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VNeID vs the National Public Service Portal: which to use for what

By Official AppDuo editorial team · Updated

VNeID logoVNeID6.8/10Free · FreeCổng Dịch vụ công quốc gia logoCổng Dịch vụ công quốc gia7.3/10Free · Free

Quick verdict

These are not really alternatives: the National Public Service Portal requires a Level 2 VNeID account to log in, so most people will need both. Which one you lean on depends on the task: carrying documents on your phone or handling procedures on the web.

VNeID is a free Ministry of Public Security app for iOS and Android. It holds the electronic ID, driving licence and health insurance card and supports online filings. Its store ratings are low: 2.7/5 on the App Store and 3.8/5 on Google Play.

The National Public Service Portal is a web portal with no usage fee listed. It is one entry point for looking up procedures, filing dossiers, tracking progress and paying fees across ministries and localities. It moved to the Ministry of Public Security in 2026, so some older guides may be out of date.

Head-to-head

VNeID leads on 2, Cổng Dịch vụ công quốc gia on 1, 6 even

FeatureVNeIDCổng Dịch vụ công quốc gia
Cost[1],[5],[11],[18]Free, no paid tierNo portal fee listed; only individual procedure fees apply, where relevant
→ Neither has a paid tier, so price does not decide the choice.
Platforms[5],[7],[11]iOS and Android appWeb; the pages read mention no dedicated mobile app
→ Only VNeID offers a mobile app.
Account requirement[3],[18]Level 1 online but limited; Level 2 needs a visit to the commune or ward police, issued within three working daysNeeds a Level 2 VNeID account to log in
→ Either way you need VNeID Level 2: most VNeID documents require it, and the portal offers no other login.
Electronic documents[4],[9]Electronic ID, driving licence, vehicle registration, health insurance card, birth and marriage certificates, degreesThe pages read mention no storage of ID documents
→ VNeID is the one that carries documents on your phone.
Administrative procedures[11],[12],[20]File through the National Public Service Portal and receive results in the appLook up procedures by area and life event, file, track by dossier code (even for dossiers filed elsewhere), submit feedback
→ Businesses or anyone handling many agencies' procedures get a fuller toolset on the portal.
Fee payment[19],[11]Per Tuổi Trẻ, VietQR, domestic NAPAS cards and bank accountsPay procedure fees online
→ Both let you pay without visiting a counter.
User ratings[6],[7]2.7/5 (62,327) on the Vietnam App Store, 3.8/5 (281,882) on Google PlayNo public ratings found
→ VNeID's scores signal dissatisfaction; the portal has no data to compare.
Data and privacy[2],[8],[14]Tied to the national population database; VOA argued it enables tracking (alleged, not confirmed); the privacy policy page showed no contentOlder-site terms limit data sharing; no standalone privacy policy found
→ The state holds data in both and published policies are thin; the portal logs in via VNeID, so you cannot avoid VNeID.
Risks and changes[3],[8],[15],[16]Wikipedia reports police-impersonation scams and fake apps; from 28 Sep 2026 accounts lock if the phone number is not in the user's nameMigration to the National Data Center from April 2026 left several addresses running in parallel
→ Install VNeID only from official stores and use your own phone number; check you are on dichvucong.gov.vn.

Choose VNeID if…

  • Choose VNeID if you want your ID, driving licence and health insurance card on your phone.
  • Choose VNeID if you work mostly on a phone and want filing results inside the app.
  • Choose VNeID if you need to log in to other services such as VssID.

Choose Cổng Dịch vụ công quốc gia if…

  • Choose the National Public Service Portal if you look up and file procedures with many ministries and localities in a web browser.
  • Choose the portal if you are a business looking up labour, finance, land or tendering procedures.
  • Choose the portal if you want to track dossiers by code, including ones filed elsewhere.

Two tools that depend on each other

Since 1 July 2024, logging in to the National Public Service Portal requires a VNeID account, and per a Hậu Lộc commune (Thanh Hóa) guide it must be Level 2. VNeID, in turn, files administrative dossiers through the portal. So the real question is not which to choose but which to use for each task, and step one is always the same: get a Level 2 VNeID account at the commune or ward police.

