Vietnam to simplify e-passport issuance

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Linh Pham 10:55, 2018/12/12

The draft bill aims to provide legal bases to issuing, managing, and using of electronic passports.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security (MPS) has initiated a draft law on entry and exit of Vietnamese citizens with an aim to simplify procedures for issuance of passports, including e-passports, amid rising demand for overseas study, work, and travelling.

A Vietnamese passport

Accordingly, it focuses on building national database on immigration that links with databases on population, civil registry, criminal records, among others.

Papers required

Entering and exiting Vietnam will required passports including diplomatic passport, official passport, ordinary passports, temporary passports, and travel documents.

Diplomatic and official passports have a five-year validity with one maximum extension of three years, ordinary passports have a 10-year validity without extension while temporary passports are valid for one year without extension. Travel documents are valid for one year without extension.

Diplomatic, official, and ordinary passports will be equipped with an electronic chip to store information of personal biometrics and identity and authorities’ e-signatures.

New documents valid for entry and exit required under draft law

Another identification document provided in the draft law includes temporary passports which will be used to replace travel documents issued for Vietnamese citizens in cases of (a) loss of or expired passport while the bearer is abroad and has to return home immediately, (b) bearer of expired passports and without permission to remain in a foreign country and voluntarily returning home, (c) being denied residence permission and deported by foreign authorities, (d) returning home country under international treaties, (e) for defense or security purposes following the MPS’s decisions.

The issuance of temporary passports by Vietnamese authorities abroad is part of the efforts to protect people citizens.

Another kind of paper is travel documents which will be issued for citizens to enter neighboring countries for tourism or nations which share international membership with Vietnam.

There were 9.2 million Vietnamese going abroad in 2017 versus 7.7 million in 2016.

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