To promote the application of technology in administrative management, at the same time increasing the efficiency of citizen data storage, management and raising the level of security, Vietnam continues to issue passports with electronic chip for citizens following the paradigm of ID card with electronic chip. The issuance and use of passports with electronic chip has several notable points as follows:

Applied from 1 July 2022

From 1 July 2022, the Ministry of Public Security will issue new passports with electronic chip according to Circular No. 73/2021/TT-BCA on 29/06/2021 passport, travel documents and related forms (“Circular 73”). Specifically, the new passport with electronic chip is designed to come with many upgrades compared to the old one, increasing the level of security, anti-counterfeiting and meeting ICAO standards with an electronic chip mounted in the back cover of the passport.

The new passports with chip will also be issued to Vietnamese citizens applying for a Vietnamese passport abroad.

Is it mandatory to register for the new passport?

According to the provisions of Circular No. 73passports and travel documents issued before 1 January 2022 will be valid until the expiry date stated therein. However, in practice, through the Vietnam Immigration Portal, the Ministry of Public Security has confirmed that citizens with old passports issued before 1 July 2022 can continue to use them until the expiry date stated in the passport instead of 1 January 2022 as specified in Circular 73.

In the beginning of the implementation of issuing the new passports, the number of people applying for new passports is very high. Therefore, to save time and costs, when applying for the new passport, citizens may conduct the procedure online at the Public Service Portal of the Ministry of Public Security at dichvucong.bocongan.gov.vn.

The process of submitting application and paying fees are done through the Public Service Portal, and results can also be return via post. Thus, citizens do not need to visit the immigration office to queue up for the procedures to submit application forms, take passport photos.