How are the titles displayed on diplomatic/official passport in Vietnam?

How are the titles displayed on diplomatic/official passport in Vietnam? (Internet image)

Regarding this issue, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

1. Conditions for issuance of diplomatic passports and official passports in Vietnam

According to Article 10 of the Law on Entry and Exit of Vietnamese Citizens 2019, Vietnamese citizens shall be issued with diplomatic passports or official passports if they:

- Are specified in Article 8 or Article 9 of the Law on Entry and Exit of Vietnamese Citizens 2019; and

- Are assigned or permitted overseas travel by competent agencies and individuals specified in Article 11 of the Law on Entry and Exit of Vietnamese Citizens 2019 to perform missions.

2. How are the titles displayed on diplomatic/official passport in Vietnam?

According to Article 8 of Circular 04/2020/TT-BNG, the titles are displayed on diplomatic/official passport as follows:

- The local issuing authority or representative body must, regarding those holding positions specified in clauses 2 through 10 Article 8 of the Law on Entry and Exit of Vietnamese Citizens 2019, state their Vietnamese titles in the diplomatic passports, unless the sponsoring authority requests not to state the title or for foreign affairs or national security reasons.

- The local issuing authority or representative body must, regarding Minister of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Assistant of Minister of Foreign Affairs, a foreign affairs member who has been awarded diplomatic rank, member of representative body, state press or news agency of Vietnam residing abroad and visiting or accompanying persons thereof as prescribed in clause 14, Article 8 and clause 5, Article 9 of the Law on Entry and Exit of Vietnamese Citizens 2019, state their Vietnamese and English titles in the diplomatic/official passports.

Note: A holder of diplomatic/official passport may not arbitrarily state their title in the passport.

3. What is the validity of diplomatic/official passports in Vietnam? 

According to Article 3 of Circular 04/2020/TT-BNG, the validity of diplomatic/official passports is regulated as follows:

- Passports issued in case of any damage or loss occurring during short-term business travels in foreign countries, under point a clause 1 Article 13 of the Law on Entry and Exit of Vietnamese Citizens 2019, are valid for 1 year; passports issued when their pages run out or they are expected to be renewed are valid for a minimum of 1 year and not longer than the validity of the preexisting ones.

- Passports issued to those whose posts are changed, under point b clause 1 Article 13 of the Law on Entry and Exit of Vietnamese Citizens 2019 are valid for a minimum of 1 year and not longer than the validity of the preexisting ones.

- New passports or renewal passports issued to the persons under point d clause 1 Article 13 of the Law on Entry and Exit of Vietnamese Citizens 2019 are valid for a minimum of 1 year and not longer than the validity of passports of persons who they accompany or visit.

4. Authorization for permission or assignment of persons to be issued with diplomatic passports or official passports in Vietnam

Authorization for permission or assignment of persons to be issued with diplomatic passports or official passports is prescribed as follows:

- Political Bureau; Secretariat; boards, committees and agencies affiliated to Central Committee of the Communist Party; other agencies established by Central Committee of the Communist Party, Political Bureau and Secretariat of Central Communist Party; Office of the Party Central Committee; Party Executive Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities.

- Standing Committee of National Assembly; Ethnic Minorities Council, committees affiliated to National Assembly; agencies affiliated to Standing Committee of National Assembly; Chairperson of Office of the National Assembly; State Auditor General.

- Prime Minister; ministers, ministerial agencies, heads of Governmental agencies and other agencies established by Government or Prime Minister.

- Chairperson of Office of the President.

- Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court.

- Procurator General of Supreme People’s Procuracy.

- Standing People's Councils and People's Committees of provinces.

- Central Committee of Vietnamese Fatherland Front.

- Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, Vietnam Farmers' Union, Vietnam Women's Union, Vietnam Veterans Association and Ho Chi Minh Central Communist Youth Union.

- Personnel under management of Political Bureau and Secretariat are subject to relevant provisions of the laws.

- Ministries, ministerial agencies, heads of Governmental agencies, other agencies established by Government or Prime Minister and Chairperson of People’s Committees of provinces may authorize heads of affiliated entities in assigning or permitting officials and employees to go abroad on work trips and submit written notice to competent agencies for issuance of passports.

(Article 11 of the Law on Entry and Exit of Vietnamese Citizens 2019)

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