National Assembly deputies at the working session discussing the draft revised Law on Civil Status on Thursday. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Under the draft revised Law on Civil Status, commune-level People’s Committees will be authorised to register all civil status events and information, regardless of place of residence or administrative boundaries.

The proposal was presented by Minister of Justice Hoàng Thanh Tùng, on behalf of the Prime Minister, at the ongoing first session of the 16th National Assembly on Thursday.

Tùng said the revision aims to ensure consistency and synchronisation across the legal system, while promoting decentralisation and delegation of authority. It also seeks to address shortcomings in the 2014 Civil Status Law and its guiding documents, in line with the restructuring of the state administrative apparatus and the implementation of a two-tier local government model.

A key objective of the amendment is to accelerate modernisation and comprehensive digital transformation in civil status registration and management. The draft prioritises simplifying and reducing administrative procedures and costs, enabling procedures to be conducted without regard to administrative boundaries and promoting fully online civil status services.

It also aims to ensure smooth coordination and data sharing among relevant agencies and organisations through interconnected databases.

Under the draft, applicants may choose to submit documents and receive results online, in person, or via postal services. The Government will detail implementation, with most procedures to be conducted fully online, except for certain cases such as marriage and guardianship registration, which require in-person presence.

The draft also assigns the Government to review and strengthen the civil status workforce, including setting standards and qualifications for officials to ensure effective implementation of the law.

Civil status documents will include birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates and civil status confirmation documents. The Government will specify provisions on issuing these documents, including electronic and paper versions, originals and copies.

The draft also assigns the Government to review and strengthen the civil status workforce, including setting standards and qualifications for officials to ensure effective implementation of the law.

It introduces provisions on the rights and obligations of civil status registration for persons of Vietnamese origin whose nationality has not yet been determined and who are residing in Việt Nam. It also reinforces the right to birth registration for children born in or stably residing in the country.

Notably, the draft stipulates that civil status authorities must proactively access and verify information from relevant databases, only requiring citizens to submit documents when data cannot be retrieved or is incomplete or inaccurate.

It further affirms the legal validity of civil status documents and data, recognising electronic civil status data as having the same legal value as paper documents in administrative procedures and other transactions.

Additional provisions clarify authority over the supervision and termination of guardianship related to asset management, regardless of an individual’s place of residence.

Reviewing the draft, Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee for Legal and Judicial Affairs Phan Chí Hiếu said most committee members support the proposed approach, noting that fully online, non-boundary-based civil status registration aligns with current conditions.

He added that the national civil status database has been established and is being further developed to support comprehensive administrative reform, enabling public services that are not limited by administrative boundaries and improving the quality of online services towards fully digital, personalised, data-driven delivery.

However, the committee recommended that the Government continue reviewing the draft to ensure full and timely institutionalisation of the Party’s 14th National Congress Resolution and related policies, while maintaining consistency across the legal system.

It also urged further assessment of financial and human resources to ensure feasible and effective implementation. — VNS