Getting your passport notarized for tax

If it's for a VN government ministry/agency use you have to use an Official Notary Public.

One location is on LA DUAN STREET, opposite the DIAMOND PLAZA. It's on the same side as the MAIN POST OFFICE (which is opposite the Notre Dame Cathedral).

They have no public parking. I usually park on the first street closer to the Post Office.

Thank you Jaitch. Its for the language centre I currently work for so I assume its for VN government ministry/agency use. Do I just arrive with my passport and fill in a form? Is there any conflict regarding my tourist visa and doing this? Is there a fee? Thank you again.

JasonGomez wrote:

Thank you Jaitch. Its for the language centre I currently work for so I assume its for VN government ministry/agency use. Do I just arrive with my passport and fill in a form? Is there any conflict regarding my tourist visa and doing this? Is there a fee? Thank you again.

You have to make copy for your document, notice that the authority will keep 1. So if you need 2 notarised copies, submit them 3 copies.

No form to fill. Just bring the original, the copies and money. Fee is VND2000 per page for the first 2 pages, from the 3rd page it is VND1000 per page.

The rule is documents have foreign language have to be notarised at People's Committee of district level, like PC of District 1 at 47 Le Duan Street as Jaitch mentioned above. But passport is an exception, it can be notarised at PC of ward-level also.

If you go to PC of Ben Nghe Ward  (29 Nguyen Trung Ngan), the parking is right in front of the office, more convenience for you.  You should come early to avoid waiting too long. Sometimes I go to PC of Nguyen Thai Binh Ward (40 Pho Duc Chinh) since they work faster (officials in-charge there are younger).

Do not go there this afternoon. People's Committee do not work at last Friday's afternoon of the month.

Thank you VanKhanh Ho. The language centre location is actually Thu Dau Mot. Is there an appropriate People's Committee that should notarize the passport specific to the region do you know?

JasonGomez wrote:

Thank you VanKhanh Ho. The language centre location is actually Thu Dau Mot. Is there an appropriate People's Committee that should notarize the passport specific to the region do you know?

Have your school organise it - they know where the local office is.

The advantage of using the senior Notary Public is that you can get second or third certificates for use in the future, for other purposes.

VanKhanh Ho wrote:

People's Committee do not work on last Friday's afternoon of the month.

That means every day is a Friday - they take soooooooooooo long at most things, regardless of the day of the week.

Thanks. The only issue is that I've just given him notice of resignation, and I don't wish to give him my passport. I have asked him for the address of the local office. Hopefully he replies with the information. He's told me that he wont pay me unless he has it.

Your passport is FIRST the property of the United Kingdom and only yours as long as the UK government permits (it can be revoked and recalled should they desire). In almost every nation on earth it is against the law to retain one's passport, only the courts may do so. Tell your employer that you'll provide the copy if need be, but that if he thinks he's going to get his hands on your passport he'd better think again. If he insists tell him that you will first contact the British Embassy and will let him know their response. That should cool his jets.... as far as the pay, don't be afraid to take him to court if need be.

In your original posting you mentioned that you're working on a Tourist Visa, did everybody responding miss that or is it permitted to work in Vietnam on a Tourist Visa, most nations prohibit the practice?

James     Expat-blog Experts Team

JasonGomez wrote:

Thank you VanKhanh Ho. The language centre location is actually Thu Dau Mot. Is there an appropriate People's Committee that should notarize the passport specific to the region do you know?

You can even notarise in Hanoi to submit in Ho Chi Minh City. So just make it near your place.

Jaitch wrote:

The advantage of using the senior Notary Public is that you can get second or third certificates for use in the future, for other purposes.

Up to now, I have no problem with this. The Ward-level people's committee give me as many certificate as I want. Did you have other meaning that I do not get it?

Jaitch wrote:

That means every day is a Friday - they take soooooooooooo long at most things, regardless of the day of the week.

True

James wrote:

In your original posting you mentioned that you're working on a Tourist Visa, did everybody responding miss that or is it permitted to work in Vietnam on a Tourist Visa, most nations prohibit the practice?

Currently it is a lack in Vietnamese law. Labour law does not regulate that working visa is one of conditions to be granted a work permit.

Thank you all for your help. I'll let you know how I goes on this thread.

VanKhanh Ho wrote:

Up to now, I have no problem with this. The Ward-level people's committee give me as many certificate as I want. Did you have other meaning that I do not get it?

Province level documentation such as out of HCM marriage.

Is it just the main ID page that needs to be copied?

JasonGomez wrote:

Is it just the main ID page that needs to be copied?

All pages, except the blank one (pages with no stamp)

Thanks for your reply. Wow, all pages need to be copied where they are not blank? That's a lot of pages. Even for visa stamps not relevant to Vietnam? ?

JasonGomez wrote:

Thanks for your reply. Wow, all pages need to be copied where they are not blank? That's a lot of pages. Even for visa stamps not relevant to Vietnam? ?

I believe yes. Cause notarise authority does not care about the content of the document, whether it is right or wrong, relevant to Vietnam or not. That's not their responsibility. Even if they want, they don' t have enough ability to do that. They just need to ensure that this copy is exactly the same with the original.

You should make copy in two side page to save money (and paper).

VanKhanh Ho wrote:

JasonGomez wrote:

Is it just the main ID page that needs to be copied?

All pages, except the blank one (pages with no stamp)

VanKhanh Ho is correct - all pages with any writing or printing added - that's why I remove all old visas.

James wrote:

In almost every nation on earth it is against the law ...

You might be an Brazil & Canada 'Expert' but that doesn't include VietNam.

A UK passport is, at all times, the property of the UK authorities. Ownership is never transferred.

Even non-UK courts can't order that a passport be surrendered to another countries authorities, if a person is ordered to hand it in they can simply surrender it to a British Embassy or Consulate, which will issue a receipt which is then given to a court.

Of course, you have to surrender your passport when applying for a VN visa or when checking into a hotel so the police can inspect it, if they so wish to do.

The HCM UK Consulate is represented by an answering machine or a cell phone number at most times. And often the answer is to look in the InterNet.  However, on weekdays, they lunch at Hy's on Dong Khoi - if you want to speak to them face-to-face.

P.S. VietNam law does not require Foreigners to carry their passports, or copies.

No places in TDM for the notarization.  I've had to go into Saigon for it.  That is with my employer doing the legwork.

According to the regulations, tourist visa is not allowed for working. Sounds strange. Next year regulations on visa will be changed and I am going to  monitor how it goes on. Very interesting country !

Think you are being milked for more moeny by the sounds of it... My english language centre hasn't ever required me to give them a notarised copy of my passport - not even a certified copy!

ariscat wrote:

According to the regulations, tourist visa is not allowed for working. Sounds strange. Next year regulations on visa will be changed and I am going to  monitor how it goes on. Very interesting country !

Actually, tourist visa still can be granted a work permit, but they will cannot apply for a Temporary Resident Card using their work permit according to the new Immigration Law.   

Kerrypatt wrote:

Think you are being milked for more moeny by the sounds of it... My english language centre hasn't ever required me to give them a notarised copy of my passport - not even a certified copy!

A notarised copy of passport is needed for many dossiers (work permit, TRC, tax registration, tax finalisation...). Maybe your school ask you to give them the original passport and notarise it themselves.