Circular No. 03/2016/TT-BNG guiding the issuance, extension, amendment, and supplementation of diplomatic passports, official passports, and issuance of letters of request for visas

CIRCULAR

GUIDELINES FOR THE ISSUE, EXTENSION, AMENDMENT, AND SUPPLEMENTATION OF DIPLOMATIC PASSPORTS, SERVICE PASSPORTS, AND THE ISSUE OF LETTERS OF CREDENTIALS TO APPLY FOR VISAS

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Pursuant to Decree No. 136/2007/NĐ-CP dated August 17, 2007 of the Government on exit and entry of Vietnamese citizens (hereinafter referred to as Decree 136);Pursuant to Decree No. 94/2015/NĐ-CP dated October 16, 2015 of the Government amending and supplementing certain articles of Decree No. 136/2007/NĐ-CP (hereinafter referred to as Decree 94);Pursuant to Decision No. 3/2013/NĐ-CP dated June 11, 2013 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hereby issues guidelines for the issuance, extension, amendment, and supplementation of diplomatic passports and service passports, and the issuance of letters of credentials to apply for visas."a) Import permits for medical equipment categories B, C, D and import permits for in vitro diagnostic reagents issued in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 shall remain valid until December 31, 2021, and customs authorities shall not control the quantity of imports in these cases, except as provided in Clause 1, Article 42 and point d of this clause. This Circular provides guidance on the authority, subjects, and procedures for issuing, extending, amending, and supplementing diplomatic passports and service passports as prescribed in Decree 136 and Decree 94; and the issuance of letters of credentials to request foreign competent authorities to issue visas for Vietnamese citizens.Article 2. Competent Authorities for Issuance, Extension, Amendment, and Supplementation of Diplomatic Passports and Service Passports, and Issuance of Letters of Credentials 1. Domestic competent authorities for issuing, extending, amending, and supplementing diplomatic passports and service passports, and issuing letters of credentials include the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City (hereinafter collectively referred to as domestic passport issuing authorities).

Decree No. 58/2012. Overseas competent authorities for issuing, extending, amending, and supplementing diplomatic passports and service passports, and issuing letters of credentials include diplomatic missions, consular offices, and other agencies authorized to perform consular functions abroad (hereinafter collectively referred to as overseas representative offices).Article 3. Validity Period of Diplomatic Passports and Service Passports

1. Diplomatic passports and service passports shall have a validity period of at least one year and not more than five years from the date of issuance. 2. The validity period of diplomatic passports and service passports issued to individuals specified in Clause 4, Article 16 of this Circular shall not exceed the validity period of the passports of members of diplomatic missions, state news agencies, and press agencies permanently stationed abroad whom they accompany or visit.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

3. The validity period of diplomatic passports and service passports issued to individuals whose positions have changed as specified in Clause 2, Article 16 of this Circular shall not exceed the remaining validity period of their old passports.

4. The validity period of diplomatic passports and service passports issued to individuals who lost or damaged their passports as specified in Clause 1, Article 16 of this Circular when traveling abroad on short-term business trips shall be one year.

Article 4. Documents Appointing or Permitting Officials and Civil Servants to Travel Abroad

1. Documents appointing or permitting officials, civil servants, managerial staff, officers, and professional military personnel to travel abroad (hereinafter referred to as appointment documents for travel abroad) must contain all necessary information according to Model 03/2016/XNC attached hereto. These documents must be directly signed by the authorized person or their delegate, stamped with the seal of the agency, and comply with Clause 2 of this Article and other legal provisions on document format.

1. The validity period of diplomatic passports and official passports issued in cases of damage or loss while on short-term overseas business trips as stipulated in Point a Clause 1 Article 13 of the Law shall be one year; the validity period of diplomatic passports and official passports issued in cases of full pages or extensions as stipulated in Point a Clause 1 Article 13 of the Law shall not exceed the validity period of the old passport and shall be at least one year.

2. Appointment documents for travel abroad consisting of two pages or more must be sequentially numbered and stamped across the page edges. For documents containing two pages on one sheet, the first page must be stamped with a hanging stamp or a stamp across the page edges. In cases of amendments or supplements, these must be directly signed by the authorized person and stamped with the seal of the agency at the point of amendment or supplement. If there are two or more amendments or supplements, a new document must be issued.

