Issuing ordinary passports with electronic chips from March 1, 2023

A passport with an electronic chip is a passport with an electronic device that stores encrypted information of the passport holder and the signature of the issuer. This is a new innovation to facilitate Vietnamese citizens, improve the effectiveness of State management of immigration and meet the country's international integration requirements.

Regarding the basic benefits of electronic chip passports, the Immigration Department, Ministry of Public Security said that electronic chip passports are a prerequisite and a basis for automating border control, facilitating travel and entry and exit between countries (especially countries that apply biometric identification technology to control electronic passports at some international border gates). Electronic passports can store a lot of passenger information accurately and in a unified format, so immigration procedures in countries will be faster and easier, taking almost no time for immigration control officers of countries to control and verify information on the passport because everything will appear quickly when reading the passport.

Electronic passports not only store information written on paper such as: full name, date of birth, nationality... but also have the ability to store human biometric information such as fingerprints, iris, face, blood type...

Electronic chip passports have high information security, because the information is stored in the chip, making it difficult to copy. Therefore, electronic passports are more secure than regular paper passports, protecting passport holders from the risk of having their personal information stolen; avoiding counterfeiting because in reality, countries around the world , including Vietnam, are having to deal with the increasing use of fake passports, visas and other types of immigration documents for illegal activities, such as: smuggling, illegal immigration, terrorism, etc.; there is absolutely no tracking.

In addition, people with electronic chip passports will be given priority by foreign countries when considering granting entry visas. Currently, there are over 100 countries and territories in the world using electronic passports, because they can store a lot of information in a unified format between countries.

The issuance of electronic passports not only facilitates people in immigration activities but is also consistent with e-Government, creating a breakthrough in socio -economic development; enhancing the position of Vietnamese passports, promoting Vietnam's integration process in the region and the world.

The form of the electronic chip passport is basically the same as the passport without the electronic chip, with a dark blue cover, the pages in the passport are beautiful landscapes of the country, and Vietnamese cultural heritage. All content and images printed in the passport are made using modern technology to meet security requirements, prevent the risk of counterfeiting and meet ICAO standards.

Ordinary passports without electronic chips and ordinary passports with electronic chips are used simultaneously. When submitting passport applications, Vietnamese citizens aged 14 and over have the right to choose to be issued a passport without an electronic chip or a passport with an electronic chip (the Passport Application Form already has a passport type option for citizens to fill in themselves). Vietnamese citizens who have been issued an ordinary passport without an electronic chip will continue to use it until the passport expires, and are not required to change to a passport with an electronic chip./.

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