National Assembly approves allowing birth and marriage registrations to be processed at any commune or ward

The National Assembly passed the amended Civil Status Law to facilitate birth registration, death registration, and marriage registration at any commune-level People’s Committee office, rather than at the place of residence. This afternoon, with 488 delegates in attendance voting in favor, the National Assembly approved the Civil Status Law (amendment). Under the new law, the chairman of the commune-level People’s Committee has the authority to sign civil status documents. Depending on local conditions, the chairman may delegate signing of civil status documents as prescribed, excluding birth certificates, marriage certificates, and civil status documents in cases involving foreign elements. Thus, compared with the previous draft, death certificates have been removed from the list of documents that cannot be delegated. Previously, some MPs argued that death certificates are essential for funeral procedures. Requiring the chairman to sign death certificates could delay administrative procedures and fail to meet timely needs. Justice Minister Hoàng Thanh Tùng explained that the draft law has been revised to allow flexibility and not to overly restrict delegation for death certificates, ensuring timely resolution. For birth certificates and marriage certificates—the core civil status documents—the requirement for signatures by the social-level chairman remains necessary to maintain rigor and formality. Notably, the new law also broadens civil status registration to have the commune-level People’s Committee register all civil status events and information. This includes: birth registration; marriage; guardianship and guardianship supervision; acknowledgment of father, mother, and child; changes to civil status information; confirmation of marital status; and death registration. This registration is not tied to place of residence. The Government states that practical implementation of civil status registration has not been hindered by administrative boundaries under the two-tier local government model since July 1, 2025, with civil status registration activities generally stable and few major issues. The civil registration workforce across localities has been strengthened to ensure professional capacity (currently 8,082 civil servants across 3,321 commune-level administrative units, with more than 90% meeting legal education requirements and receiving civil status operation training). Regarding receiving and processing civil status registration requests, the law specifies only the authority, subjects, and scope of each procedure. Details on required documents, deadlines, processes, and procedures will be set out by the Government. Applicants may submit requests and receive civil status results online, in person, or via postal service. The Civil Registry Book—comprising paper and electronic records—will be stored permanently. The law primarily relies on electronic data, with marriage registration uniquely using both electronic and paper records to accommodate the traditional requirement for both parties to be present and sign the marriage registry. Civil status documents include birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, and official civil status attestations. The Government will specify issuing formats (electronic copy, paper copy, original, or copies). The Government has also added a nationwide timetable to implement birth and death registration across the country no later than January 1, 2031. This is a major reform, shifting from a “citizen-request” model to a “government proactively serves” model, requiring digital infrastructure and data connectivity, particularly in health. During the transition, localities meeting conditions may proceed earlier. The State will continue to invest in infrastructure, human-resource development, and policy communication to ensure feasibility and social consensus. Trần Thường Source: VietNamNet