People in Ho Chi Minh City now can apply for passports or passport replacements via a website to get them delivered to their home or office in eight days, instead of the current 15 days.    The Immigration Division, under the municipal Police Department, on Tuesday put to use a website at http://xnc.catphcm.bocongan.gov.vn to help people carry out procedures related to passports. Accordingly, Vietnamese citizens with a registered permanent residence or long-term temporary residence, or agencies and businesses who meet conditions for applying for passports or passport replacements on behalf of their employees, can take relevant steps at the said website.  The site provides notices, instructions and the process for declarations necessary for a passport or replacement. With this online service, people can apply for passports or passport replacements anywhere with an Internet connection, said Colonel Nguyen Van Anh, head of the division. This online service also helps minimize errors that may be committed by applicants when they make manual declarations, Col. Anh said Three hours after applicants complete an online declaration, all their declared information will be transmitted to the division, the official added. When applicants later visit the division to present their passport dossiers, they will be granted a priority number and a form confirming receipt of the documents. After getting the form, applicants can register with the post for a service with which their passport will be delivered to their home or office address. Twelve hours after submitting their passport dossiers, applicants can search for information on the results of their passport application at the above website, or they can receive this information through SMS messaging or voice mail box services. This new service helps shorten the passport-granting duration from the current 15 days to eight days, Col. Anh said, adding that it conforms with the ongoing administrative reform for the sake of the public. The Immigration Division is located at 196 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, District 3.

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