3. For official members and accompanying personnel of delegations led by the General Secretary, Standing Deputy Secretaries of the Party Central Committee, Members of the Politburo, Secretaries of the Central Committee, President, Vice President, Chairperson, Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, the appointment document for travel abroad is a notification letter listing the delegation members issued by the Central Party's External Relations Office, the President's Office, the National Assembly's Office, or the Government's Office.

4. For individuals under the management of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, the appointment document for travel abroad is a letter from the Central Party's Office, the Central Party's External Relations Office, the President's Office, the National Assembly's Office, or the Government's Office notifying the approval for travel abroad by the competent authority. For officials and civil servants in Vietnam's sub-commissions within the Joint Committee of Vietnam and foreign countries, a decision to send them abroad for work should be issued by the directly managing sub-commission. When performing tasks within the functions of a particular agency, the decision to send them abroad for work should be issued by that agency.

5. For spouses accompanying on official business trips, the appointment document for travel abroad should be issued by those individuals specified in Clauses 1 to 8, Article 6 of Decree 136, as amended and supplemented by Clause 3, Article 1 of Decree 94, clearly stating that the individual may bring their spouse along on the official trip. If the appointment document for travel abroad does not clearly state that the individual may bring their spouse along, it must be accompanied by a written confirmation from the agency or organization where the individual being sent abroad works, confirming the spouse's accompanying status.

6. For spouses and children under 18 years old accompanying state news agency and press reporters permanently stationed abroad, the appointment document for travel abroad should be issued by the reporter, clearly stating that the individual may bring their spouse and children under 18 along, accompanied by a written opinion from the Personnel Organization Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In cases where spouses and children under 18 years old visit state news agency and press reporters permanently stationed abroad, the appointment document for travel abroad should be issued by the directly managing state news agency or press, accompanied by a written opinion from the Personnel Organization Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

7. For spouses and children under 18 years old visiting or accompanying members of diplomatic missions, the appointment document for travel abroad should be a decision by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or a written agreement from the Personnel Organization Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

3. For official members accompanying delegations of the General Secretary, the Standing Secretariat of the Politburo, members of the Politburo, Central Committee Secretaries, the President, Vice Presidents, Chairpersons, Vice Chairpersons of the National Assembly, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Ministers, the document for traveling abroad shall be a notification letter from the Central Party's External Relations Board, the Office of the President, the Office of the National Assembly, or the Government Office listing the delegation members.

4. For individuals under the management of the Central Committee, the document for traveling abroad shall be a letter from the Central Party Office, the Central Party's External Relations Board, the Office of the President, the Office of the National Assembly, or the Government Office indicating the approval for travel abroad by the competent authority. For officials and civil servants belonging to Vietnam's sub-commissions within the Joint Governmental Cooperation Commission with foreign countries, a decision on dispatching them abroad for work from their direct managing agency shall be used. In cases where an individual has multiple peer-level managing agencies, when performing tasks within the functions of a particular agency, the dispatch decision from that agency shall be used.

5. For spouses accompanying the official on a business trip, the document for traveling abroad shall be the document specified in Clauses 1 to 8 of Article 6 of Decree 136, amended and supplemented according to Clause 3 of Article 1 of Decree 94, clearly stating that the person is allowed to bring their spouse along on the business trip. If such documents do not explicitly state this permission, they must be accompanied by a written confirmation from the agency or organization where the dispatched person works, confirming the spouse’s accompanying status.

6. For spouses and children under 18 years old accompanying Vietnamese state news agencies' correspondents permanently stationed abroad, the document for traveling abroad shall be the correspondent's dispatch document, clearly stating that the person is allowed to bring their spouse and children under 18 years old along, accompanied by a written opinion from the Cadre and Civil Servant Organization Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In the case of spouses and children under 18 years old visiting Vietnamese state news agencies' correspondents permanently stationed abroad, the document for traveling abroad shall be the agreement of the state news agency directly managing the correspondent, accompanied by a written opinion from the Cadre and Civil Servant Organization Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

7. For spouses and children under 18 years old visiting or accompanying members of diplomatic missions, the document for traveling abroad shall be a decision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or an agreement of the Cadre and Civil Servant Organization Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Article 5. Delegation Authorization Documents for Dispatching or Permitting Officials and Civil Servants to Travel Abroad

1. The delegation authorization for subordinate units to dispatch or permit management officials and civil servants to travel abroad as stipulated in Clause 2, Article 32 of Decree 136, amended and supplemented by Clause 9, Article 1 of Decree 94, must be established in writing according to Model 05/2016/XNC issued together with this Circular.

