When traveling or on business in Vietnam, many people get a cheap SIM card or eSIM locally. The identity-verification system around those SIMs became even stricter entering 2026. The trigger was the enforcement of a new circular incorporating "facial authentication (biometric authentication)." Looking only at news headlines, you brace yourself with "a new telecom law was made in Vietnam" or "SIMs will become unusable," but tracing the primary sources, there are many easily misunderstood points. We separate and organize the overall picture of the system and the actual impact on Japanese travelers and residents.
What moved in 2026 wasn't a "law" but a "facial-authentication circular"
What's new is the circular and enforcement; the foundational law is from 2023
The first thing to grasp is that it's not that a new "Telecommunications Law" was made in 2026. What moved in 2026 wasn't the law itself but the "Circular" beneath it and its enforcement schedule. Separating the three layers dispels the misunderstanding.
| Period | What moved | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | The Telecommunications Law (Law No. 24/2023/QH15) was enacted, with the main parts enforced in July 2024 | Law |
| 2024 | A decree (Decree 163/2024/ND-CP) was promulgated, concretizing subscriber identity-verification procedures | Decree |
| 2026 | A circular (Circular 08/2026/TT-BKHCN) was enforced (April 15) + enforcement of suspending outgoing calls for the unverified (June 15) | Circular and enforcement |
The circular was promulgated on March 31, 2026 and enforced on April 15. Its positioning is the latest move adding the stronger verification of facial authentication to the flow of "thoroughgoing real-name identity verification" that the 2023 law and 2024 decree have advanced.
The issuer is the Ministry of Science and Technology, not the Ministry of Information and Communications
The issuer of the circular is Vietnam's Ministry of Science and Technology. The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC), which once oversaw telecom administration, was merged into the Ministry of Science and Technology in early 2025, and telecom regulation is now under this ministry. Old articles sometimes write "the Ministry of Information and Communications announced," but the current formal jurisdiction is this one.
When does facial authentication become necessary
The main trigger is "swapping devices"
The representative trigger for which the circular requires facial authentication is "when you swap devices (the smartphone unit itself)." It's a system that re-verifies whether you are the account holder when you move the same SIM to a different device or change models. Four main means of authentication are prepared.
- Authentication on the national digital ID "VNeID" app
- Authentication on the official app of a telecom operator (Viettel, VinaPhone, MobiFone, etc.)
- In-person authentication at a telecom operator's counter (telecom center)
- Authentication at a designated registration point
Vietnamese state media reporting says that if you don't authenticate within a certain time after changing devices, outgoing calls are temporarily suspended, and if the unverified state continues, restrictions progress in stages. Since the exact number of days can vary by operator and situation, understanding it as "authenticate promptly after changing devices" is practical. Note that strengthening identity verification extends not only to device swaps but to a framework covering the confirmation of subscriber information as a whole, and verification using biometric information is being incorporated even when newly contracting a numbered SIM.
The June 15 mass suspension is "a separate matter"
Easy to confuse here is the "suspension of outgoing calls for unverified users" that began June 15, 2026. This is a separate track from the device-swap facial-authentication rule, an enforcement to sort out existing subscribers whose identity verification has long been incomplete. Viettel, VinaPhone, and MobiFone began stopping outgoing calls, in order from unverified numbers. The scope is reported to be on a scale of several million to ten million (the figures range depending on how the base is counted). It's not a story of a line you've properly registered and are using suddenly stopping at the June 15 boundary.
Organizing the impact on Japanese travelers
The impact changes greatly with the length of stay. We look at it split into short-term and long-term.
| Classification | Relation to facial authentication | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Sightseeing / short business trip | Usually doesn't apply unless you swap devices | Buy the SIM by presenting your passport at a proper place |
| Long stay / residence | May be required when changing models or buying a new device | Confirm at the contracted operator's official app or counter (VNeID if you're eligible) |
For sightseeing / short business trips
On a short trip of a few days to a few weeks, buying a local SIM or eSIM and using it as is on the same device, the worry of it suddenly becoming unusable due to facial authentication is thought to be small. Since the trigger for facial authentication is "swapping devices," if you don't change devices during the trip, you usually don't get caught by it.
