Circular No. 73/2021/TT-BCA on the model of passports, travel documents, and related forms

CIRCULAR

Provisions on the model of passports, travel documents, and related forms

Pursuant to the Law on Exit and Entry of Vietnamese Citizens dated November 22, 2019;

Pursuant to Decree No. 01/2018/NĐ-CP dated August 6, 2018 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Public Security;

Pursuant to Decree No. 76/2020/NĐ-CP dated July 1, 2020 of the Government detailing the subjects, procedures, formalities, authorities for issuing, revoking, and invalidating travel documents;

At the proposal of the Director of the Immigration Administration Department;

The Minister of Public Security issues this Circular regulating passport models, travel document models, and related forms.

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

Article 1. This Circular regulates passport models, travel document models, and related forms concerning the issuance, use of passports, and travel documents.

2. The application form for requesting issuance, extension, and reporting loss of diplomatic passports and official passports shall be implemented in accordance with Circular No. 04/2020/TT-BNG dated September 25, 2020, issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to guide the issuance, extension, revocation of diplomatic passports and official passports, and the issuance of letters of request for visa issuance from foreign countries.

3. The application form for requesting issuance and reporting loss of travel documents and issuing entry certificates shall be implemented in accordance with Decree No. 76/2020/NĐ-CP dated July 1, 2020, issued by the Government detailing the subjects, procedures, formalities, authorities for issuing, recalling, and revoking travel documents.

4. This Circular applies to Vietnamese citizens and relevant agencies and organizations.

Article 2. Passport Models

Clause 1. General specifications and technical requirements for passports:

a) The outer cover of the passport booklet prints the national emblem, the national seal, and the name of the passport; electronic chip passports have an electronic chip symbol.

Point b) Images within the passport pages depict beautiful landscapes, cultural heritage of Vietnam, combined with bronze drum patterns;

Point c) Languages used in the passport: Vietnamese and English;

d) The number of pages in the passport booklet excluding the cover page: 48 pages for diplomatic passports, official passports, and ordinary passports with a validity period of five years or ten years, 12 pages for ordinary passports with a validity period not exceeding twelve months;

Point đ) Size according to ISO 7810 (ID-3) standard: 88mm x 125mm ± 0.75mm;

Point e) Radius of the passport cover corner: 3.18mm ± 0.3mm;

g) The electronic chip is placed inside the back cover of the electronic chip passport;

h) The passport cover is made of high-strength synthetic material;

i) Passport numbers and letters are perforated using laser technology throughout from page 1 to the back cover of the passport and match those on page 1;

k) All contents and images printed in the passport are produced using modern technology to meet security requirements, prevent forgery, and comply with ICAO standards.

Clause 2. Types of passports:

Point a) Diplomatic passport, cover page color brown red (model HCNG);

Point b) Official passport, cover page color dark green (model HCCV);

c) Ordinary passport, cover page color: dark blue (model HCPT).

Article 3. Travel Document Models

Clause 1. General specifications and technical requirements for travel documents:

Point a) The outer cover page prints the national emblem, national seal, and name of the travel document;

b) Languages used in travel documents: Vietnamese and Khmer for Vietnamese-Cambodia border travel documents; Vietnamese and Lao for Vietnamese-Laos border travel documents; Vietnamese and Chinese for Vietnamese-China border area travel documents;

c) The number of pages in travel documents excluding the cover page: 16 pages for Vietnamese-Cambodia and Vietnamese-Laos border travel documents, 28 pages for Vietnamese-China border area travel documents;

d) Size according to ISO 7810 (ID-3): 88mm x 125mm ± 0.75mm;

đ) The cover of the travel document is made of high-strength synthetic material;

Point e) All contents printed in the travel document are produced using modern technology meeting security requirements, preventing forgery.

Clause 2. Types of travel documents:

Point a) Travel document at the Vietnam-Cambodia border, cover page color blue purple (model GTHVN-C);

Point b) Travel document at the Vietnam-Laos border, cover page color light blue (model GTHVN-L);

Point c) Travel document for entry and exit at the Vietnam-China border for officials and civil servants, cover page color brown (model GTHVN01-TQ);

Point d) Travel document for entry and exit at the Vietnam-China border for border residents, cover page color gray (model GTHVN02-TQ).

Article 4. Forms

This Circular hereby promulgates the following forms:

1. Application forms for requesting issuance, restoration of validity, and reporting loss of ordinary passports

a) Application form for requesting issuance of an ordinary passport within the country (model TK01);

b) Application form for requesting issuance of an ordinary passport abroad (model TK02);

c) Application form for confirming identity for Vietnamese citizens abroad who have lost their passports (model TK03);

d) Application form for restoring the validity of an ordinary passport (model TK04);

đ) Report form for lost ordinary passports (model TK05).

2. Forms for relevant agencies

a) Notification document regarding the receipt of reports on lost ordinary passports (model VB01);

b) Document from Vietnamese representative offices abroad requesting verification of identity to issue ordinary passports for Vietnamese citizens (model VB02);

Clause 5. Production and management of blank passport and travel permit materials

1. The Immigration Management Department is responsible for contracting with the Institute of Science and Technology to research, manufacture, produce white printouts with security techniques and provide them promptly according to the requirements of the competent authority for issuing passports and travel documents.

2. The competent authority issuing passports and travel documents must manage the white pages in accordance with regulations.

3. Before December 15 each year, the competent authority issuing passports and travel documents must forecast and register with the Immigration Management Department the quantity of white pages needed for the following year.

Registration process: Vietnamese representative offices abroad and relevant agencies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs register through the Consular Department; Police stations at the commune level and police stations at the district level register through the provincial police; the Consular Department and provincial police register directly with the Immigration Management Department.

Article 6. Effectiveness and Transitional Provisions

1. This Circular takes effect from August 14, 2021.

2. White printouts of passports and travel documents provided to agencies before this Circular takes effect but not yet fully issued may continue to be used until January 1, 2022, when they must be uniformly implemented according to the models of passports and travel documents stipulated in this Circular.

3. Passports and travel documents issued before January 1, 2022, remain valid until their expiration date as indicated in the passports and travel documents.

Article 7. Responsibility for Implementation

The Immigration Management Department is responsible for organizing the implementation and guiding and inspecting the implementation of this Circular in coordination with local police units and other relevant units.

During the implementation process, if there are difficulties or obstacles, agencies, organizations, and individuals should communicate with the Ministry of Public Security (through the Immigration Management Department) for guidance./.