2. The delegation authorization document must be directly signed by the head or deputy head of the Central Party Committees, Provincial Party Committees, Municipal Party Committees under the Central Party, Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, agencies under the Government, public service organizations established by the Government, Supreme People's Court, Supreme People's Procuracy, People's Councils, People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities, and stamped by the agency. When the authorizing person ceases or completes their term of office, the successor needs to issue a new delegation authorization document.

3. In cases where the competent authority as stipulated in Clause 1, Article 32 of Decree 136, amended and supplemented by Clause 9, Article 1 of Decree 94, issues regulations on managing outbound travel of officials, civil servants, and employees that include provisions on delegation or assignment of responsibility to subordinate units to dispatch or permit management officials and civil servants to travel abroad, there is no need to issue a delegation authorization document according to Model 05/2016/XNC. The delegated unit or assigned unit shall send a letter introducing signatures to the passport issuing authority within the country as provided for in Article 6 of this Circular.

Article 6. Introduction of Seal Samples, Signature Samples, and Titles

1. Competent authorities responsible for dispatching or permitting management officials, civil servants, officers, and professional military personnel to travel abroad and the authorized agencies as stipulated in Clause 2, Article 32 of Decree 136, amended and supplemented by Clause 9, Article 1 of Decree 94, must introduce in writing to the passport issuing authority within the country about the model seal, signature, and position of the authorized person according to Model 04/2016/XNC issued together with this Circular before implementing the dispatching or permitting of officials, civil servants, officers, and professional military personnel to travel abroad.

2. The introduction document for the model seal, signature, and position must be directly signed by the authorized person and stamped by the agency.

Article 7. Application Form for Issuance of Diplomatic Passport, Official Passport, and Letter of Introduction for Visa Request

1. The application form for issuance of diplomatic passport, official passport, and letter of introduction for visa request according to Model 01/2016/XNC can be filled out on a pre-printed form or online at the Consular Affairs Portal at www.lanhsuvietnam.gov.vn, then printed, signed, and confirmed according to Clause 2 of this Article.

2. The application form for issuance of diplomatic passport, official passport, and letter of introduction for visa request must be fully completed, directly signed by the applicant, and confirmed by the organization or entity where the applicant works, with the stamp affixed over the photograph. For applicants requesting letters of introduction who already hold valid diplomatic passports or official passports, the application form does not require confirmation from the organization or entity where they work.

For spouses traveling on official business trips; spouses and children under 18 years old visiting or accompanying members of overseas representative offices, state news agencies, and press agencies of Vietnam that are not part of any organization or entity, the application form must have confirmation from the organization or entity directly managing the personnel of the dispatched individual who will visit or accompany them.

For applicants requesting diplomatic passports or official passports who still hold valid previous diplomatic passports or official passports without changes in position, rank, or working organization compared to the time of issuance of the previous passport, nor changes in the issuing authority, the application form does not require confirmation from the organization or entity where they work. If there are changes in position, rank, or working organization compared to the time of issuance of the previous passport, as well as changes in the issuing authority, the provisions of Clause 2 of this Article shall apply.

Article 8. Designation in diplomatic passports and official passports

1. The passport issuing authority within the country or the representative office records the position in Vietnamese in diplomatic passports for individuals holding positions specified from Clause 2 to Clause 8, Article 6 of Decree 136, amended and supplemented by Clause 3, Article 1 of Decree 94, except when the main managing agency requests not to record the position or due to foreign relations or national security reasons.

2. The passport issuing authority within the country or the representative office records the position in both Vietnamese and English in diplomatic passports and official passports of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Assistant Ministers of Foreign Affairs, diplomatic staff conferred diplomatic rank, members of representative offices, state news agencies, and press agencies of Vietnam permanently stationed abroad, and those visiting or accompanying as stipulated in Clause 11, Article 6 and Clause 4, Article 7 of Decree 136, amended and supplemented by Clause 3 and Clause 4, Article 1 of Decree 94.

