Circular No. 27/2007/TT-BCA guiding the issuance and amendment of ordinary passports within the country pursuant to Government Decree No. 136/2007/NĐ-CP dated August 17, 2007 on exit and entry of Vietnamese citizens.

CIRCULAR

Guidelines for issuing and amending ordinary passports within the country pursuant to Decree No. 136/2007/NĐ-CP dated August 17, 2007 of the Government on exit and entry of Vietnamese citizens

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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, the Ministry of Public Security hereby provides detailed guidelines for issuing and amending ordinary passports within the country (hereinafter referred to as passports) for Vietnamese citizens as follows:

I. PROCEDURES FOR ISSUING AND AMENDING PASSPORTS

1. Application dossier for issuing passports (first issuance, reissuance, amendment):

a. First issuance:

- One application form according to the prescribed model.

- Four newly taken photographs, size 4x6 cm, front view, bare head, white background.

* For children under 14 years old:

- The application form for issuing a passport according to the prescribed model (including joint issuance with mother, father or separate issuance) must be confirmed and stamped over the photograph by the Police Station of the commune, ward, town where the child usually resides or temporarily resides.

- In case of joint issuance with mother or father, submit one copy of the birth certificate (bring the original for verification) and four photographs, size 3x4 cm.

- In case of separate issuance of a passport, submit one application form according to the prescribed model (mother or father fill out and sign the form); one copy of the birth certificate and four photographs, size 4x6 cm.

- In case there is no mother or father, the foster parent or guardian (with proof of guardianship or legal adoption) shall fill out and sign the form.

b. Reissuance of passports (lost passport; damaged passport; remaining validity period less than 30 days or expired; separating a child from the mother's or father's passport), in addition to the provisions in paragraph a above, must supplement the following documents:

- In case of lost passport, submit the report on the loss of the passport as stipulated at point 3, Section II of this Circular.

- In case of damaged passport or remaining validity period less than 30 days, submit the passport.

- In case of separating a child from the mother's or father's passport, submit the passport, one application form according to the prescribed model and two photographs of the mother or father to reissue the passport; submit one application form according to the prescribed model and two photographs of the child to issue a separate passport for the child (the form is filled out and signed by the mother or father).

c. Amendment of passports (passport still valid for at least 30 days; passport still valid but has run out of visa pages or for other reasons), in addition to the documents specified in paragraph a above, must submit the passport for reference in issuing an amended passport.

The application form for amending a passport does not need confirmation by the Police Station of the commune, ward, town where the applicant usually resides or temporarily resides.

2. Application dossier for amending passports (adjusting surname, given name, date of birth, place of birth, citizen identification number in the passport; adding a child to the mother's or father's passport):

- In case of adjusting surname, given name, date of birth, place of birth, citizen identification number, submit one application form according to the prescribed model, along with a copy of the citizen identification card or other legal documents proving the adjustment.

- In case of adding a child to the mother's or father's passport, submit four photographs, size 3x4 cm of the child. The filling and confirmation on the application form shall be carried out according to paragraph a, point 1, Section I of this Circular. The passport to be amended must have at least one year remaining validity.

3. Methods of submitting dossiers and receiving results:

a. Applicants for first issuance, reissuance, and amendment of passports shall submit their dossiers to the Exit and Entry Management Department of the provincial police force or the municipal police force directly under the central government where they usually reside or temporarily reside in one of the following ways:

- Directly submit the dossier and receive the result: The application form does not need confirmation by the Police Station of the commune, ward, town where the applicant usually resides or temporarily resides. When submitting the dossier and receiving the result, the applicant must present the citizen identification card for verification.

- Entrust an organization or entity with legal personality (as stipulated in paragraph a, point 1, Section II of this Circular) to submit the dossier and receive the result:

The entrusting party shall fill out and sign the application form for issuing or amending a passport according to the prescribed model, with the photograph stamped over and confirmed by the head of the entrusted organization or entity.

The entrusted organization or entity shall send a letter to the provincial police force or the municipal police force directly under the central government requesting resolution. If requesting resolution for multiple people, a list of entrusting parties with signatures and stamps of the head of the entrusted organization or entity must be attached.

Staff members of the entrusted organization or entity when submitting the dossier and receiving the result of issuing or amending a passport for the entrusting party must present an introduction letter from the organization or entity, their own citizen identification card, and the entrusting party's citizen identification card for inspection and verification.

