This is our in-depth guide to the Vietnam passport application, where we will cover all the important details about what's required. The purpose of this page is to serve as a one-stop shop for all of your questions about this essential travel document.
This information here discusses some of the main justifications for obtaining a Vietnamese passport.
With a few exceptions, the three primary prerequisites for being eligible to complete a Vietnamese passport application form are:
The candidate must be of Vietnamese ancestry, either fully or partially.
Vietnam is the applicant's birthplace.
The candidate can demonstrate strong ties to Vietnam.
Exception: In the event that the applicant was not born in Vietnam, obtaining a Vietnamese passport would require the possession of a Vietnamese passport by one of the parents.
Unquestionably a necessary travel document for its people, the Vietnam passport contains a wealth of interesting information that highlights Vietnam's distinct identity, historical significance, and dedication. It symbolizes promoting international travel in addition to granting permission to cross international borders.
General details about the Vietnam passport
Vietnam national code on passports: VNM
Vietnam passport ranking: Out of 199 countries and territories globally, Vietnam's passport was placed 82nd in the most recent edition of the Hanley Passport Index, which was published on July 18, 2023. This represents a noteworthy increase, moving up 6 spots from January 2023's rating (88th) and 10 spots from 2022's ranking (92nd). This development emphasizes Vietnam's growing reputation and mobility on the international stage.
Vietnam passports come in several colors, depending on what kind they are:
|
Passport types |
Color of the cover |
|---|---|
|
Diplomatic passport |
Brown-red |
|
Official passport |
Dark green |
|
Standard passport |
Purple-blue |
|
Simplified standard passport |
Black |
Vietnam passports vary in validity according to foreigner’ types:
|
Passport categories |
Validity |
Extension |
|---|---|---|
|
Diplomatic passport |
1 to 5 years |
It can be prolonged for a maximum of three years at once. |
|
Official passport |
1 to 5 years |
Can be extended for a maximum of three years once. |
|
Standard passport |
10 years (applied to individuals 14 or older years ago). |
The Vietnamese government cannot be extended for any reason. |
|
Simplified standard passport |
12 months |
This visa cannot be extended for any reason. |
Vietnam passport holders are exempt from the need for a visa while visiting 55 countries across the world. They can enter these countries with either an e-visa or a visa upon arrival.
|
Continent |
Countries |
|---|---|
|
Asia |
Brunei, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, the Philippines, and Singapore. |
|
Middle East |
Iran, Oman, and Kuwait. |
|
Oceania |
The Cook Islands, Samoa, Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Niue, and the Palau archipelago. |
|
Caribbean |
Haiti, St. Lucia, Barbados, Dominica, Vincent, and the Grenadines. |
|
America |
Bolivia, Panamá, Ecuador, and Suriname. |
|
Africa |
Burundi, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Namibia, Cape Verde, the Comoros, Djibouti, Rwanda, the Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Somalia, Tanzania, Togo, and Zambia. |
Vietnam passport stamp: Shaped like a rectangle, these stamps are comparable to Schengen passport stamps in that they include important information, including the date, location, and direction of travel (entry or departure).
Vietnamese nationals will be able to apply for a new passport with an electronic chip attached on March 1st, 2023. Encrypted personal data and the signature of the issuer are stored on this chip. The colors are the same on passports with and without chips implanted.
Individuals cannot obtain a Vietnam passport in the following circumstances:
Citizens who are being investigated for crimes or who are being prosecuted for crimes.
Those who are presently incarcerated for any reason.
Those who are awaiting the outcome of a civil or economic dispute or who are presently serving a civil or economic judgment.
Individuals who, in the absence of their assets or money being deposited, are currently subject to decisions about administrative fines, tax duties, and other financial commitments.
Persons involved in immigration-related administrative infractions.
The procedure for obtaining a Vietnamese passport is as follows:
Filling out the Vietnam passport application in an accurate manner
Collecting all records of your life in Vietnam is the first step before filling out the passport application. All you need to have in hand is your birth certificate, old passport, NID card, family history, tax filings, and other records of your life before you moved there.
Note: Immigration documents to the foreign nation proving date and place of birth are acceptable if the individual is a refugee from the Vietnam War. Collect all of the documentation needed to live outside of Vietnam in the foreign nation, including your passport, driver's license, naturalization certificate, and any name change petitions.