3. Holders of diplomatic passports and official passports may not arbitrarily record their positions in their passports.

Chapter II

PROCEDURES FOR ISSUANCE, EXTENSION, AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENTATION OF DIPLOMATIC PASSPORTS AND OFFICIAL PASSPORTS AND ISSUE OF LETTERS OF INTRODUCTION WITHIN THE COUNTRY

Article 9. Receiving applications and delivering results through local diplomatic agencies

The receipt of applications and delivery of results for the issuance, extension, amendment, and supplementation of diplomatic passports, official passports, and letters of introduction through provincial/district/municipal foreign affairs departments (hereinafter referred to as local diplomatic agencies) as stipulated in Clause 1, Article 14 of Decree 136, amended and supplemented by Clause 5, Article 1 of Decree 94, shall be carried out as follows:

1. Local diplomatic agencies shall receive applications for the issuance, extension, amendment, and supplementation of diplomatic passports, official passports, and letters of introduction.

2. Local diplomatic agencies shall transfer the application files along with fees to the domestic passport issuing agency. In cases where the files are transferred via postal service, they shall be sent through a courier service designated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accompanied by postal charges.

3. After receiving the results from the domestic passport issuing agency, local diplomatic agencies shall deliver the results to the applicant.

Article 10. Application Files for Issuing Diplomatic Passports and Official Passports

Applicants for diplomatic passports and official passports shall submit one set of application files including:

1. One application form as prescribed in Article 7 of this Circular.

2. Three identical photographs, size 4 x 6 cm, taken against a white background, looking straight ahead, bareheaded, without tinted glasses, in civilian clothes, not older than one year, of which one photograph is affixed to the application form and two are attached.

3. One original copy of the dispatch document to go abroad and other accompanying documents as prescribed in Article 4 of this Circular.

4. One copy of the birth certificate or a copy of the extract from the birth registration or a certificate of adoption for children under 18 years old going to visit or accompany (original to be presented for verification).

5. One copy of the identity card or citizen identification card or military identification card (for military personnel), original to be presented for verification.

6. A diplomatic passport or official passport that has expired and needs to be reissued within eight years (if applicable). In case of loss of the passport, one original copy of the lost passport notification document (according to Form 06/2016/XNC issued together with this Circular) shall be submitted.

Article 11. Application Files for Extending Diplomatic Passports and Official Passports

Applicants for extending diplomatic passports and official passports shall submit one set of application files including:

1. A diplomatic passport or official passport still valid for less than one year.

2. One original copy of the dispatch document to go abroad as prescribed in Article 4 of this Circular.

Article 12. Application Files for Amending and Supplementing Diplomatic Passports and Official Passports

Applicants for amending and supplementing diplomatic passports and official passports shall submit one set of application files including:

1. One application form according to Form 02/2016/XNC (which can be filled out on a pre-printed form or online at the Consular Affairs Information Portal at www.lanhsuvietnam.gov.vn, then printed and signed).

2. A diplomatic passport or official passport still valid for amendment and supplementation.

3. One copy of the document proving the necessity of amending and supplementing the passport (original to be presented for verification).

4. One original copy of the explanatory document of the competent authority as prescribed in Clause 1 and Clause 2, Article 32 of Decree 136, amended and supplemented by Clause 9, Article 1 of Decree 94, in cases where the request for amendment and supplementation differs from the original passport application file.

Article 13. Documents for Application for an Invitation Letter to Obtain a Visa

The applicant for an invitation letter to obtain a visa shall submit one set of documents including:

1. One application form as prescribed in Article 7 of this Circular.

2. A passport valid for more than six months from the date of the expected departure.

3. One original copy of the dispatch document abroad as prescribed in Article 4 of this Circular.

4. One copy of the invitation letter (if available).

Article 14. Procedures for Processing

1. Receiving Documents:

If the submitted documents are complete and compliant with the provisions of Clause 1, Article 14 of Decree 136, amended and supplemented by Clause 5, Article 1 of Decree 94, and the provisions from Article 10 to Article 13 of this Circular, the receiving agency (domestic passport issuing authority or local foreign affairs agency) shall issue a receipt form (Form 07/2016/XNC), collect fees, and provide a receipt. If the documents are incomplete or non-compliant, the receiving agency shall guide the applicant to supplement and perfect the documents.

