Accordingly, right after obtaining the German Embassy’s notice, the Consular Department worked with A08 to devise possible measures to address the issue. Then in the afternoon of July 28, the Consular Department contacted the German Embassy in Vietnam, sited in Hanoi to propose cooperation from both sides to remove any technical trouble in order to create favorable conditions for Vietnamese citizens to enter Germany, in line with the strategic collaboration spirit between the two nations.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Germany, as directed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is also arranging a direct working session with German functional agencies to promote the handling of the matter.
A08 affirmed that the new dark blue form of the Vietnamese passport is in full compliance with international standards, in particular the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards. There is a high chance that the problem arises because the German side needs to carefully control some localities of Vietnam, and hence a requirement to specify the birthplace for convenience in identification and control.
Before this, the German Embassy in Vietnam issued a notice that it would refuse type-C or type-D visa issuance to Vietnamese people owning a passport in the new form, having a serial number beginning with ‘P’, due to a lack of information about their birthplace.
According to Circular No.73, stipulating the forms of passport, travel documents, and related forms, from July 1, 2022 the Public Security Ministry issues passports for Vietnamese citizens using the new form of dark blue with no chip attached. This new form is carefully designed to display images of typical landscapes in Vietnam, the national sovereignty, and famous Vietnam’s famous cultural heritages. The new form employs advanced security techniques to minimize faking.
Vietnamese citizens with a passport issued before July 1, 2022 can still use theirs until it expires. However, since the old-form passport is no longer valid after July 1, 2022, A08 still issues regular passports under the new form to those in need while waiting for the result of the work between Vietnam and Germany.
