On Wednesday, 15 April 2026, Circular No. 08/2026/TT-BKHCN issued by the Ministry of Science and Technology will officially take effect, aiming to tighten the management of unregistered or improperly registered SIM cards—one of the primary causes of spam messages, spam calls, and various fraudulent activities in recent times.
This article is prepared by DNP Vietnam Law Firm to provide readers with fundamental information regarding this Circular.
I. Current Methods for Authentication of Subscriber Information
Pursuant to Clause 1, Article 4 of Circular No. 08/2026/TT-BKHCN, the authentication of subscriber information for mobile numbers shall include verification of the following four (04) data fields:
- Personal identification number;
- Full name (including middle name(s), if any);
- Date of birth;
- Biometric facial image data.
The authentication of the above information shall be conducted through one of the following methods:
| Method | Implementation |
|---|---|
| Online | Via the national digital identification application (VNeID application) |
| Online | Via the application of the terrestrial mobile telecommunications service provider. Note: Online registration shall only apply to the first three (03) mobile subscriber numbers registered under a single document as prescribed in Article 17 of Decree No. 163/2024/NĐ-CP |
| In person | At service points directly owned and established by the terrestrial mobile telecommunications service provider (with fixed or mobile locations) |
| In person | At fixed-location service points established by other enterprises authorized by the terrestrial mobile telecommunications service provider under contractual arrangements to carry out subscriber registration |
II. Authentication of Subscriber Information for Vietnamese Nationals Registering H2H Mobile Subscriber Numbers
For Vietnamese nationals registering H2H mobile subscriber SIM cards, telecommunications enterprises must authenticate the following information:
- Personal identification number;
- Full name (including middle name(s), if any);
- Date of birth;
- Biometric facial data.
Such authentication must ensure that the above information matches the data contained in:
- The National Population Database; or
- The Identity Database.
In addition, telecommunications enterprises must ensure that such information is consistent with the encrypted data stored in the identity card, which has been duly authenticated as issued by the competent Public Security authority.
III. Cases Involving the Use of Non-Chip Identity Cards
In cases where a non-chip-based citizen identity card is used and the measures prescribed under Clause 1, Article 5 of Circular No. 08/2026/TT-BKHCN cannot be applied for subscriber registration, telecommunications enterprises shall comply with the following requirements:
1. Cross-checking and Authentication of Information
Telecommunications enterprises must verify and cross-check the information on identity documents and the live facial image of the individual registering the telecommunications subscriber number (or the individual assigned to use the SIM on behalf of an organization) against the data in the National Population Database or the Identity Database.
Such verification must ensure consistency across the following four (04) data fields:
- Personal identification number;
- Full name (including middle name(s), if any);
- Date of birth;
- Facial image.
2. Application of Video Call Recording Solution
Telecommunications enterprises shall implement video call recording solutions in accordance with Point (c), Clause 2, Article 18 of Decree No. 163/2024/NĐ-CP.
3. OTP Authentication for Subsequent SIM Registrations
For the registration and activation of the second and subsequent H2H mobile subscriber SIM cards, authentication must be conducted via a one-time password (OTP) sent to a previously registered and activated SIM, in accordance with Point (b), Clause 2, Article 18 of Decree No. 163/2024/NĐ-CP.
The following sets out detailed guidance on the verification of SIM ownership, as provided by the Government Electronic Newspaper. Readers may refer to the detailed instructions herein.
𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑐𝑡:
Address: 5th Floor, 52 Nguyen Thi Nhung Street, Van Phuc Estate, Hiep Binh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
Email: info@dnp-law.com
Hotline: 0987 290 273 (Dinh Van Tuan Lawyer)
Website: https://www.dnp-law.com/