What travelers rather face is the identity verification when "buying" a SIM. When buying a numbered local SIM at a proper shop or airport counter, presenting your passport and electronic identity verification (eKYC) that photographs you and your passport is generally required. In the flow of tightening registration, this procedure is heading toward being more thorough.Speeding up entry and exit with biometric authentication at airports toois advancing, and the digitization of identity verification is Vietnam's overall direction. Always carry your passport.
For long-stay residents
People who continuously use a Vietnamese number, such as on a stay of six months or more or as an expat, are more directly affected. Since facial authentication may be required when you change models or buy a new device, grasping the means of authentication in advance is reassuring. In practice, it's realistic to premise confirmation first at your contracted operator's official app or counter. The national digital ID "VNeID" is a means for eligible people, and how far and in what way it applies to foreign passport holders isn't shown in detail in government primary sources. Before an important procedure, confirming the latest handling at your contracted operator's counter is certain.
The practicalities of buying a SIM or eSIM locally
From the traveler's viewpoint, we organize the practical points worth grasping now.
- A numbered local SIM requires a passport. Buying it at a proper counter like Viettel in the airport arrival lobby or at a proper shop completes registration on the spot. The fee varies by season, but a data-focused plan is around 150,000 to 200,000 dong as a guide.
- Many data-only eSIMs for tourists can be activated with just a QR code and Wi-Fi, and since they don't hold a Vietnamese number, they generally don't ride the usual registration flow. If you prioritize ease, this is an option too.
- Avoid buying unregistered SIMs on the street or from unofficial stalls. With tightened identity verification, SIMs with insufficient registration have a higher risk of suspension or cancellation.
In Vietnamarrive on a direct flightand first present your passport and register at a proper place. Follow this procedure and there are almost no scenes where a traveler struggles with communication.
Summary
Vietnam's 2026 SIM rules aren't as bracing for travelers as the headline impact suggests. The substance is two movements: within the flow of thoroughgoing identity verification continuing from the 2023 Telecommunications Law, the verification of facial authentication was added when swapping devices, and the sorting-out of unverified existing lines began moving from June.
The actual harm to Japanese travelers is limited. For short-term, carry your passport and buy the SIM at a proper place. For long-stay residents, confirm the operator app or counter in preparation for facial authentication when changing models. These two points are enough to cope. Since the system's operation may be updated, confirming the latest information on operator official channels or local reporting is reassuring.
Frequently asked questions
Is facial authentication needed even for a short sightseeing trip?
On a short trip where you keep using the SIM on the same device, there are almost no scenes where facial authentication is required. Facial authentication mainly occurs on the trigger of "swapping devices." However, presenting your passport and identity verification when buying a SIM is necessary.
Was a new telecom law made in 2026?
It's not that a new "law" was made. The foundational law was enacted in 2023 (enforced 2024), the decree promulgated in 2024, and what moved in 2026 was the circular beneath it (Circular 08/2026) and the enforcement of suspending unverified lines.
Does the line suspension on June 15 concern travelers too?
The June 15 suspension is an enforcement to sort out existing subscribers whose identity verification has long been incomplete. It doesn't suddenly stop a line you've properly registered and are using, and travelers who newly buy a SIM properly aren't the direct target.
Is identity verification needed for an eSIM too?
Many data-only eSIMs for tourists don't hold a Vietnamese number and, not riding the usual registration flow, are easy. On the other hand, when contracting a numbered eSIM, a passport and identity verification become necessary.
Sources
- VietnamNet「Vietnam introduces facial authentication for SIM users switching devices」(2026-06-15)
- VietnamNet「Vietnam to require biometric verification for all mobile phone users」(2026-01-20)
- Saigon Giai Phong「Authorities outline procedures for verifying mobile subscriber information」(2026-06-03)
- Vietnam Briefing「Decree 163: New Regulatory Guidelines for Telecom Sector」(2025-01-08)
