Vietnam to test digital ID link with Singapore by mid-November

The high-tech initiative, outlined in a decision issued by Vietnam's prime minister on Sept. 22, marks an important step towards simplifying administrative procedures and immigration formalities, while promoting digital cooperation within ASEAN.

From Singapore’s perspective, connecting VNeID with Singpass could lay the foundation for a bilateral digital corridor, opening up greater opportunities for cooperation in trade, investment, services, tourism and finance. Singapore has operated its Singpass digital identity system since 2003, while Viet Nam is stepping up the development of its national population database and the use of VNeID.

Professor Vu Minh Khuong from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy emphasized that connecting digital infrastructure, especially between Vietnam and Singapore, should be a top priority.

He noted that the Viet Nam-Singapore-Laos connectivity model is a foundation for expanding electronic interoperability across the region, covering areas like customs, tourism, payments, banking, and finance. To make this vision a reality, businesses must develop platform models, identify needs, and coordinate implementation.

Services and features offered through Vietnam's VNeID digital ID app. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Du

According to Le Anh Duc, an artificial intelligence (AI) expert and Vice Chairman and Head of the Science and Technology Committee of the Liaison Committee for the Vietnamese Community in Singapore, the two countries need to address differences in data structures, develop standards for information mapping, and ensure stable connectivity. In particular, cross-border data exchange must meet requirements for privacy protection and information security, while preventing identity fraud and cyberattacks.

At the ASEAN level, further obstacles include disparities in technological development among member states, differences in digital signature standards, and variations in legal frameworks for personal data protection. Therefore, establishing compatible standards and lawful data-sharing mechanisms is crucial to expanding the model.

The trial connection of VNeID with Singpass and LAeID could serve as a pilot model for testing technical and legal solutions before wider implementation. If implemented effectively, the initiative would help promote digital identity interoperability, facilitate cross-border transactions, and support ASEAN’s digital integration process.