Procedure for Issuing Passports for Temporary Residents in Ho Chi Minh City

According to the regulations at Point a Clause 1 Article 15 Decree 136/2007/ND-CP (amended and supplemented at Clause 6 Article 1 Decree 94/2015/ND-CP), Vietnamese citizens may apply for a passport by directly submitting their application and receiving the result at the Immigration Management Authority of the provincial or central-affiliated city police where they have permanent or temporary residence. Therefore, under this regulation, those currently living and working in Ho Chi Minh City have the right to process their passport application at their temporary residence in Ho Chi Minh City.

1. On passport application documents

Clause 1 and Point a Clause 3 Article 6 Circular 29/2016/TT-BCA stipulate that temporary residents in Ho Chi Minh City should prepare one passport application dossier with the following documents:

- 01 declaration form according to form X01 (this form is issued along with the Circular).- 02 recently taken photos, size 4cm x 6cm, full face, bare head, no colored glasses, white background.- Present ID card or citizen identification card for verification and comparison.- Present the temporary residence book for verification and comparison.- Specific case: Children under 09 years old applying for a joint passport with a parent should submit 02 photos sized 3cm x 4cm. Children under 14 years old should submit 01 copy or notarized photo of the birth certificate; if not notarized, the original for verification and comparison.

Illustrative Image (Source: Internet)

2. On the place of submission

According to Clause 1 Article 4 Circular 29/2016/TT-BCA, those processing passport procedures at their temporary residence in Ho Chi Minh City should submit their dossier at the Immigration Office where they reside temporarily.

Additionally, Clause 4 Article 4 stipulates that the dossier may be submitted at the Department of Immigration in the following cases:

- Persons needing to travel abroad for medical treatment if there are documents from the hospital recommending it;- Persons with immediate family members abroad who have accidents, illnesses, or deaths requiring urgent travel, if there are documents proving the above;- officials and public employees, officers, non-commissioned officers, workers in the People's Army and People's Police with urgent travel needs, if there is a written request from the head of the agency or organization where they work;- Other urgent reasons, based on legitimate grounds, as reviewed and decided by the Director of the Immigration Department.

3. Processing time and receiving results

Article 8 Circular 29/2016/TT-BCA stipulates the processing time for dossiers as follows:

- For dossiers submitted at the Immigration Office of Ho Chi Minh City: the processing time is not more than 08 working days from the date of receiving a complete and valid dossier.- For dossiers submitted at the Department of Immigration: the processing time is not more than 05 working days from the date of receiving a complete and valid dossier.

In cases where a passport is urgently needed (as specified in Clause 4 Article 4 of the Circular), the processing will be done as soon as possible within the stipulated time.

However, if working days coincide with holidays, public holidays, Tet,... the processing days will be added accordingly per the legal stipulations. Upon submitting and completing the dossier, the result will be received at the Immigration Office where the application was submitted, specifically at the Immigration Office of Ho Chi Minh City.

4. Passport issuance fee

The passport issuance fee is VND 200,000 per book (according to item 1 of the Fee Schedule prescribed in Circular 219/2016/TT-BTC).

Ngoc Duy

>> CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE IN VIETNAMESE