Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese passports are designed inline with international regulations and practices, and arising problems will besettled in conformity with the law to ensure the interests of citizens, statedleaders of the Immigration Department of Vietnam under the Ministry of Public Security on July 28.

Regarding Germany’s non-recognition of the new passports, authorities said the unilateral move from theGerman side will be responded through diplomatic channels.

The ministry, in coordination with theMinistry of Foreign Affairs, is working with their German counterparts after itwas announced that Vietnamese citizens holding new passports will not be issuedvisas to enter Germany, they added.

In an announcement on July 27, the German Embassy in Vietnamsaid the reason for the non-recognition of the new passports, which Vietnamese authorities have started to issue from early July(the non-chipped version with serial numbers starting with P), is because theydo not have a place of birth (province/city) listed.

The birthplace is inferred through the first three digits ofthe 12-digit personal identification number of the citizen and can be found bylooking through a seven-page document, the embassy said. (For example, anidentification number starting with 001 means the citizen’s birth certificatewas registered in the capital city of Hanoi, 079 means the person is from HCMCity, etc.)

This can make it difficult for the German side to identifythe specific locality where Vietnamese citizens were born, especially in thecase of minors where ID number has not been granted.

The embassy said the Vietnamese holders of the new passportswho have already received visas to Germany should refrain from travelling sincethey will be denied entry at the border. The embassy will be contacting thoseindividuals, as well as those who are applying for visas, for further support.

The announcement also specified that Vietnamese citizenswith new passports are currently not eligible to apply for a German entry visa(Types C and D).

This policy from the domestic authorities of Germany will bein effect until further announcements, the German embassy noted, adding thatthe traditional green coloured passport holders or passengers with Schengenresidence permits are not affected.

The Immigration Department of Vietnam on July 28, in response, said that Vietnam’s new navy blue-coloured passport fully meets internationalstandards.

The new passport also has electronic chips integrated forlooking up information in the archives, so there is no need for fields like thespecific birthplace as in the old green passports.

However, it should be noted that the chipped passports areexpected to be rolled out from the fourth quarter of 2022, according to theimmigration department's earlier announcement.

Talking to Vietnam News Agency, Chu Tuan Duc,Counsellor of the Vietnamese Embassy in Berlin, said the embassy haslearned of the situation and immediately coordinated with relevant agencies inVietnam to expedite the resolution.

The embassy has also requested a meeting withrepresentatives of the German Foreign Ministry and the German Federal Police todiscuss in detail the issues to find a solution quickly that both sides canaccept.

For the cases where new passports have been issued, hesuggested everyone stay calm, emphasising that the embassy in Berlin, as wellas relevant agencies in Vietnam, will make specific announcements in caseadjustments are needed.

The embassy has also posted relevant information on itswebsite and will continue to update it as new information becomes available./.