Stop banking transactions by passport from early 2026

From January 1, 2026, banks will stop accepting passports as identification documents to conduct all transactions for customers who are Vietnamese citizens.

Customers transact at Sacombank . Photo: VNA

Saigon - Thuong Tin Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Sacombank) has just sent a notice to customers about the temporary suspension of all payment transactions and withdrawals via accounts and cards on all channels for Vietnamese customers using passports as identification documents from January 1, 2026. Sacombank recommends that customers come to branches or transaction offices soon to update to citizen identification cards (CCCD) or ID cards according to new regulations.

Not only Sacombank, from January 1, 2026, banks will stop accepting passports as identification documents to make all payment transactions, withdraw money or use cards for customers who are Vietnamese citizens. This is an important regulation in Circular 17/2024/TT-NHNN regulating the opening and use of payment accounts at payment service providers and Circular 18/2024/TT-NHNN of the State Bank regulating bank card activities.

Under the new regulations, people are required to use chip-embedded citizen identification cards (CCCD), ID cards, or level 2 electronic ID cards to authenticate their identity when making transactions.

Circular 17 stipulates that customers can only withdraw money or make electronic transactions when their biometric data matches the information stored in the chip-embedded ID card or high-level electronic identification account. In case of using a non-chip-embedded ID card, the bank will authenticate through the National Population Database.

Circular 18 states that when opening a card or signing a card contract, banks must require customers to provide ID cards, ID cards, electronic ID cards or identity cards or birth certificates for people under 14 years old; passports are no longer considered valid documents. The new regulation also replaces the regulation in Circular 48/2018/TT-NHNN regulating savings deposits that allows the use of passports to withdraw money, check balances or verify information at the counter.

Officers and soldiers of Hai Phong City Police guide employees of the Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank to update information about related fraud tricks on cyberspace.

According to the State Bank, tightening the identification process aims to ensure accuracy, strengthen fraud and counterfeit prevention and standardize data throughout the banking system.

Therefore, the conversion needs to be done early to avoid disruption, because from January 1, 2026, the banking system will only allow transactions when customers have successfully authenticated their biometric information and data.

Banks also recommend that customers complete updating their personal information as soon as possible, especially those who regularly use digital banking services, to ensure smooth transactions after January 1, 2026.

According to VNA

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/ngung-giao-dich-ngan-hang-bang-ho-chieu-tu-dau-nam-2026-527568.html