Can an ID card replace a passport when leaving the country?

HOANG MANH(Hai Duong City)

Reply:

According to the provisions of Clause 2, Article 20 of the Law on Citizen Identification No. 59/2014/QH13 dated November 20, 2014 and Clause 2, Article 20 of the Law on Identification No. 26/2023/QH15 dated November 27, 2023, effective from July 1, 2024, the ID card is used instead of the use of entry and exit documents in cases where Vietnam and foreign countries sign international treaties or agreements allowing people to use the ID card instead of the use of entry and exit documents in each other's territories.

Therefore, when Vietnam and other countries sign international treaties or agreements allowing it, citizens will be able to use identity cards instead of using current immigration documents such as passports, travel documents, etc. in each other's territories.

Currently, Vietnam has not signed any international treaties or agreements with other countries on this issue.

However, according to information at the 21st session of the National Assembly Standing Committee, ASEAN countries are striving to unify types of documents.

Specifically, ASEAN is moving towards a visa-free agreement similar to the European Community. This means that Vietnamese citizens can use ID cards to travel within the ASEAN region when the countries agree on the above content.