What is a laissez-passer according to the law in Vietnam? What documents are included in the application for laissez-passers in Vietnam?

What is a laissez-passer according to the law in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Clause 5 Article 2 of the Law on Entry and Exit of Vietnamese Citizens in 2019:

Term interpretation

In this Law, terms below are construed as follows:

...

4. “Passport containing electronic chips” refers to a passport embedded with electronic equipment storing encoded information of its holder and digital signature of issuing body.

5. “Laissez-passers” refer to documents issued by competent authorities of Vietnam to Vietnamese citizens to enable travel across borders according to international agreements between Vietnam and countries sharing borders.

6. “Entry and exit control” refers to examination, inspection and verification of persons and papers of entry and exit as specified in this Law.

...

As regulated above, laissez-passers refer to documents issued by competent authorities of Vietnam to Vietnamese citizens to enable travel across borders according to international agreements between Vietnam and countries sharing borders.

What is a laissez-passer according to the law in Vietnam? What documents are included in the application for laissez-passers in Vietnam? - image from internet

Who are eligible to be issued with laissez-passers in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 19 of the Law on Entry and Exit of Vietnamese Citizens in 2019 stipulating persons to be issued with laissez-passers:

Persons to be issued with laissez-passers

1. Vietnamese citizens residing in communes, districts or provinces sharing borders with neighboring countries.

2. Officials, employees and workers of agencies, organizations and enterprises in provinces sharing borders with neighboring countries.

3. Officials, employees and workers of agencies, organizations and enterprises which are located in central provinces or other provinces while their head offices are located in provinces sharing borders with neighboring countries.

4. Government shall elaborate this Article.

As regulated above, following persons are eligible to be issued with laissez-passers according to Article 4 of the Decree 76/2020/ND-CP:

1. Eligible entities to be granted Vietnam-Cambodia border laissez-passers include

- Officials and public employees and workers working in agencies, organizations and enterprises based in the provinces that share the border line with Cambodia sent to the opposite border province of Cambodia to work.

2. Eligible entities to be granted Vietnam-Laos border laissez-passers:

- Vietnamese citizens having permanent residence in the province sharing the border with Laos;

- Vietnamese citizens without permanent residence registration in provinces sharing the border with Laos but working in agencies, organizations or enterprises based in the province sharing the border with Laos.

3. Eligible entities to be granted exit and entry laissez-passers through Vietnam - China border region:

- Vietnamese citizens permanently residing in communes, wards or townships adjacent to the Vietnam-China border;

- Officials working in state agencies based in districts, towns and provincial cities of Vietnam adjacent to the Vietnam-China border who are sent to the opposite border region of China to work.

What documents are included in the application for laissez-passers in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 5 of the Decree 76/2020/ND-CP stipulating documents included in the application for laissez-passers in Vietnam:

1. Application form for laissez-passers

- For following persons, the application form must be certified and affixed with fan stamp on photo by his/her superior body:

+ Eligible entities to be granted Vietnam-Cambodia border laissez-passers include officials and public employees and workers working in agencies, organizations and enterprises based in the provinces that share the border line with Cambodia sent to the opposite border province of Cambodia to work;

+ Vietnamese citizens without permanent residence registration in provinces sharing the border with Laos but working in agencies, organizations or enterprises based in the province sharing the border with Laos;

+ Officials working in state agencies based in districts, towns and provincial cities of Vietnam adjacent to the Vietnam-China border who are sent to the opposite border region of China to work.

- For any persons who is legally incapacitated, with limited cognition or behavior control under the Civil Code, or is under 14 years of age, the application form must be made and signed by his/her parent or legal representative, and certified and affixed with a fan stamp on photo by the head of the police office of the commune, ward or township where he/she resides;

- For a person under 16 years of age who applies for the joint exit and entry laissez-passer for Vietnam-China border with one parent, the application form must be made and signed by one parent.

2. 2 portrait photos, 4cm x 6cm size.

If the person who is under 16 years old applies for the joint laissez-passer with one parent, stick 1 photo of 3cm x 4cm of that child in the application and submit 1 photo of 3cm x 4cm of that child to paste on the laissez-passer.

3. Other documents for the following cases:

- 1 copy of the birth certificate or extract of birth for a person under 14 years of age;

- 01 certified true copy of the document issued by a Vietnamese competent authority proving the legal representative of the person who is legally incapacitated or with limited cognition or behavior control, who is less than 14 years old.

- The laissez-passer which has been issued, if still valid;

- A letter of recommendation of the agency, organization or enterprise in case of authorization to submit the application.

Best regards!