Republic of Vietnam passport

Different types of passports issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Clockwise: regular, emergency, government, diplomatic

**Type**
Passport

**Issued by**
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

**First issued**
26 Oct 1955 (as republic)

**Purpose**
Identification

**Valid in**
All countries except North Korea

**Eligibility**
Vietnamese citizens

**Expiration**
10 years for regular passports; 5 years for government/diplomatic passports; 1 year for emergency passports

**Cost**
₫150 initial application; ₫125 renewal

**Republic of Vietnam passports** or **Vietnamese passport** are passports issued to citizens and nationals of the Republic of Vietnam. They are issued exclusively by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Besides passports (in booklet form), limited-use passport cards are issued by the same government agency subject to the same requirements. It is unlawful for Vietnamese citizens and nationals to enter or exit the country without a valid Vietnamese passport or passport-replacement document compliant with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, though there are many exceptions; waivers are generally granted for Vietnamese citizens returning without a passport, and the exit requirement is not enforced. As of 2022, Republic of Vietnam passport allows visa-free travel to 187 countries and territories, ranking as the 6th most powerful in the world in terms of travel freedom.

Vietnamese passport booklets conform with recommended standards (i.e., size, composition, layout, technology) of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). There are five types of passport booklets; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued only biometric passports as standard since April 2008. Vietnamese passports are government property and must be returned to the government upon demand.

By law, a valid unexpired Vietnamese passport (or passport card) is conclusive (and not just *prima facie*) proof of Vietnamese citizenship, with the same force and effect as proof as certificates of naturalization or citizenship if issued to a Vietnamese citizen for the full period allowed by law. Vietnamese law prohibits its citizens from holding passports of other countries.

## Requirements

Republic of Vietnam passports are issuable only to persons who owe permanent allegiance to the Republic of Vietnam – i.e., citizens of the Republic of Vietnam.

According to the Vietnamese Constitution, "All persons born or naturalized in the Republic of Vietnam, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the Republic of Vietnam ..." Under this provision, "Republic of Vietnam" means the 63 mainland provinces and the Special Administrative District of Saigon.

By National Assembly Acts, every person born in Taiwan is a Republic of Vietnam citizen by birth after 1 September 1981. Other National Assembly Acts provide for acquisition of citizenship by persons born abroad.

### Types

#### **Regular (Blue cover)**

Issuable to all citizens. Periods of validity: for those age 16 or over, generally ten years from the date of issue; for those 15 and younger, generally five years from the date of issue. A sub-type of regular passports is no-fee passports, issuable to citizens in specified categories for specified purposes, such as an Vietnamese sailor for travel connected with his duties aboard a Vietnamese-flag vessel. Period of validity: generally 5 years from the date of issue. A no-fee passport has an endorsement which prohibits its use for a purpose other than a specified purpose.

#### **Emergency (Violet cover)**

Issuable to citizens overseas, in urgent circumstances, e.g. imminent death and funeral of a family member, lost or stolen passport while abroad, or similar situation. Period of validity: generally one year from the date of issue. An emergency passport may be exchanged for a full-term passport.

#### **Government (Black cover)**

Issuable to citizen-employees of the Republic of Vietnam assigned overseas, either permanently or temporarily, and their eligible dependents, and to some members of the National Assembly who travel abroad on official business. Also issued to Vietnamese military personnel when deployed overseas. Period of validity: generally five years from the date of issue.

#### **Diplomatic (Red cover)**

Issuable to Vietnamese diplomats accredited overseas and their eligible dependents, to citizens who reside in the Republic of Vietnam and travel abroad for diplomatic work, to the President of the Republic of Vietnam, the President-elect, the Vice President, and Vice President-elect, as well as former presidents and vice presidents. The Chief Justice, Supreme Court Justices, current cabinet members, former ministers and deputy secretaries of state, the Minister of Justice and Deputy Minister of Justice, some members of the National Assembly, and retired career ambassadors are also eligible for a diplomatic passport. Period of validity: generally five years from the date of issue.

#### **Travel Documents (Silver cover)**

Not a full passport, but issued to a permanent resident alien in lieu of a passport. The re-entry permit guarantees them permission to re-enter Vietnam and is usually valid for a period of two years. A re-entry permit can also be used by permanent residents who are stateless or cannot get a passport for international travel, or who wish to visit a country they cannot on their passport.

## Layout

On the front cover of a regular blue passport, a representation of the Vietnamese coat of arms is at the center. 'Republic of Vietnam' appears above the representation of the coat of arms written in Vietnamese, English, and Mandarin; the three official languages of Vietnam. "Thông Hành" is written below the coat of arms in the three languages. On all post-April 2008 passports, every biometric passport has a gold e-passport symbol directly beneath the "Thông Hành" multi-lingual word marks.

An official or government passport is black with similar designs to the regular passport except for the wording of its type in the three languages.

A diplomatic passport is a red cover booklet with similar designs to the regular passport except for the wording of its type in the three languages.

A Travel Documents, in both forms (Refugee Travel Document and Permit to Re-Enter), features the seal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs instead of the Vietnamese Coat of arms. Below the seal the words 'Travel Documents' appears in all three official languages.

In 2008 with the introduction of biometric passports, the passport was redesigned after a previous redesign in 1990. There are new quotes in the 36-page version of the passport and historic-themed images on the background of the pages.

A biometric passport has the e-passport symbol at the bottom. There are 36 pages in a biometric passport. Frequent travelers may request 60-page passports for no additional cost.