However, the Immigration Department ( Hanoi City Police) confirmed that the above information is incorrect, and at the same time advised people to be vigilant and not to listen to the invitations and enticements of the subjects.
Lots of vague information
In recent days, on social networking sites such as Facebook and TikTok, many people have expressed their concerns about having problems when traveling abroad if they do not renew their passports and ID cards. Many accounts have vaguely spread the news that although it is not mandatory, it is necessary to renew it to avoid complications. Specifically, TikTok account Mai Thuy continuously invites: "Many people wonder: Do I need to renew my ID card and passport after merging provinces? The answer is that it is not mandatory but I can proactively change it if needed". Below the article are comments expressing concerns and sending messages asking about passport renewal procedures. Facebook account Hien Nguyen also frequently posts unclear information: "For customers who already have a passport, if they need to apply for a new place of birth according to a new province/city, message me to support changing to a new number, phone number 076818...". Ngoc Trang account also advertises a fast passport service with simple procedures, especially willing to renew valid passports to avoid troubles when traveling abroad.
Faced with information that she might encounter trouble when traveling abroad if she did not renew her passport, Ms. Bui Lan Huong, Tu Liem Ward, said that she asked about the online fast passport service and was told that it was not mandatory, but she should renew it so that when she went abroad, she would not have to explain about the old or new administrative boundaries. Hearing the above information, she was very confused, so even though it was still valid for 3 years, she still decided to renew her passport and citizen identification card.
Meanwhile, taking advantage of the administrative boundary merger, some accounts also increased service prices. The Facebook account "Make a fast passport in Hanoi" clearly posted: "From July 1, after the merger of provinces and cities, the service price has changed a bit, anyone who needs to make a passport service immediately, please text 0919250...". The account Passport Online, phone number 0349877... always offers to make a passport with an average price of 300,000 VND, if it is done quickly from 2 to 4 days, the price ranges from 2.5 to 3.5 million VND.
Regarding the reissuance of citizen identification cards, according to the Ministry of Public Security , when there is a change in administrative unit, citizens will be exempted from the issuance and reissuance fee. However, account Nguyen Quynh said that he was forced to spend 1 million VND to urgently reissue citizen identification cards. Account Anonymous participant 573 also said that the price of making citizen identification cards in the new merger period is more expensive than usual, about 500,000 VND due to the large number of people lining up.
Raise awareness
Regarding people's feedback, a representative of the Immigration Department (Hanoi City Police) said that there is no regulation requiring passports to be changed if they are still valid. In order to warn and advise people, on June 28, 2025, the Immigration Department posted an article: It is not mandatory to change passports after administrative boundary mergers on the fanpage "Hanoi City Police", and at the same time promoted propaganda in many forms, helping people to raise their vigilance. Accordingly, people do not need to update information related to administrative units in issued passports, and do not need to change passports just because the locality where they register their permanent residence has been renamed or merged. Current passports are still valid until their expiration date, and do not need to be adjusted or reissued.
According to current regulations, passports only need to be renewed in a number of cases: When they expire; when they are lost, torn, damaged or when there is a need to update personal information such as changing full name, gender, place of residence, etc. Changing place of residence does not require a passport renewal, but depends on the needs of the citizen. In particular, with citizen identification cards, citizens do not have to go through the renewal procedure. Currently, all citizen information has been adjusted on VNeID to handle administrative procedures.
Regarding this issue, Lawyer Vu Van Toan, Tan Vien Son Law Company Limited (Hanoi Bar Association) said that in Article 10, Resolution No. 190/2025/QH15 dated February 19, 2025 of the National Assembly regulating the handling of a number of issues related to the reorganization of the state apparatus clearly states: Documents and papers that have been issued or granted by competent authorities before the reorganization of the state apparatus but have not expired or have not expired, shall continue to be applied and used in accordance with the provisions of law until they expire or are amended, supplemented, replaced, abolished, canceled, or revoked by the agency or position receiving the functions, tasks, and powers or the agency or person with authority. Organizations and individuals must not be required to carry out procedures to issue and replace documents that have been issued by competent authorities before implementing the reorganization of the state apparatus when these documents have not expired, except in cases where the law provides otherwise...
After the two-level government model officially came into operation from July 1, 2025, the Hanoi People's Committee also directed departments, branches and sectors not to require people to adjust information on their citizen identification cards... Only in cases where the ID card has expired or is due for renewal procedures, should people go through the procedures to change it. People need to be more vigilant, not share or believe in unverified information to waste time and money.
Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/canh-giac-truoc-thong-tin-doi-ho-chieu-can-cuoc-cong-dan-708474.html
Comment (0)