Do children going abroad need their passports in Vietnam?
Do children going abroad need their passports in Vietnam? Can expired children's passports be extended in Vietnam?
Please ask, in the near future, my family will arrange to travel abroad, my family has a 5-year-old child, so when going abroad, does my baby have to have a passport? Please advise.
1. Do children going abroad need their passports in Vietnam?
Pursuant to Article 33 of the Law on Entry and Exit of Vietnamese Citizens 2019, there are regulations on eligibility for exit as follows:
1. A Vietnamese citizen may make exit if he/she:
a) has entire and valid entry and exit documents; 6 months or more in terms of passport validity; and
b) has visas or documents confirming and verifying entry acceptance of destination country, except for cases of visa-free entry; and
c) is not listed under cases of prohibited from making exit, ineligible for making exit and suspended from making exit as per the law.
2. Incapacitated persons and persons with limited recognition and behavioral control as specified in Civil Code and persons under 14 years of age must be accompanied by authorized legal representatives in addition to conditions specified in Clause 1 of this Article.
According to Clause 1, Article 6 of the Law on Entry and Exit of Vietnamese Citizens 2019, entry and exit documents include:
a) Diplomatic passports;
b) Service passports;
c) Regular passports;
d) Laissez-passers.
Thus, according to the above regulations, children under 14 years old in Vietnam when going abroad are required to have exit documents such as passports or laissez-passers as above intact and valid for at least 6 months or more.
2. Can expired children's passports be extended in Vietnam?
Pursuant to Article 7 of the Law on Entry and Exit of Vietnamese Citizens 2019 has the following provisions:
1. Diplomatic passports and service passports shall be effective from 1 to 5 years; can be extended no more than 3 years per instance.
2. Validity of regular passports is as follows:
a) Regular passports issued to persons from 14 years of age shall be effective for 10 years and shall not be extended;
b) Regular passports issued to persons under 14 years of age shall be effective for 05 years and shall not be extended;
c) Regular passports issued by shortened procedures shall be effective for no more than 12 months and shall not be extended.
3. Laissez-passers shall be effective for no more than 12 months and shall not be extended.
According to this Article, regular passports issued to children will not be extended when they expire in Vietnam.
Best Regards!
