Immigration Department pilots e-portal passport applications

A police officer instructs a citizen on how to make an online declaration for a passport application. — Photo laodong.vn

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese citizens applying for passports without electronic chips will be able to submit their forms online and receive them by post.

Under a pilot scheme from May 15, they can access http://dichvucong.gov.vn or http://dichvucong.bocongan.gov.vn to make an online declaration, pay the fee and receive their passports by post, or collect them at the immigration offices, according to the Việt Nam Immigration Department under the Ministry of Public Security.

The scheme applies to those residing in the country having a valid chip-based identity card or a valid 12-digit citizen ID card, a valid account on the Government Public Service Portal, and the ability to pay online fees.

The move aims to reduce the travel time for people and strengthen the transparency of public administration.

If successful, the model will be rolled out to provinces and cities nationwide.

The granting of ordinary passports through government e-portal aims to realise the Government's project on developing the application of population database, e-identification, and e-authentication for national digital transformation in the 2022-25 period with a vision to 2030, to serve administrative procedures and online public service provision, socio-economic expansion, and digital citizens development, among others.

The application process is for citizens to access the online public service portal of the Ministry of Public Security and login. They will fill out the passport information according to form X01 including their email address, a portrait photo for printing on the passport, and choose the form of passport receipt (via postal service or go to the immigration office to receive it directly).

Along with issuing passports without electronic chips via online public services, by this month, the Việt Nam Immigration Department has implemented other procedures including declaring foreigners' temporary residence in Việt Nam via the provincial-level police department's website; granting entry permits to foreigners entering Việt Nam at the Việt Nam Immigration Portal; and granting permits for foreigners to enter Việt Nam under international treaties to which Việt Nam is a member. — VNS