They enable the bearer to exit and re-enter Vietnam freely; to travel to and from other countries in accordance with visa requirements, and secure assistance from Vietnamese consular officials when abroad, if necessary.

All Vietnamese passports are issued by the Department of Immigration (Cục Quản lý Xuất nhập cảnh) on behalf of the Ministry of Public Security.

Vietnamese passport booklets conform with the recommended standards (i.e. size, composition, layout, technology) of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Vietnamese passports are purple-blue in colour, with the words "SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM" and "CỘNG HÒA XÃ HỘI CHỦ NGHĨA VIỆT NAM" inscribed at the top of the front cover, and the emblem of Vietnam emblazoned in the centre of the front cover, whilst the words "HỘ CHIẾU" and "PASSPORT" are respectively inscribed below.

On the back of the front cover, there is a note from Vietnamese Government addressed to the authorities of all other states:[10] This passport is valid for all countries unless otherwise endorsed.

The Government of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam requests all competent authorities concerned to allow the bearer of this passport to pass freely and to afford him/her such assistance and protection as may be necessary.

In response, the Vietnamese embassy in Germany will issue a certificate confirming the birthplace of holders of Vietnam's new passports.

The embassy added that the two countries are "actively discussing" how to resolve the problems related to Germany's refusal to recognize the new Vietnamese passport on the grounds that it lacks information about the holder's place of birth.

[15] On 1 August 2022, the Spanish embassy in Hanoi released an announcement saying that they could not issue new visas to holder of the new Vietnamese passport, due to the lack of place of birth.

The announcement said in detail that: "Place of birth is an important information to identify passport holder, and is required for the issuance of a Schengen visa.

"[16][17] In a statement released in the morning of 2 August 2022, which in part read: "Vietnam's new passport issued on July 1 does not meet the technical standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

[18][19] On 11 August, the Embassy of Finland in Hanoi announced on its official website that the country will suspend the recognition of Vietnam's blue-violet passports.

[20] On 12 August, the US Embassy in Hanoi and the Consulate General of this country in Ho Chi Minh City said that US authorities are still in the process of reviewing Vietnam's blue-violet passport.

The German Embassy in Hanoi said that for citizens using a new passport that has added the place of birth to their observations, visa issuance will be restarted immediately.

Accordingly, the Spanish authorities confirmed that Vietnam's new purple-blue passport fully meets international standards and contains all necessary information.