updated: 2026-10-13