Waiting in line to verify phone numbers.

Although the phone number verification process takes two months, many customers, fearing their SIM cards would be blocked, accepted queuing up and waiting on the very first day.

From April 15th, Circular No. 08/2026/TT-BKHCN of the Ministry of Science and Technology guiding the verification of information for terrestrial mobile subscribers officially came into effect. Accordingly, subscribers nationwide are required to complete four core information fields: personal identification number, full name, date of birth, and biometric facial image data. The deadline for completion is June 15th.

Patiently waiting for their turn.

On the very first day the new regulations came into effect, the number of people coming to verify their information at mobile network operators' stores in Ho Chi Minh City, such as Viettel, VinaPhone, and MobiFone , increased dramatically.

At the MobiFone store on Le Van Sy Street in Ho Chi Minh City, a large crowd of people lined up, some spending the entire morning just to complete the procedures. Hoang Huy (from Ho Chi Minh City) said the process took him more than 15 minutes because he had to download and register an account on the app beforehand.

The next steps include taking photos of the front and back of the chip-embedded citizen ID card, taking a portrait photo, scanning the NFC, verifying the information, and signing for confirmation. Similarly, Mr. Nguyen Thanh (Xuan Hoa ward) also took the morning off work to get his ID verified. Because he uses SIM cards from two different network providers, he had to travel to two separate transaction points.

Due to localized congestion, a representative from a mobile network operator in Ho Chi Minh City stated that the actual verification process takes two months, specifically from April 15th to June 15th. Only after June 15th will subscribers who have not completed the process have their services temporarily suspended. Therefore, people are advised not to rush to complete the process immediately to avoid overload.

Procedurally, the verification process is generally quite simple and quick. Citizens only need to bring their chip-based citizen ID card and a SIM card registered in their name. Staff will assist with the application, and customers only need to verify their face and sign the confirmation. To reduce congestion, VinaPhone has extended service hours until late at night and optimized the My VNPT application to allow customers to self-verify at home. Meanwhile, Viettel has also implemented support at its stores, supermarkets, and retail chains such as The Gioi Dien Dong,FPT Shop, and CellphoneS.

People verified their mobile phone subscriptions on April 15th.

Important notes

It's worth noting that not all subscribers are required to re-verify their information. Viettel stated that customers who have completed the VNeID Level 2 electronic identity registration, or who have previously verified their identity via scanning their chip-embedded citizen ID card, sharing VNeID data on the My Viettel application, and at transaction points are exempt. These subscribers have received notification messages and can continue to use their services normally. All other cases are required to perform biometric facial verification.

For foreigners using passports, this group of customers must bring their documents and SIM card directly to the store. Furthermore, if an individual owns two or more SIM cards on the same network, all must be verified. From the second number onwards, the system will send an OTP code to the first number for confirmation. Notably, from June 15th, when inserting a SIM card into another phone, users are required to verify their face within 2 hours; otherwise, outgoing calls will be immediately blocked. Afterward, the subscriber has a maximum of 30 days to supplement biometrics. If the deadline is exceeded, the SIM card will be blocked for both incoming and outgoing calls, and service will be completely terminated after another 5 days.

In general, to avoid the risk of communication disruption, users need to remember the important milestones: from April 15th, the rollout of widespread authentication will begin, and from June 15th, it will be mandatory for device changes. Subscribers who have not completed the procedures, are not verified on VNeID, or whose information is inconsistent with the national population database will have their service temporarily suspended, blocked in both directions, and eventually have their numbers revoked.

For more proactive verification, Viettel customers can check their identity themselves via the My Viettel or VNeID applications, or by calling the hotline. The verification process on My Viettel includes taking photos of both sides of the chip-embedded citizen ID card, taking a portrait photo, scanning the NFC code, and verifying and signing the confirmation. For VinaPhone users, a level 2 VNeID account or a chip-embedded citizen ID card is required, verified via the VNeID or My VNPT applications, or directly at a transaction point. VinaPhone subscribers residing abroad can verify remotely via My VNPT in combination with their citizen ID card. To facilitate this, network operators will organize direct support at the customer's residence or through mobile points for customer groups who have difficulty accessing the technology.

In addition, network operators advise customers to be vigilant against scams exploiting the implementation of Circular 08. People should absolutely not provide OTP codes, passwords, or bank account information; not click on strange links sent via SMS, Zalo, or social media; and not install applications from unofficial sources. People need to proactively verify their identity within the prescribed timeframe.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/xep-hang-cho-xac-thuc-so-dien-thoai-196260415204428714.htm