What is the validity of passports in Vietnam

What is the validity of passports in Vietnam? (Internet image)

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

1. What is passport?

According to Clause 3, Article 2 of the Law on Entry and Exit of Vietnamese Citizens 2019, passports are documents owned by the Government and issued by competent authorities of Vietnam to Vietnamese citizens to make entry, exit and prove nationality and personal record

2. What is the validity of passports in Vietnam?

- 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.

(Clause 2, 3, Article 7 of the Law on Entry and Exit of Vietnamese Citizens 2019)

3. Regulations on issuance of regular passports via adoption of shortened procedures in Vietnam

3.1 Issuance of regular passports to people travelling abroad for a definite period, losing his/her regular passport and wishing to return immediately in Vietnam 

A person travelling abroad for a definite period, losing his/her regular passport and wishing to return immediately shall be issued with a regular passport as follows:

- The applicant shall submit a notice on loss of passport, a completed declaration form using defined templates, 2 pictures and personal identification documents issued by Vietnamese competent authorities if any;

- Within 2 working days from the date on which the application is received, a Vietnam representative office located overseas shall consider and decide issuance of passport, return results to the applicant and submit written notice to immigration authority of Ministry of Public Security in case the Vietnam representative office located overseas has not connected to the National database for entry and exit of Vietnamese citizens;

- In case of unsatisfactory to conditions for issuance of passport, within 2 working days from the date on which the application is received, the Vietnam representative office located overseas shall submit a document using defined templates to immigration authority of Ministry of Public Security for verification while inform the applicant in written form;

- Within 02 working days from the date on which documents of the Vietnam representative office located overseas are received, immigration authority of Ministry of Public Security shall respond to the Vietnam representative offices located overseas regarding passport issuance;

- Within 1 working day from the date on which the response is received, the Vietnam representative office located overseas shall issue passport and return results to the applicant; in case of failure to issue, respond in written form and state reasons;

- In case his/her domestic relatives fill in the declaration form, immigration authority of Ministry of Public Security shall receive, examine, respond to the relatives and submit written notice to the Vietnam representative office located overseas within 2 working days after receiving the application; within 1 working day from the date on which the notice is received, the Vietnam representative office located overseas shall receive photos of the applicant, issue regular passport and return results.

3.2 Issuance of regular passports to people subject to written decision on expulsion of competent authority of his/her host country and lacking passport in Vietnam

A person subject to written decision on expulsion of competent authority of his/her host country and lacking passport shall be issued with a regular passport as follows:

- A Vietnam representative office located overseas shall receive the decision on expulsion of competent authority of host country and 2 pictures of the expelled person;

- Within 2 working days after receiving the expulsion decision of the host country, the Vietnam representative office located overseas shall send information of the expelled person using defined form to immigration authority of Ministry of Public Security;

- Within 15 working days from the date on which the request is received, immigration authority of Ministry of Public Security shall verify and respond to the Vietnam representative office located overseas;

- The Vietnam representative office located overseas shall issue a limited-validity regular passport as notified by immigration authority of Ministry of Public Security.

3.3 Issuance of regular passports for people forcibly returning to his/her country according to international agreements or treaties on repatriation in Vietnam

A person forcibly returning to his/her country according to international agreements or treaties on repatriation shall be issued with a regular passport as follows:

- An immigration authority of Ministry of Public Security shall receive and process requests of foreign party according to signed international agreements or treaties regarding repatriation;

- In case of acceptance, issue a regular passport with less than 6 months of validity and hand over to the foreign party according to international agreements or treaties.

Immigration authorities of Ministry of Public Security shall issue regular passports or inform Vietnam representative offices located overseas in written form to issue regular passports on the basis of decisions of Minister of Public Security with respect to national defense and security purposes.

(Article 18 of the Law on Entry and Exit of Vietnamese Citizens 2019)

Nguyen Ngoc Que Anh

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