Procedures for issuance of diplomatic/official passports in Vietnam

According to Article 12 of Circular No. 04/2020/TT-BNG of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, procedures for issuance, renewal, revocation of diplomatic/official passports in Vietnam are as follows:

Step 1. Receipt:

- The local issuing authorities shall receive applications; verify the application and database of diplomatic/official passports.

- If the application is complete and valid as per clause 2 Article 12 of the Law, the local issuing authority shall issue a note of receipt acknowledgement and appointment of returning result using Form No. 06/2020/NG-XNC hereto appended. If the application is not complete, the receiving authority shall receive the application and issue a note of guidelines for completing application using Form No. 07/2020/NG-XNC hereto appended. If the application is not valid, the receiving authority shall reject it and issue a note of rejection using Form No. 08/2020/NG-XNC hereto appended.

- In case of application for initial issuance of an electronic diplomatic/official passport, the receiving authority shall take a photo and collect fingerprints of the applicant as guided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

- In case of application for renewal of an electronic diplomatic/official passport, the receiving authority shall instruct the applicant to make an application for issuance of a new electronic passport.

Step 2. Processing:

- In case of application for issuance of diplomatic/official passport, the local issuing authority shall process it within 05 business days after receiving the complete and valid application as prescribed in clause 4 Article 12 of the Law; in case of application for renewal of diplomatic/official passport or issuance of diplomatic note, the local issuing authority shall process it within 02 business days after receiving the complete and valid application.

- In case of the application under Article 9 hereof, within 02 business days after receiving a valid and complete application, the local foreign affairs agency shall forward it to the local issuing authority. In case of the application for issuance of diplomatic/official passport, the local issuing authority shall process it within 03 business days after receiving the valid and complete application; in case of the application for renewal of diplomatic/official passport or issuance of diplomatic note, the local issuing authority shall process it within 02 business days after receiving the complete and valid application.

- If the diplomatic/official passport of the applicant is still valid, the local issuing authority shall revoke it before issuing a new passport. For a visiting or accompanying person under clause 14 Article 8 and clause 5 Article 9 of the Law, the local issuing authority shall issue a new passport, state the title and do not revoke the old passport.

- If the applicant’s passport is lost, the local issuing authority shall revoke it as prescribed in clause 1, Article 28 of the Law.

View more details: Circular No. 04/2020/TT-BNG of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam takes effect from November 10, 2020.

Thuy Tram

>> CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE IN VIETNAMESE