If you live in Vietnam, you may apply for a passport at the British Embassy Hanoi and British Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. You can present your application in person.

Please note that all visitors to the British Embassy Hanoi and British Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City are security screened and asked to provide proof of identity. We apologise to customers for any inconvenience this may cause. We regret that there is no on-site parking available.

All applicants should ensure that they submit: 

• A completed passport application form, see passport forms 
• Correct passport and fee, see passport fees 
• Correct supporting documentation, see passport documents 
• Two identical passport size photographs - one photo must be countersigned by the person who countersigns your application form. The photograph standards required for biometrics passports are higher than those needed for earlier types of passports. If the photograph does not meet the standards required your complete application will be delayed. The passport-sized photographs must meet specific standards - see our Passport documents page for more.

Payment information

We will accept payment by cash only in Vietnamese dong at the British Embassy Hanoi or British Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City. Click here to see further information on fees.

Processing Time

The current processing time for a British passport is 10 working days for application submitted in Hanoi and 12 days in Ho Chi Minh City from receipt of a complete application. A complete application is defined as one that includes a correctly completed application form, all the required supporting documents, correct photos and the correct fee. If customers do not complete the application form correctly or fail to provide all the required documents, the 10 day processing time will not start until the form is complete, the documents are received and/or payment has been accepted. These processing times do not include the time it takes to post the passport to and from the Consular Section.

During the 10 day processing time, we regret that we are unable to give reports on how the application is progressing. If you do not receive your passport within 10 days, and have allowed for weekends, public holidays and days spent in the postal system, you should contact us.

If your previous passport has been lost or stolen, it may also take longer to process. In fairness to all our customers, applications are dealt with in the order that they are received.

Special note about first time applications for children

First time applications for children can be complex and therefore may take longer to process. Parents are encouraged to obtain passports for babies as soon as possible after the birth of the child.

Special note about visas

When you apply to renew your passport we cancel your current passport and return it to you and issue you a new one. This can mean that visas in your current passport become invalid. Please check with the issuing authorities whether an unexpired visa in a cancelled passport can still be used.

Refunds

No refunds will be issued for unsuccessful or fraudulent passport applications, or for any application, which is withdrawn before it is completed

Countersignatories

When you have completed the application form, someone who has known you personally for at least two years should complete and sign the countersignatory section of the form and the back of one of your passport photographs (this cannot be done by the passport staff at the High Commission or a member of your family). That person should be a British Citizen, other British National or Commonwealth Citizen or EU Citizen.

If you have been in Vietnam a short time and cannot meet this requirement, please contact our Consular Section on 04 39360546. Further details of who can sign are available in the notes accompanying the form.

Urgent travel

A large number of our applicants need to travel quickly. In fairness to all our customers, applications are dealt with in the order in which they are received. However, we accept and understand that in an emergency for example after sudden death or unexpected illness in the family, we will try to help where we can. Please note that a business journey or holiday does not constitute an emergency.

In such circumstances, if we are unable to provide you with a full passport in time and you are travelling back to the UK or on to certain Commonwealth countries (approval permitting), we can issue an Emergency Passport. This allows the holder a one-way journey to his or her destination where a replacement passport can be obtained in slower time at the nearest British passport issuing office.

About us

The British Embassy's passport issuing office in Vietnam issues approximately 700 British passports a year to British Citizens permanently or temporarily resident in Vietnam.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office requires all British passport issuing offices outside the UK to issue 90% of straightforward British passport applications within 10 working days.

We met this target consistently in 2008 and expect to do so in the foreseeable future. Nevertheless, we strongly advise you to apply for a replacement or first-time passport 4 or more weeks in advance of travel and that you do not confirm any travel arrangements until you have received your new passport.