Birthplace information to be added back in Vietnamese new passports
The National Assembly has officially agreed to add place of birth information back into Vietnamese new passports, following rejections from a number of countries earlier this year.
A Vietnamese new passport (Photo: Vietnam Government Portal)
Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - The National Assembly hasofficially agreed to add place of birth information back into Vietnamese newpassports, following rejections from a number of countries earlier this year.
On November 15 afternoon, the NA passed a resolution of the fourthplenary session after 21 working days, with the majority of the deputies inagreement, which includes the item on the controversial new passports.
The resolution states that the parliament agreed with theGovernment’s proposal on adding back the information, and told the Governmentto direct relevant authorities to modify and supplement legal documents tocarry out this task.
The Government was also told to study and submit to the NA forconsideration and making a decision on the amendment of Clause 3, Article 6 ofthe Law on Exit and Entry of Vietnamese Citizens to meet practicalrequirements.
Previously, some countries – including Germany, the Czech Republic,and Spain – said they suspended the recognition of the navy blue coveredpassports of Vietnam, which started to be issued from July 1, 2022 – because ofthe omission of the birthplace information.
They said the lack of this information would make it hard fortheir immigration authorities to verify the identity of the passport holders.
The Immigration Department under the Ministry of Public Securityinsisted the new passport complies with the International Civil AviationOrganisation (ICAO) standards (which doesn't state the place of birth as amandatory field of information in the passport's visual inspection area), butrelented by supplementing birthplace information to the appendix of thepassports, to facilitate Vietnamese citizens’ travels.
The NA’s approval would mean the birthplace information wouldreturn to the main inspection area of the passports.
General Secretary of the NA and Chairman of the NA Office Bui VanCuong, in a press conference held following the closing of the NA meeting, saidthat the addition of new field of information in the passport form will notcause extra fees or procedures, since in the application for passports alreadyhas included this information as a mandatory field already.
This is information that must be declared for the immigrationauthorities to include in the national database on immigration. The passportmanagement agency can easily extract the place of birth information from thedatabase of passport information, the official noted.
However there has not yet been official measure dealing with thealready printed passports./.
Minister of Public Security Gen. To Lam provided more information about the new passport version of Vietnam while fielding questions from full-time lawmakers at the 14th session of the National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on August 10.
Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) recently met with the embassies of Germany, the Czech Republic and Spain and asked them to coordinate with Vietnam to tackle difficulties regarding granting visas in the new version of Vietnam’s passports, according to the MoFA.
Germany will temporarily recognise Vietnam’s new passport version with information about holders' place of birth added in the appendix, according to a diplomatic note the German Federal Foreign Office sent to the Vietnamese Embassy on August 15.
The addition of "place of birth" information to the Vietnamese passport will ensure stable and long-term legitimate rights and interests for Vietnamese citizens when conducting immigration activities in other countries, according to Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Defence and Security Committee Le Tan Toi.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
Thirty years ago, on July 28, 1995, Vietnam’s accession to ASEAN marked a historic strategic decision, opening a new chapter in the country’s integration process and beginning its strong rise.
Ambassador Vu Le Thai Hoang has outlined specific priorities and proposals for cooperation with the UNODA in preparation for the upcoming 11th Review Conference of the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
The Vietnamese Party leader's visit is therefore expected to mark a new stage in the development of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries, with a focus on such areas as digital transformation, supply chains, semiconductors, clean energy, and maritime security, Choe assessed.
At their meeting, which took place in the Angolan capital of Luanda on August 7 as part of State President Luong Cuong’s ongoing state visit to the African nation, the two officials also agreed to make full use of existing cooperation mechanisms, particularly the Vietnam – Angola Intergovernmental Committee, and step up exchanges of delegations at all levels.
President Luong Cuong's talks with his Angolan counterrpart João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, Vietnamese leader's receptions for a delegation from the Japan – Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance, and the Government's regular meeting for July are among news highlights on August 7 evening.
A Vietnamese new passport (Photo: Vietnam Government Portal) 
