Vietnam’s regulation on issuance of a new passport

The Ministry of Finance of Vietnam issued Circular No. 264/2016/TT-BTC prescribing diplomatic service fees and charges collected by Vietnamese missions abroad, and the collection, transfer and management thereof, which took effect from January 01, 2017.

This Circular replaces Circular No. 236/2009/TT-BTC dated December 15, 2009 guiding the collection, remittance, management and use of consular charges and fees by diplomatic representative missions, consular representative missions and other agencies authorized to perform consular functions of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in foreign countries…

Circular No. 264/2016/TT-BTC stipulates that Vietnamese and foreign organizations and individuals that are provided with public services or state management-related services in the diplomatic sector by overseas Vietnamese missions shall pay fees and charges in accordance with regulations herein.

Diplomatic service fees and charges are prescribed in the Schedules of fees and charges in the diplomatic sector (Appendix 1) enclosed with Circular No. 264/2016/TT-BTC. To be specific:

- Issuance of a new passport:  USD 70/book;

- Renewal of diplomatic passports or service passports: USD 30/book;

- Re-issuance of passport due to loss or damage: USD 150/book; etc.

- Issuance of a new laissez-passer: USD 20/book; re-issuance of passport due to loss or damage: USD 40/book;

Circular No. 264/2016/TT-BTC also specifies that the charges for acquisition of citizenship is USD 250/person; resumption of citizenship is USD 200/person; renunciation of citizenship is USD 200/person; etc.

Fees for visas of different types are specified in Appendix 2 enclosed with Circular No. 264/2016/TT-BTC. To be specific:

- Single-entry visa: USD 25/visa;

- Visa with a validity of up to 03 months: USD 50/visa;

- Visa with a validity of over 03 months to 06 months: USD 95/visa;

- Visa with a validity of over 06 months to 01 year: USD 135/visa; etc.

Circular No. 264/2016/TT-BTC specifies that the following entities shall be exempted from payment of fees and charges in diplomatic sector: Foreign guests (including their accompanying spouses, natural parents, parents-in-law and children) invited by the Communist Party of Vietnam, the National Assembly, the State or the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, or by the head of such an authority in their personal capacity; public employees or technical coordinators of foreign diplomatic missions, foreign consular missions and representative missions of international organizations in Vietnam and their family members (including their spouses, natural parents, parents-in-law and minor children) on the principle of reciprocity; foreign holders of diplomatic passports, service passports, ordinary passports or travel papers used as passport substitutes issued by competent authorities of foreign countries, who are eligible for visa fee exemption under treaties to which Vietnam is a signatory, in accordance  with the law of Vietnam, or on the principle of reciprocity; etc.

Fees and charges in diplomatic sector shall be paid in US dollars (USD) according to the Schedules of fees and charges in diplomatic sector enclosed with Circular No. 264/2016/TT-BTC. When charges and fees are collected in the currency of the host country, the conversion between USD and that currency shall be made using the USD selling rate quoted by the bank at which the account of the overseas Vietnamese mission is opened.

Where two (02) or more overseas Vietnamese missions are permitted to collect diplomatic service fees and charges in a country or territory, the head of the overseas Vietnamese mission having the highest jurisdiction shall refer to selling rates quoted by local banks and decide the fees and charges to be consistently applied by all overseas Vietnamese missions in that country or territory.

Source: Viet Nam Moi

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