This article was originally published on August 16, 2022, and was updated on September 9, 2022, November 21, 2022, and February 24, 2023, to reflect new information.
February 24, 2023 Update: The government of Vietnam will begin to issue passports containing electronic verification chips starting March 1, 2023. The e-passport will contain personal information, fingerprint scans, an identification photo, and a digital signature. Languages used in the passport include Vietnamese and English.
E-passport holders will be given priority by the foreign sides when considering and granting entry visas.
November 21, 2022, Update: The government of Vietnam passed a resolution that will allow places of birth to be added to Vietnamese passports. The government initially introduced a new passport on July 1, 2022. Since the introduction of the new passport, several government authorities have refused to recognize the latest version of the passport due to missing information related to the place of birth.
September 15, 2022, Update: The government of Vietnam announced that four additional countries had approved the use of its new passport if it contains a stamp with information on the holder’s date and place of birth. The four countries are Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and the Czech Republic. The official authorities of Vietnam must produce the stamp.
Many countries throughout the European Union (EU) initially refused to accept the new passport due to missing information, including the holder’s date of birth. Vietnamese nationals holding a valid version of Vietnam’s previous passport will be permitted to use this passport without requiring a government-issued stamp.
Original Post From August 16, 2022:
Key Points
- The government of Vietnam met with officials from several countries that recently rejected the use of Vietnam’s newest passport format
Overview
The government of Vietnam recently introduced a new passport on July 1, 2022. Since the introduction of the new passport, several government authorities, including Germany, the Czech Republic, and Finland, have refused to recognize the latest version of the passport due to the passports not containing information on place of birth. The government of Vietnam announced that the holder’s birthplace would be added to the new passport in the appendix section of the passport.
What are the Changes?
On August 12, 2022, the government of Vietnam introduced a new passport format. Several governments recently announced that this passport would not be accepted due to missing information. The government of Vietnam met with officials from these countries to discuss the issue and subsequently made changes to the passport.
Looking Ahead
Continue to check the government of Vietnam’s website for the latest updates and information.
Written by: Jessie Butchley, Global Immigration Writer, Envoy Global
Source: Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Government News