2. Processing Timeframe:

a) In cases where the documents are submitted directly to the passport issuing authority: For applications for diplomatic passports and official passports, the domestic passport issuing authority shall process within no more than five working days from the date of receiving all valid documents; for applications for extension, amendment, supplementation of passports or issuance of an invitation letter, the domestic passport issuing authority shall process within no more than two working days from the date of receiving all valid documents.

b) In cases where the documents are submitted to the local foreign affairs agency, within the shortest possible time and no more than two working days from the date of receiving all valid documents, the local foreign affairs agency must transfer the documents to the domestic passport issuing authority. For applications for diplomatic passports and official passports, the domestic passport issuing authority shall process within no more than three working days from the date of receiving all valid documents; for applications for extension, amendment, supplementation of passports or issuance of an invitation letter, the domestic passport issuing authority shall process within no more than two working days from the date of receiving all valid documents.

c) In cases where the documents are submitted through an online application form, the processing time is one working day from the date the domestic passport issuing authority receives all valid documents. For groups of fifty people or more, the processing time is no more than five working days from the date of receiving all valid documents.

3. In cases where a diplomatic passport or official passport still in use is submitted, before issuing a new passport, the domestic passport issuing authority shall carry out procedures to invalidate the old passport. In cases where the purpose is to visit members of Vietnam's representative offices, state news agencies, or press organizations permanently stationed abroad, the domestic passport issuing authority shall issue a new passport with the title noted and not invalidate the old passport.

In cases where there is a notification of lost passport, the domestic passport issuing authority shall, within the shortest possible time and no more than three working days from the date of receiving the notification, notify the invalidation of the lost passport to: the Exit and Entry Administration under the Ministry of Public Security, the Border Gate Management Department under the Border Guard Command of the Ministry of National Defense, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Foreign Affairs (in case the Consular Department is the receiving agency), and the Consular Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (in case the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Foreign Affairs is the receiving agency), and Vietnamese representative offices abroad.

4. Issuing Results:

The receiving agency shall issue the results to the person named on the receipt. In cases where the person named on the receipt is not the holder of the diplomatic passport, official passport, or the recipient of the invitation letter, a copy of the Identity Card or Citizen Identification Card and the original must be presented for verification.

Article 15. Issuance of Diplomatic Passports and Official Passports in Special Cases

1. In cases where diplomatic passports and official passports are requested in accordance with Clause 12, Article 6 and Clause 5, Article 7 of Decree 136, amended and supplemented by Clause 3 and Clause 4, Article 1 of Decree 94, in addition to the dossier prescribed in Article 10 of this Circular, it is necessary to supplement one original copy of the request letter sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the competent authority specified in Clause 1, Article 32 of Decree 136, supplemented by Clause 9, Article 1 of Decree 94, clearly stating the reasons for requesting the issuance of diplomatic passports and official passports.

2. Within no more than five working days from the date of receiving a complete and valid dossier, the passport issuing agency within the country shall examine and issue diplomatic passports and official passports with appropriate validity periods or refuse to issue passports.

3. After issuing the passports, the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City shall immediately notify the Consular Department of the list of persons who have been issued passports, including detailed personal information, passport number, date of issuance, validity period of the passport, reasons for issuance, and the position of the person issued the passport.

Chapter III

PROCEDURES FOR ISSUANCE, EXTENSION, AMENDMENT, AND SUPPLEMENTATION OF DIPLOMATIC PASSPORTS AND OFFICIAL PASSPORTS AND ISSUE OF DIPLOMACY ABROAD

Article 16. Subjects eligible for issuance and extension of diplomatic passports and official passports abroad

1. Persons who have lost or damaged diplomatic passports or official passports, or diplomatic passports or official passports that have run out of pages or expired during their work abroad.