- Send the dossier and request to receive the result through postal service:

The application form must be confirmed and stamped over the photograph by the Police Station of the commune, ward, town where the applicant usually resides or temporarily resides, accompanied by a photocopied citizen identification card. The location, method of sending the dossier, passport fee, and receiving the result through postal service shall be implemented according to the guidance of the Postal Corporation.

b. Applicants for amendment of passports shall submit their dossiers to the Exit and Entry Management Department - Ministry of Public Security. The method of sending the dossier, passport fee, and receiving the result through postal service or directly at the Exit and Entry Management Department.

c. In the following cases, those who urgently need a passport may directly or entrust an organization or entity with legal personality to submit the dossier and receive the result at the Exit and Entry Management Department:

- People needing to go abroad for medical treatment if they have a certificate from a provincial hospital or higher-level city hospital or a ministry-level hospital.

- People whose close relatives abroad have been involved in accidents, illness, or death and need to go urgently to handle the situation, if they have documents proving these incidents.

- State officials, civil servants, public employees; officers, non-commissioned officers, workers in the Vietnam People's Army and the Vietnam People's Public Security Force, if they have a document from the head of the organization or entity with legal personality where they work requesting it.

- In other urgent cases with sufficient grounds, the Exit and Entry Management Department will consider and issue a passport in accordance with the law.

4. Regarding the time limit for the Exit and Entry Management Department to return the result:

a. If the application is submitted to the Provincial Police Department or the Municipal Police Department under the central government, the result shall be issued within no more than eight working days from the date of receiving the complete application as prescribed.

b. If the application is submitted to the Immigration Management Department, the result shall be issued within no more than five working days from the date of receiving the complete application as prescribed.

c. In cases where the deadline falls on or immediately follows a weekend or public holiday, the deadline shall be extended by the number of such days according to the Labor Code.

d. In cases requiring urgent issuance of passports as stipulated in Subparagraph c, Point 3, Section I of this Circular, the processing and issuance of results shall be expedited within the scope of the deadlines set forth in Subparagraphs a and b of this point.

II. OTHER MATTERS

1. Regarding citizens entrusting legal entities to submit applications for passport issuance and modification and to receive the results:

a. The following persons may entrust their legal entity employers or educational institutions to submit applications and receive results:

- State officials, civil servants, employees working in state agencies; officers, non-commissioned officers, soldiers, workers, and staff serving in People's Army units and People's Public Security units may entrust their respective agencies or units.

- Employees belonging to central and provincial-level mass organizations may entrust their respective organizations.

- Teachers, staff, students working and studying at universities, colleges, vocational high schools, and vocational training schools may entrust their respective schools.

- Employees in wholly state-owned limited liability companies and joint-stock companies with state capital, where the company management is appointed by state agencies or mass organizations at the central level, may entrust their respective companies.

- Individuals who have signed foreign labor contracts with labor export enterprises that have obtained permits from state labor management agencies and have signed labor supply contracts with foreign partners may entrust their respective enterprises.

b. Labor export enterprises must send notification documents regarding their legal status to the Immigration Management Department before dispatching their employees to handle passport issuance procedures for individuals entrusted as specified in Subparagraph a of this point.

Notification documents include:

- A copy of the decision establishing the enterprise with the function of exporting labor.

- A copy of the labor supply contract signed with foreign partners.

- An introduction letter containing the sample seal of the enterprise and the signature of the enterprise head.

c. Entrusted entities are responsible for checking and verifying photographs and information in the application forms and identity cards of the entrustees (name, date of birth, place of birth, permanent residence address, ID card number); confirming the application form for passport issuance and modification of the entrustee and submitting the application according to the guidance provided in Subparagraph a, Point 3, Section I of this Circular; they are only allowed to collect and pay the passport fee as prescribed by the Ministry of Finance, and no other fees are to be collected.

2. Responsibilities of police stations:

a. They must confirm the application forms of residents or temporary residents in their locality within no more than one working day from the date of receipt of the application form.

b. When confirming the application form, they must check and verify photographs, name, date of birth, ID card number, place of birth, permanent residence, temporary residence, and other information recorded in the application form. For children under 14 years old, they must verify against the birth certificate.

c. They are not allowed to charge any fees for confirming the application form for passport issuance and modification.

