Are citizens required to change to a passport with an electronic chip?

Recently, the Immigration Department, Ministry of Public Security said that from March 1, 2023, the Ministry of Public Security and Vietnamese representative agencies abroad will issue ordinary passports with electronic chips to citizens. Vietnam according to the Law on exit and entry of Vietnamese citizens.

Immediately after this information, many people can’t help but wonder if the use of the current passport model without chip is affected or not?

What’s the difference between a chip-based and a non-chip passport?

In terms of form, an ordinary passport with an electronic chip and a passport in use today look similar at first glance, but on the outside of the passport with an electronic chip, there is a chip icon. If you open the inside, then with a chip passport, there will also be a difference that there is a chip image right above the passport number line.

An electronic chip is placed on the back cover of the passport to store personal information and biometric information of the passport holder (including face photo, fingerprint …) and digital signature of the issuing authority. mat.

Passport with electronic chip. Photo: Ministry of Public Security.

Regarding the age of passport issuance, these two types of passports also have a few differences:

Passports without electronic chips can be issued to Vietnamese citizens under the age of 14 or through abbreviated procedures.

Chip passports are only issued to Vietnamese citizens who are 14 years or older.

Thus, when submitting an application for a passport, Vietnamese citizens aged full 14 years or older have the right to choose whether to issue a passport without an electronic chip or to issue a passport with an electronic chip.

Is it mandatory to change to a chip passport?

Regarding this issue, the Public Security Agency said that ordinary passports without electronic chips and ordinary passports with electronic chips are used in parallel. When submitting an application for a passport, Vietnamese citizens aged full 14 years or older have the right to choose whether to issue a passport without an electronic chip or to issue a passport with an electronic chip.

Vietnamese citizens who have been issued with an ordinary passport without an electronic chip will continue to use it until the expiry of the passport, and are not required to change to a passport with an electronic chip.

Ordinary passports without electronic chips and passports with electronic chips will be used in parallel, people do not need to do it again. Illustrated photo.

However, when citizens use a chip-based passport form, they will enjoy many more benefits such as: Priority for foreign parties when considering and granting entry visas. Currently, over 100 countries and territories around the world use e-passports.

The passport model with an electronic chip has high information security, because it is stored in the chip, it is difficult to copy information.

In addition, electronic passports not only store information written on paper such as, full name, date of birth, nationality … but also have the ability to store biometric information of people such as fingerprints. , iris, face, blood type… The more information that can be stored, the more accurate the identification of a person. Officers in charge of immigration control quickly confirm passenger’s information when checking in.

In the long term, the issuance of electronic passports not only creates favorable conditions for people in entry and exit activities, but is also suitable for e-Government to create a breakthrough in socio-economic development; raising the position of Vietnamese passports, promoting the integration process of Vietnam in the region and the world.

Online passport registration procedure

Regarding this issue, according to the Ministry of Public Security, people can apply for electronic passports with chips in various forms. Specifically, citizens with identity cards have the right to choose where to apply for a passport at any Immigration Department of the Public Security of the province or city that the citizen finds most convenient.

Meanwhile, those who still use identity cards are forced to apply for a passport with an electronic chip at the Immigration Department where they have permanent or temporary residence.

In case a person applies for a passport from the second time onwards, he or she can choose a place to carry out the procedures for passport issuance at the Immigration Department or the Immigration Department of the Public Security Department of any province.

In addition, to avoid wasting time waiting, the Immigration Department encourages citizens to proactively fill out the passport application form through the Public Service Portal of the Ministry of Public Security, dichvucong.bocongan.gov.vn. At that time, citizens do not have to go directly to the immigration office to queue up to submit declarations, take photos…

According to the authorities, the process of applying for a passport with a chip includes 4 steps:

Step 1: Fill in the passport application form and write the application for a passport with an electronic chip attached, prepare 2 portrait photos of size 4x6cm.

Step 2: Present your identity card or identity card when doing procedures at the Immigration Department or the Immigration Department of the provincial police.

Step 3: Take fingerprints according to the instructions at the place of passport application.

Step 4: Receive your passport at the place where the passport application is submitted according to the appointment letter or receive the passport result via courier service.

In addition, in order to reduce administrative procedures and save time, citizens actively make a declaration to request a passport through the Public Service Portal of the Ministry of Public Security.

Specifically, people can access the National Public Service Portal or the Ministry of Public Security’s Public Service Portal to submit an online passport application according to the instructions without having to go directly to the export management agency. entry to apply.

The 4 steps to apply for an ordinary passport online are as follows:

Step 1: People register for a national public service portal account (if they do not have one) or visit https://dichvucong.gov.vn.

Step 2: Log in to the public service portal of the Ministry of Public Security, select the Passport service and submit the application.

– Upload portrait 4x6cm white background, photo of the front and back of the citizen’s identity (follow the instructions on the application registration screen).

– Enter complete information in the column entries; register the place to receive the passport; Download the attached documents as prescribed (if any).

– If the passport is still valid, it must be submitted in person or sent by post to the immigration authority that receives the application.

Complete the steps, wait for the approval of the immigration authority.

Step 3: Pay fees online

After the application is approved by the immigration authority, citizens pay the fee online according to the link sent by the national public service portal via text message or email.

Step 4: Return results (at the request of pre-registered citizens)

Citizens can receive it directly at the immigration authority or have it delivered to the registered address by the postal unit and pay the delivery fee upon receipt of the passport.

Passports will be issued within 8 working days if the procedures are done at the Immigration Department of the locality, 5 working days if the passport is made at the Immigration Department of the Ministry of Public Security.