2. Members of diplomatic missions or state news agencies permanently stationed abroad who have changed positions.

3. Persons appointed as members of diplomatic missions or state news agencies permanently stationed abroad while residing abroad.

4. Spouses and children under 18 years old residing abroad who visit or accompany newly born children of members of diplomatic missions or state news agencies permanently stationed abroad.

5. Other special cases as guided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Article 17. Dossier for Requesting Issuance of Diplomatic Passports and Official Passports

The person requesting the issuance or extension of diplomatic passports and official passports shall submit one set of dossier comprising:

1. One application form as prescribed in Article 7 of this Circular without the need for confirmation.

2. Three identical photographs, size 4 x 6 cm, taken against a light background, looking straight ahead, bareheaded, not wearing tinted glasses, in casual attire, taken no more than one year ago; one photograph affixed to the application form, two attached separately.

3. One copy of the dispatch document for going abroad as prescribed in Article 4 of this Circular for cases mentioned in Clause 1 and Clause 4, Article 16 of this Circular.

4. One copy of the Decision or notification of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the management agency of state news agencies permanently stationed abroad regarding changes in position or appointment as members of diplomatic missions or state news agencies permanently stationed abroad for cases mentioned in Clause 2 and Clause 3, Article 16 of this Circular.

5. Damaged diplomatic passports or official passports, those that have run out of pages or expired, or a report of loss of passport confirmed by the competent authority of the host country for cases mentioned in Clause 1, Article 16 of this Circular.

6. Previously issued diplomatic passports or official passports (if available). In case of extension request, the passport must still be valid for less than one year.

7. For children of members of diplomatic missions or state news agencies permanently stationed abroad who were born abroad during their parents' term of service, an additional copy of the Birth Certificate or a copy of the Extract from the Birth Registration Record should be supplemented.

Article 18. Documents for requesting extension, amendment, supplementation of diplomatic passports, service passports, and issuance of letters of introduction

Documents for requesting extension, amendment, supplementation of diplomatic passports, service passports, and issuance of letters of introduction abroad shall be implemented in accordance with the provisions of Articles 11, 12, and 13 of this Circular.

Article 19. Procedures for handling

1. Receiving Documents:

If the documents are complete and valid in accordance with the provisions of Articles 17 and 18 of this Circular, the representative office will issue a receipt, collect fees, and provide a receipt. If the documents are incomplete or invalid, the representative office will guide to supplement and perfect the documents.

2. For requests to issue, extend diplomatic passports, service passports for the subjects mentioned from Clause 1 to Clause 4 of Article 16 of this Circular:

a) Except for the cases mentioned in Point b below, within 01 working day from the date of receiving complete and valid documents, the representative office will send detailed personal information including full name, date of birth, place of birth, gender, nationality (accompanied by a photo) of the person requesting issuance or extension of the passport to the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and simultaneously forward to the previous passport issuing authority (if the passport was issued at another representative office or at the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City) for verification and solicitation of opinions.

b) For the case of newborn children of representatives of representative offices, state news agencies residing abroad, and the cases mentioned in Clause 2 and Clause 3 of Article 16 of this Circular where the representative office has received Decisions or notifications from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding changes in position or appointment as members of representative offices or state news agencies residing abroad, or in cases of requesting issuance of passports due to loss or damage of passports where the applicant presents copies of Decisions on dispatch or permission to travel abroad from their competent authorities and the representative office can confirm and ensure the authenticity of personal information, information about the work itinerary in the host country, information about previously issued diplomatic passports or service passports, and information about the need to continue the work itinerary to other countries (for cases of lost or damaged passports), then the head of the representative office may decide to immediately issue diplomatic passports or service passports without verification and bear responsibility for the decision to issue passports. After issuing diplomatic passports or service passports, the representative office will notify the competent domestic authorities according to the procedure specified in Point e below.

c) For cases requiring verification, within 03 working days from the date of receiving the verification request, the previous passport issuing authority has the responsibility to reply to the Consular Department and simultaneously forward to the representative office.

In the case where the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the previous issuing authority for diplomatic passports or service passports, the verification reply must be accompanied by opinions on the issuance or extension of diplomatic passports or service passports.

d) Within 02 working days from the date of receiving the verification results, the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will notify the representative office of its opinion on the issuance or extension of diplomatic passports or service passports.

