🔄 Last updated: 17 July 2026

Millions of SIMs were just cut off — and foreigners are most exposed

In mid-2026, per local media, around 10.6 million subscribers (Viettel, VinaPhone, MobiFone) had their outgoing service suspended for not verifying their subscriber information. It's part of a crackdown to "clean up" telecom data under new rules.

For foreigners, this is an easy risk to overlook — until your number stops working at the exact moment you need it most.

🔑 A phone number in Vietnam is now linked to bank accounts, e-wallets and OTP codes. If your SIM is cut off because it's not in your name, you may NOT RECEIVE OTPs — meaning you can't complete bank transactions.

Understand that, and "a SIM in your own name" stops being a small matter. Here's how it works.

→ Banking & money: why your phone number and OTP matter

⚠️ THE BIGGEST TRAP FOR FOREIGNERS

The trap isn't forgetting to register — it's the SIM being registered under SOMEONE ELSE'S identity.

🚨 Many SIMs sold at street stalls and small shops are pre-activated using someone else's documents. You can use it right away — but it isn't in your name. When the verification sweep comes, these "not-in-your-name" SIMs are the ones most likely to be locked and reclaimed.

Which means: that "convenient, quick street SIM" can be the very SIM that costs you your number — and access to every account tied to it.

✅ DO IT RIGHT: BUY AND REGISTER IN YOUR NAME

• Buy / activate at an OFFICIAL operator store (Viettel, VinaPhone, MobiFone) — not a street stall
• Bring your passport (foreigners register using a passport or valid entry/exit documents)
• Verification usually covers four items: your ID document (passport) + full name + date of birth + facial photo (biometric)
• Confirm the SIM is in YOUR name before you leave the store

💡 For foreigners, the surest route is usually to go in person to the operator's store with your passport and current SIM, and complete verification on the spot.

🆕 A NEW RULE: SWAP PHONES, RE-VERIFY

📱 Under Circular 08/2026 (Ministry of Science and Technology), when you put your SIM into a NEW device, you may have to re-verify with your face within about 2 HOURS — or your outgoing service can be suspended.

So don't be surprised if, right after switching phones, your operator asks for a face scan again. Do it promptly to avoid interruption.

(Telecom regulatory authority moved to the Ministry of Science and Technology after the 2025 government restructuring.)

🔓 IF YOUR SIM HAS ALREADY BEEN CUT OFF

Don't panic — there's a path to restore it:

• A restricted SIM usually can still RECEIVE incoming calls/messages for a while
• There's typically a ~60-day window to complete verification before a two-way lockout
• If still unresolved, the contract may be terminated and the number reclaimed
• What to do: go to the operator's store with your passport + SIM and request subscriber verification

⚠️ If this number is tied to your bank account, deal with it EARLY — losing the number can cascade into login/OTP problems for other services.

🧩 THE CLEAN SOLUTION

The simplest way to avoid all of this: use a SIM/eSIM registered in YOUR OWN NAME, from an official source, from the start.

→ eSIM connectivity for foreigners

🔔 And don't forget: a stable number also helps you get visa reminders

👉 Turn on free visa reminders with Visa Tracker — enter the date on your ENTRY STAMP, get alerts at 30 / 21 / 15 / 7 days. Free, no account needed.

⚠️ Common misconceptions

❌ "The SIM works, so I don't need to worry about registration." → Not necessarily. It may be in someone else's name — the group most likely to be cut off at verification.

❌ "I'll grab a SIM at a street stall for convenience." → Risky. Small stalls may activate it on someone else's identity. Buy at an official operator store.

❌ "If it's cut off, I lose the number instantly." → Not instantly. You usually still receive incoming and get ~60 days to verify. But don't leave it.

❌ "Swapping phones doesn't affect the SIM." → You may need to re-verify with your face within ~2 hours under the new rule, or face restriction.

❌ "A SIM not in my name doesn't affect banking." → It does. A cut-off number can mean no OTP = no transactions.

Sources

• Circular 08/2026/TT-BKHCN (Ministry of Science and Technology) — subscriber verification (effective 15 April 2026; device-swap re-verification from 15 June 2026); alongside Decree 163/2024/ND-CP and earlier rules requiring ID to register a SIM
• Four-item verification: ID + full name + date of birth + facial photo; foreigners use a passport / entry-exit documents
• Scale of the crackdown (around 10.6 million subscribers restricted mid-June 2026; ~60-day roadmap) — per local media; indicative, carriers handle the process

Note: This article compiles publicly available information as of the update date and is not legal advice. Each carrier's rules and process can change — verify directly with your operator or the authorities.

ViEntry is a technology platform connecting foreigners with independent service operators. ViEntry is NOT a telecom carrier. All information is for reference.

Need a number registered in your own name so banking and services work reliably? Message us — we'll help with connectivity and direction when you first arrive.

🔗 Why does your number relate to banking/OTP? Banking & money for foreigners 🔗 Need connectivity the moment you land? eSIM for foreigners 🔗 Not sure what you need? Free Advisor tool

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