Latest regulations on management and use of passports for officials and public employees of the Ministry of Finance of Vietnam

On November 19, 2024, the Minister of Finance of Vietnam issued Decision 2742/QD-BTC regarding the Regulations on the management and use of diplomatic passports and official passports for officials and public employees of the Ministry of Finance of Vietnam.

Latest regulations on management and use of passports for officials and public employees of the Ministry of Finance of Vietnam

The subjects of application of the Regulations on the management and use of diplomatic passports and official passports for officials and public employees of the Ministry of Finance include:

- Officials and public employees of the units under and affiliated with the Ministry of Finance who are issued diplomatic passports and official passports according to the provisions of Article 8, Article 9 of the Law on Exit and Entry of Vietnamese Citizens 2019.

- Units directly managing diplomatic passports, official passports of officials and public employees (hereinafter referred to as passport management units).

According to the Regulations, the management and use of passports for officials and public employees of the Ministry of Finance must comply with the following principles:

- The passport is a document owned by the State. The management and use of passports must be implemented according to the provisions of these Regulations and applicable laws. The use of passports must not damage the reputation and interests of the State of Vietnam.

- Passports shall only be used when traveling abroad by decision or approval document of the authority as regulated in Article 11 of the Law on Exit and Entry of Vietnamese Citizens 2019, except in cases of studying abroad for more than 6 months.

- Passports must be managed closely and scientifically, not lost, damaged, abused, or used for improper purposes.

- Anyone who manages or uses passports against the regulations shall be disciplined, administratively sanctioned, or held criminally responsible according to the law depending on the nature and level of the violation.

In particular, passport holders must fulfill the following responsibilities:

- Carefully preserve and protect the passport, do not erase or amend the details within the document, do not allow others to use it, and do not use it in violation of Vietnamese law.

- Only use one valid passport for each overseas business trip in accordance with the posting decision and the nature of the work abroad, except in special cases as guided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

- When there is a decision to go on a business trip abroad, the individual must bring the decision to the passport management unit to proceed with the handover and receipt of the passport; return the passport to the unit's passport management department within 5 working days upon return to the country after completing the business trip.

In the case of being sent abroad again soon after returning, they must submit the decision to the unit's passport management department for tracking and recording.

- When changing the workplace, officials and public employees issued passports must report to the passport management unit where they are transferring from and to ensure the handover and management of passports according to regulations.

- Do not use diplomatic or official passports for personal purposes abroad.

- In case of passport damage, officials and public employees must promptly report to the passport management unit to inform and seek resolution from the competent authority.

- In case of passport loss:

+ If the passport holder is in the country, they must draft an explanation with confirmation from a travel companion or the nearest police authority; promptly report to the direct passport management unit of the officials and public employees and the authority that sent them abroad to request the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to proceed with the cancellation of the lost passport according to regulations.

+ If the passport holder is abroad, they must immediately report in writing to the competent authority in the host country and the nearest Vietnamese diplomatic mission abroad.

Refer to detailed regulations at Decision 2742/QD-BTC (effective from November 19, 2024).

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