Where VNeID is more convenient

VNeID's strength is documents: a Level 2 account can stand in for the ID card where ID must be shown, and it integrates the driving licence, vehicle registration, health insurance card, birth and marriage certificates and degrees. Version 2.2.12 (17 Sep 2026) added the electronic health book and VNeID CA digital-signature registration. The downsides are low store ratings and many features locked behind Level 2.

When to open the web portal

The portal suits looking up and handling procedures across agencies: procedures are grouped by area and life event such as starting a business or residence, it offers joint birth and death registration, tracking by dossier code even for dossiers filed elsewhere, feedback and an 18001096 hotline. Note that, depending on the procedure, originals may still need to go to a one-stop counter or by post.

Data, scams and the 2026 changes

Identity data on both sides is managed by the Ministry of Public Security. Per Wikipedia, the ministry pledges encryption; VOA argued that VNeID and the Identity Law let the authorities track people, an allegation that is not confirmed. Wikipedia also reports police-impersonation scams and fake apps used to take over phones and bank accounts via OTP codes. From 28 Sep 2026 VNeID locks accounts whose phone number is not in the user's own name. The portal moved to the ministry from April 2026 with several addresses running in parallel, so check links carefully before logging in.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use the National Public Service Portal without VNeID Level 2?

No. Per the Hậu Lộc commune guide, a Level 2 VNeID account is needed to log in and file.

How long does a VNeID Level 2 account take?

You apply in person at the commune or ward police; issuance takes no more than three working days. Level 1 is online but limited.

Do they cost anything?

VNeID is free and the portal lists no usage fee; you only pay any fees for individual procedures, which can be paid online.

Does the portal have a mobile app?

The pages read mention none; on a phone you can file through VNeID.

Why might my VNeID account be locked?

From 28 Sep 2026, under Decree 320/2026/NĐ-CP, accounts are locked automatically if the registered phone number changes to one not in your own name.

Sources

Numbers in the table refer to these sources, read on the dates shown.

  1. 1.Official VNeID website (vneid.gov.vn) · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  2. 2.VNeID privacy policy page (no content displayed) · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  3. 3.Ha Tinh provincial portal: VNeID changes from 28/9 · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  4. 4.Ha Tinh provincial portal: documents VNeID can replace · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  5. 5.App Store listing (Vietnam) · store · Nov 10, 2026
  6. 6.iTunes Lookup API (rating, release date, version, notes) · store · Nov 10, 2026
  7. 7.Google Play listing (Vietnam) · store · Nov 10, 2026
  8. 8.Wikipedia (Vietnamese): VNeID · Community-reported · Nov 10, 2026
  9. 9.LuatVietnam: can VNeID replace a driving licence or health insurance card · press · Nov 10, 2026
  10. 10.Báo Pháp Luật TP.HCM: VNeID 2.0.9 update (2023-08-28) · press · Nov 10, 2026
  11. 11.Cổng Dịch vụ công quốc gia (trang chủ) · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  12. 12.Trang chủ ndc.dichvucong.gov.vn · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  13. 13.Giới thiệu Cổng (bản vpcp) · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  14. 14.Điều khoản sử dụng (bản vpcp) · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  15. 15.Thông báo dừng vận hành bản Văn phòng Chính phủ (21/4/2026) · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  16. 16.Thông báo chuyển đổi vận hành (29/5/2026) · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  17. 17.Quản lý nhà nước: khai trương Cổng (9/12/2019) · press · Nov 10, 2026
  18. 18.UBND xã Hậu Lộc (Thanh Hóa): hướng dẫn nộp hồ sơ (11/7/2025) · Community-reported · Nov 10, 2026
  19. 19.Tuổi Trẻ: thanh toán dịch vụ công trên VNeID (12/2024) · press · Nov 10, 2026
  20. 20.Cổng TTĐT Bộ KH&CN: Cổng DVCQG và VNeID (12/10/2025) · press · Nov 10, 2026

Prepared by the AppDuo Editorial Team from the sources cited in this article. AI assists with organising and cross-checking data; editorial responsibility remains with AppDuo.

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