HANOI - Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport has put biometric self-service kiosks into use at Terminal 1 for domestic passengers, the country’s state-owned news agency said on July 7.
Passengers scan their boarding pass, insert a chip-based national ID card and look at a camera for facial recognition. Airport authorities said the process takes about 10 seconds, and operator statistics show the kiosks handle about 2,000–3,000 successful passenger transactions each day.
The system synchronises completed biometric data across the airport, allowing passengers to use automated lanes at security checkpoints and boarding gates without queuing. Noi Bai said passengers can also complete biometric verification through the VNeID app or an airline app while at the airport.
The rollout follows Vietnam’s December 1, 2025 shift toward digital domestic flight processing. Under that rule, staffed airport check-in counters are reserved for passengers with checked baggage and those requiring special assistance, while other passengers use biometric identification linked to VNeID or self-service kiosks.
Southeast Asian airports and border checkpoints are already moving in the same direction.
Singapore’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority said on May 11 that token-less clearance using facial and iris biometrics had been fully implemented at Changi Airport, Seletar Airport, Marina Bay Cruise Centre and Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. In 2025, close to 127 million travellers cleared Singapore immigration without producing passports.
Thailand’s airport operator also reported biometric deployment across its main airport network.
Airports of Thailand said in its 2025 sustainability material that facial-recognition biometric identification was being used to verify passengers and reduce waiting times across all six AOT airports, with the system projected to cut more than 70 million sheets of paper in 2025.
Indonesia’s Directorate General of Immigration said on June 20 that it had deployed 306 automated immigration gates nationwide, including 288 at airport checkpoints and 18 at seaport immigration facilities across 11 entry points.
“The passport and biometric scanning process is fully automated, allowing immigration clearance to be completed in about 15 to 20 seconds per traveler,” Immigration Director General Hendarsam Marantoko said.
Vietnam is also setting longer-term targets for airport automation. A 2026 national airport security scheme targets more than 60% of airports using automatic control technology, biometric identification or related systems by 2027, rising to more than 80% from 2028 to 2030.
Noi Bai said its initial kiosk rollout is not yet available for foreign passengers, children under 16 or passengers using only a VNeID account at the airport, and traditional counters remain open for travellers who need direct assistance.
