Citizens and businesses in Ho Chi Minh City will soon be able to register online for administrative procedures.

The city will take applications 24/7, including on weekends. It will also guide people on how to fill out the forms and keep track of their applications as they go through the process.

This service is an electronic one-stop-shop system created as part of the city's programme for administrative reform started this year.

In the initial phase, applications on business registration, culture, labour, health care, natural resources and environment, and building permission will be accepted online.

The service will begin in the municipal People's Committee administration, and the departments of Information and Communications; Science and Technology; Planning and Investment; Industry and Trade; Tourism; and Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.

In tandem with the service's launch, the city is working on a "paperless office" initiative, which would connect the City People's Committee administration with district governments and municipal departments, and enable them to work with each other online.

At the same time, a number of agencies will get a new software system that takes complaints from voters online, under a trial programme.

The city's People Committee ordered all local Government departments, offices, organisations and citizens to make appointments with the city's Standing Committee via the website, as of March 1: https://ubnd.tphcm.gov.vn.

Requests for appointments with the committee are registered and processed online.

A new software application allows people and organisations seeking appointments to track the progression of their requests. They are notified by e-mail once their appointments have been scheduled.-VNA