đ) Within 01 working day from the date of receiving the reply from the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the representative office will implement the issuance or extension of diplomatic passports or service passports or issue a refusal letter to the applicant. In cases where the applicant still holds a valid old diplomatic passport or service passport, the representative office will cancel the old passport before issuing a new one.

e) After issuing the passport, the representative office will immediately notify the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Immigration Management Department of the Ministry of Public Security of the list of persons who have been issued passports, including detailed personal information, passport number, date of issuance of the new passport and the old passport, validity period of the new passport, reasons for issuing the passport, and the position of the person issued the passport.

f) The representative office will notify the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the list of persons reporting the loss of diplomatic passports or service passports, and simultaneously inform the competent authority of the host country of the cancellation of the value of the lost passport.

g) The Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will notify the Immigration Management Department of the Ministry of Public Security, the Border Gate Management Department of the Border Guard Command of the Ministry of National Defense, the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City, and Vietnamese representative offices abroad of the cancellation of the value of the lost passport.

3. For requests to issue, extend diplomatic passports, service passports for the subjects mentioned in Clause 5 of Article 16 of this Circular:

a) Within 03 working days from the date of receiving complete and valid documents, the representative office will proceed to issue or extend diplomatic passports or service passports based on the opinion of the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

b) After issuing the passport, the representative office will immediately notify the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Immigration Management Department of the Ministry of Public Security of the list of persons who have been issued passports, including detailed personal information, passport number, date of issuance of the new passport and the old passport, validity period of the new passport, reasons for issuing the passport, and the position of the person issued the passport.

4. For requests to amend, supplement diplomatic passports, service passports, and issue letters of introduction:

Within no more than 02 working days from the date of receiving complete and valid documents, the representative office will amend, supplement diplomatic passports or service passports and issue letters of introduction or issue a notification letter refusing the request to the applicant.

5. Delivering Results:

The representative office will deliver the results to the person named in the receipt. In cases where the person named in the receipt is not the person requesting issuance, extension, amendment, or supplementation of diplomatic passports or service passports or issuance of letters of introduction, a copy of the passport or substitute document of the person named in the receipt must be submitted, and the original must be presented for verification.

Chapter IV

STORAGE AND PRESERVATION OF APPLICATION FILES

Article 20. Archival Records

Archival records include the records for issuing, extending, amending, and supplementing diplomatic passports, official passports, and letters of introduction, as well as ledgers printed from the passport issuance software.

Article 21. Preservation Regime

1. The records for issuing, extending, amending, and supplementing diplomatic passports, official passports, and letters of introduction shall be numbered sequentially and stored for a period of eight years.

2. Ledgers shall be stored indefinitely.

Chapter V

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 22. Issuance of Forms

1. Seven forms are issued together with this Circular as follows:

- Application form for requesting issuance of diplomatic passports, official passports, and letters of introduction for visa applications (Form 01/2016/XNC);

- Application form for requesting amendment and supplementation of diplomatic passports, official passports (Form 02/2016/XNC);

- Document on dispatching officials, civil servants, management staff, officers, and professional military personnel to work abroad (Form 03/2016/XNC);

- Document introducing the seal and signature samples of the dispatching agency and authorized person for officials, civil servants, management staff, officers, and professional military personnel dispatched to work abroad (Form 04/2016/XNC);

- Authorization document for dispatching officials, civil servants, management staff, officers, and professional military personnel to work abroad (Form 05/2016/XNC);

- Notification document regarding the loss of diplomatic passports, official passports (Form 06/2016/XNC);

- Receipt form for the records of issuing, extending, amending, and supplementing diplomatic passports, official passports, and letters of introduction for visa applications (Form 07/2016/XNC).

2. These forms shall be published on the Consular Affairs Electronic Information Portal at the address http://lanhsuvietnam.gov.vn for agencies, organizations, and individuals to download and use as needed.

Article 23. Effectiveness of Implementation

This Circular takes effect from August 15, 2016, and replaces Circular No. 02/2013/TT-BNG dated June 25, 2013, of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs guiding the issuance, extension, amendment, and supplementation of diplomatic passports, official passports, and letters of introduction for visa applications./.