3. Reporting lost passports, invalidating and restoring the validity of lost passports:

a. Responsibilities of the passport holder when the passport is lost:

- If the passport is lost within the country, the holder must report it in writing and obtain confirmation from the nearest police station within 48 hours from the time of discovery, then directly submit or mail the report to the Immigration Management Department or the Provincial Police Department of the place of permanent or temporary residence.

- If the passport is lost abroad, the holder must immediately report it to the nearest Vietnamese diplomatic mission abroad and the competent authority of the host country.

- The report must clearly state: name, date of birth, permanent or temporary residence address, passport number, issue date, issuing authority, time, location, and reason for losing the passport.

b. Handling by the receiving agency:

- Upon receiving a report of a lost passport from a citizen, the Immigration Management Department must issue a confirmation letter to the passport holder for use in applying for a new passport if needed.

- The Immigration Management Departments of Provincial Police Departments, and Vietnamese diplomatic missions abroad, upon receiving reports of lost passports, are responsible for forwarding the report or notifying its contents to the Immigration Management Department via the fastest means to invalidate the passport.

- Upon receiving information about a lost passport abroad, the Immigration Management Department must immediately invalidate the passport and notify the Vietnamese diplomatic mission abroad so that the mission can consider issuing a new passport or travel document for the citizen to return home according to regulations.

c. A lost passport that has been invalidated cannot be restored even if found. However, in cases of humanitarian necessity as specified in Subparagraph c, Point 3, Section I of this Circular, restoration may be considered for departure or entry purposes.

- Where there are valid visas from foreign countries in the passport.

- Cases specified in Subparagraph c, Point 3, Section I of this Circular.

In these cases, the passport holder must submit a request for restoration of the passport's validity along with the passport to the Immigration Management Department. The Immigration Management Department will examine and respond within no more than three working days.

4. Regarding the validity period of passports:

- A passport issued to citizens aged 14 years or older shall have a validity period not exceeding 10 years from the date of issuance and shall not be extended. For passports with a validity period of 5 years, if at least 30 days remain before expiration, they may be extended once for no more than 3 years.

- A passport issued to children under 14 years old (issued separately or jointly with their mother or father) shall have a validity period of 2 to 5 years from the date of issuance and shall not be extended. In cases where a child under 14 years old is added to a passport already held by their mother or father, the validity period of the mother's or father's passport shall be adjusted to have a value of 2 to 5 years from the date of adding the child.

III. IMPLEMENTATION

1. The Immigration Management Department shall be responsible for:

a. Issuing forms related to the issuance and amendment of passports;

b. Issuing procedures for handling and resolving applications for the issuance and amendment of passports and guiding provincial and centrally-administered municipal immigration management agencies to implement them;

c. Reaching consensus with the Postal Telecommunications Group on the method of receiving applications and delivering results for passport issuance and amendment through postal services; coordinating with functional agencies under ministries, sectors, and localities to implement measures for managing the exit and entry of Vietnamese citizens in accordance with the provisions of Government Decree No. 136/2007/NĐ-CP; coordinating and exchanging information with overseas representative offices of Vietnam to reissue passports or travel documents for Vietnamese citizens returning to the country in case their passports are lost abroad.

2. Provincial and centrally-administered municipal public security organs shall be responsible for:

a. Ensuring sufficient personnel, equipment, and facilities to handle passport issuance procedures and directing local immigration management units to organize the receipt, processing of applications for passport issuance and amendment, and delivery of results to citizens in a convenient and compliant manner with government regulations.

b. Directing communal, ward, and town police stations to fulfill their responsibilities in verifying and confirming documents related to passport issuance and amendment according to the requirements of permanent or temporary residents in the locality, ensuring promptness, convenience, and accuracy.

3. This Circular shall take effect 15 days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette and shall replace Circular No. 09/2000/TT-BCA(A18) dated June 7, 2000, of the Ministry of Public Security guiding the issuance of ordinary passports within the country pursuant to Government Decree No. 05/2000/NĐ-CP dated March 3, 2000, regarding the exit and entry of Vietnamese citizens.

Any previous regulations and guidelines of the Ministry of Public Security concerning the issuance and amendment of ordinary passports within the country that conflict with this Circular are hereby abolished.