General passport and things to know for foreigners

This article provides important information about general passports and what foreigners need to know when living or traveling in Vietnam. From applying for a passport, rights, to important legal considerations and related procedures, the article will help readers grasp clear and complete necessary information. This is a useful resource for foreigners who want to understand passport regulations in Vietnam.

1. What is a general passport?

- A passport is a document owned by the State, issued by Vietnam's competent authorities to Vietnamese citizens for use in exit, entry, nationality identification, and personal identification purposes.

- An electronic chip passport is a passport with an electronic device that stores encrypted information of the passport holder and the digital signature of the issuer.

- Immigration documents include:

+ Diplomatic passports;

+ Official passports;

+ General passports;

+ Travel permits.

Therefore, a general passport is one of the types of documents that people use for entry and exit activities.

(Article 3, 4 of the Law on Exit and Entry of Vietnamese Citizens 2019)

2. Issuing general passports

2.1. Objects that are granted general passports

Vietnamese citizens are considered for general passport issuance except as provided in Article 21 of the Law on Exit and Entry of Vietnamese Citizens 2019

(Article 14 of the Law on Exit and Entry of Vietnamese Citizens 2019)

2.2. General passport issuance dossier

Domestic general passport issuance dossier includes the following documents:

- The applicant for a passport submits a completed declaration form with full information.

- 02 portrait photos;

- Relevant documents are presented with the Identity Card, Citizen Identification Card or valid passport

- Completed declaration form with full information

- Copy of birth certificate or birth registration excerpt for those under 14 years of age;

- The most recent general passport issued for those already granted a passport;

In case of lost passport, must be accompanied by a declaration of loss or a notice of receipt of the application from the competent authority as specified in Article 28 of the Law on Exit and Entry of Vietnamese Citizens 2019;

- A copy of the Identity Card or Citizen Identification Card for cases where personal information has changed compared to the information in the last issued passport;

- A certified copy of the document issued by the competent authority of Vietnam certifying the legal representative for persons with limited legal capacity, those with difficulty in perception, decision-making according to the provisions of the Civil Code, those under 14 years of age.