Vietnam: Is it mandatory to change passports to chip-based passports?

Chip-based passport issued by the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam

Pursuant to Article 6 of the Circular No. Circular No. 73/2021/TT-BCA:

- Blank passports or travel documents which have been provided to the agencies before August 14, 2021 but have not been fully issued can continue to be used, at the latest until January 1, 2022, they must be uniformly made according to the forms of passport and travel documents prescribed in the Circular No. Circular No. 73/2021/TT-BCA.

- Passports of travel documents issued before January 01, 2022 are valid until the expiry date stated in the passport or travel document.

Pursuant to Article 7 of the Law on Entry and Exit of Vietnamese citizens 2019 of Vietnam, validity of passports is as follows:

- Diplomatic passports and service passports shall be effective from 1 to 5 years; can be extended no more than 3 years per instance.

- Validity of regular passports is as follows:

+ Regular passports issued to persons from 14 years of age shall be effective for 10 years and shall not be extended;

+ Regular passports issued to persons under 14 years of age shall be effective for 05 years and shall not be extended;

+ Regular passports issued by shortened procedures shall be effective for no more than 12 months and shall not be extended.

Thus, in accordance with the above regulations, passports issued before January 01, 2022 are valid until the expiry date stated in the passport or travel document. Therefore, citizens are not required to change passports to chip-based passports

Bao Ngoc

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