The GCRA’s level 4 online public service software was designed in a user-centric orientation, ensuring user-friendliness, simplicity, and ease of use. The software is compatible with the information technology application infrastructure at the GCRA and allowed the expansion and integration on the web portal of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the National Public Service Portal as well as the information systems of concerning ministries, departments and agencies.

Religious organizations and individuals using the online public service can apply anytime, anywhere, and regardless of geographical distance. This helps reduce the time to send and receive documents and travel time for individuals and religious organizations, as well as reduce the pressure on the papers work of the state administration on religion.

In addition, the profile lookup also takes place quickly and easily through the profile code, increasing the transparency of service providers. With the development of information technology, it is possible to provide information about the current state of the application process (at which step and department the application is currently handled, etc.).

Currently, the GCRA has put into use the online public service system for all 43 administrative procedures under the jurisdiction or the competence of the GCRA, including 10 procedures related to foreigners.

GCRA’s official introduces online public service system at roundtable meeting with foreign religious practitioners in Vietnam

At the roundtable meeting with foreign religious practitioners in Vietnam organized by the GCRA on April 27, 2021, more than 100 dignitaries and representatives of foreigners' religious congregations in Vietnam were introduced and instructed to access and use the online public service in the fields of belief and religion.

 “I am very excited about the GCRA’s online public service introduced in today's conference. We are foreigners, so we do not know Vietnamese laws. If the Government of Vietnam can provide the online public service in English or Korean, it will help us to better understand the laws of Vietnam in order to live, work and practice religion in a stable manner”, Pastor Jang Sang Jin of the Bethel Evangelical Church in Ho Chi Minh City shared.

Pastor Jang Sang Jin (outer left) and representatives of foreign religious congregations attends GCRA’s conference on April 27, 2021

Pastor Tae Won Soo, Manager of the Korean Evangelical Church in Hanoi, said he himself and his associates have used the GCRA’s online public service and feel satisfied: “I hope that the Vietnamese Government will continue to promote the online public administration platforms, which makes a lot of sense for foreigners living and working in Vietnam, especially during the waves of Covid-19 pandemic over the last year”, he said.

With the policy of the openly international integration and the viewpoint considering belief and religion as of the legitimate and natural need of human beings, the State of Vietnam has created favorable conditions for better meeting all people’ religious needs, including that of foreigners lawfully residing in Vietnam.

In the field of the state administration on belief and religion, the application of information and communication technology in general and the development and improvement of the online public service system in particular, have helped improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the state management on belief and religion, contributing to reform administrative procedures in the field of belief and religion and better serve legitimate needs of religious practices by people, as well as promote the right to freedom of belief and religion of all people, including foreigners living, studying and working in Vietnam.