There are only two weeks left, December 31, 2024, the deadline for bank account holders to update their biometrics if they do not want to have their online transactions (online money transfers, online card transactions, QR code withdrawals, other electronic card transactions) suspended from January 1, 2025.

In addition, customers who have not updated their new identification documents to replace expired identification documents (ID card, CCCD, passport, visa) will have their transactions suspended at all channels (counter, online, ATM) from January 1, 2025.

These are regulations according to Circular 17/2024/TT-NHNN regulating the opening and use of payment accounts at payment service providers and Circular 18/2024/TT-NHNN regulating bank card activities.

There are only 2 weeks left for bank account holders to race for the "last train" if they do not want their transactions to be interrupted.

According to VietNamNet's records at bank transaction offices in Hanoi on December 16, the number of customers coming to register for biometric authentication at the counter was so large that many transaction offices became overloaded.

At Techcombank Linh Dam branch, from 9am, the number of customers who had taken a number and waited for transactions was so large that there was not a single empty seat. Over 50% of them came to complete the biometric authentication procedure at the counter because their mobile devices did not support NFC (wireless connection technology), or to update their new ID card number for customers who registered to open an account using a 9-digit ID card.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Dien, a transaction officer at Techcombank Linh Dam, said: “The number of customers requesting biometric authentication support and updating new ID numbers has increased dramatically since December 10, so customers coming to make transactions these days have had to wait quite a long time. Some customers come to make other transactions but also take the opportunity to update their biometrics.”

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The number of customers coming to register for biometrics and update their chip-embedded ID cards has increased dramatically in recent days. Photo: NT.

Ms. Ha Hoai Thu, a Techcombank customer, said: “Although I know that Decision 2345, effective from July 1, 2024, requires biometric authentication to transfer money worth over VND 10 million or total daily transactions over VND 20 million, because my phone does not support NFC and I rarely transfer large amounts of money, I was too lazy to register. When I found out that the deadline was December 31, 2024, I had to do it right away.”

According to observations, each customer only takes 3-5 minutes to complete biometric authentication. For customers who open an account online, the authentication time will be longer because bank staff must update the customer's personal information.

However, to get their turn for support, customers at Techcombank Linh Dam have to wait about 40 minutes from the time they get their number.

“Many people often come in the early morning or early afternoon, which is when banks are often overloaded due to the large number of people coming to transact. If you want to avoid waiting, customers should come in the late morning or afternoon,” said teller Nguyen Thi Dien.

However, the overload level at Techcombank Linh Dam is nothing compared to the transaction office of Vietcombank Linh Dam right next door. On the morning of December 16, there were always about 30 customers sitting on duty, many of whom were waiting for biometric authentication support.

A male customer said he came to get a number early in the morning, but seeing that it was still a long time before his turn, he stopped by another nearby bank to ask for help verifying another account. After 40 minutes, he returned to the Vietcombank branch and continued to wait for another 40 minutes before his turn.

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There are many customers waiting at VCB Linh Dam. Photo: NT.

The same thing happened with large-scale transaction offices of VPBank, BIDV, ACB, TPBank, etc. However, at a transaction office of Agribank Thanh Tri Branch and VietinBank Kim Lien Transaction Office, each transaction office only had about 5-6 customers coming to make transactions, most of them came for the purpose of supporting biometric authentication.

A teller at an Agribank transaction office said that all Agribank transaction offices support customers in setting up biometrics. However, many customers tend to go to “grand” branches and transaction offices, so these places are often overloaded, while small transaction offices in non-central locations provide very quick support and do not require waiting.

According to Decision 2345/QD-NHNN, from July 1, 2024, some types of online transactions of individual customers are required to be authenticated by biometric identification.

In addition, Circular 17/2024/TT-NHNN and Circular 18/2024/TT-NHNN issued on June 28, 2024 also require financial institutions to check the validity of identification documents, authenticate biometric information and update customers' residence information.

Accordingly, from January 1, 2025, payment account holders/bank card holders will not be able to conduct online transactions and transfer/withdraw money at ATMs if they fall into the following situations: Not completing the change of the declaration number and correct biometric information; Not updating or adding new information to replace expired identification documents.

In addition, the 2023 Law on Identification stipulates that all 9-digit and 12-digit ID cards will expire from December 31, 2024, requiring people to switch to chip-embedded citizen identification cards (CCCD). This requires customers to update new CCCD information in their records to avoid transaction interruptions.

These regulations ensure the safety and security of online payments, thereby creating a healthy cyberspace, promoting sustainable development of cashless payments and protecting customers' rights.