Complete the To Khai or Vietnam Passport Application available at the Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate abroad.
Complete the So Yeu Ly Lich, or Personal Information Biography Form. This form requests historical data regarding many related pieces of information. Specially:
Your birthplace
The length of time you spent living in Vietnam
Your family's past
Your present family's ties to Vietnam
The other details
Upon gathering all the necessary paperwork from forms 1 and 2 and completing forms 3 and 4, the entire package is dispatched to the closest Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate in the foreign nation of residence for processing.
In order to verify that all the information in the application package is accurate and true, the Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate will return the full package to the Vietnam Border Patrol and Police throughout the processing stage.
Phone calls, in-person meetings, and cross-referencing with national databases with family members and friends are needed. This type of verification aims to confirm the relationship to the birthplace or previous residency, for example. It may take up to six months to finish this verification procedure.
Following the successful completion of the verification process, the Vietnamese passport application is approved, and a valid passport is given to the applicant.
The applicant would need to go through a different procedure after receiving the Vietnamese passport. Obtaining a household registration book (Ho Khau) and national identification card (chung minh nhan dan), which involve residency in Vietnam and communication with the Vietnamese police and border patrol, is essential for you to finalize.
Many elements can impact the result of a passport application, as follows:
Reasons leading to the Vietnam passport refusal
The Vietnamese officials failed the verification process, resulting in a rejection of the passport application. There is no point in finding or getting in touch with family or friends to confirm the details and ties to the birthplace.
To demonstrate close ties to Vietnam, the applicant was unable to present sufficient supporting documentation.
If the applicant was not born in Vietnam, one or both of their parents declined to obtain a Vietnamese passport.
The applicant cannot obtain Vietnamese citizenship or a passport because they have committed a crime in Vietnam or in another country.
The following are the general specifications of these Vietnam passport samples:
The passport name, national emblem, and national name are printed on the cover. In passports with embedded chips, an electronic chip symbol is present.
The passport's pages feature stunning images of Vietnam's landscapes paired with bronze drum designs.
The passport is written in English and Vietnamese.
Standard, official, and diplomatic passports include forty-eight pages (not including the cover). Passports that are normally granted through streamlined processes are 12 pages long.
All passport sizes are in accordance with ISO 7810 (ID-3) dimensions, which are 88 x 125 mm ± 0.75 mm.
Passports with chips implanted are equipped with an electronic chip inside the back cover.
The passport covers are composed of extremely durable synthetic plastic.
From page 1 until the passport's back cover, the numbers and letters are punched using laser technology.
Modern technology is used to produce the content and images printed on the passport, reducing the possibility of counterfeiting and adhering to ICAO regulations.
The processing period for a Vietnam passport application submitted at the Immigration Office in Vietnam is eight working days. The processing time for an application lodged at the Immigration Department is three to five working days.
The following application fees are applicable in Vietnam through December 31, 2023:
The cost of a new passport is 160,000 VND.
Reissuing a passport owing to damage or loss: 320,000 VND.
The following application costs will be charged in Vietnam as of January 1, 2024:
The cost of a new passport is 200,000 VND.
Reissuing a passport owing to damage or loss: 400,000 VND.
Applying outside of Vietnam will cost you the following fees:
The cost of a normal, official, and diplomatic passport is $70.
Simplified normal passport application process: $35.
Although losing a Vietnam passport can be upsetting, there are precautions you can take to lessen the possibility that it will be misused. You should notify the loss of a passport to an immigration office, police office, border control checkpoint, or Vietnamese representative office overseas within 48 hours of realizing it has been lost.
This is essential in order to stop unwanted use and invalidate the missing Vietnam passport. You might include an explanation of the particular circumstances in the report if there are strong reasons why the filing of this kind of report has been delayed.
Vietnam passport holders can travel the world with ease because the passport can be used to enter over 55 countries without the need for a visa. Every page of the Vietnam passport represents the spirit of travel, from the recently adopted chip-embedded passports to the fascinating passport stamps that tell stories of journeys. Contact us at [email protected] to be guided on how to finalize the passport application quickly.
