Hundreds of residents crowded the Immigration Department headquarters in Hanoi on Thursday to apply for their passport procedures.

They thronged the passport application area, most of whom were carrying documents and waiting for their turn to finish necessary papers, according to the observation of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters.

All chairs were occupied, leaving many standing or waiting in the courtyard or even on the sidewalk in front of the headquarters.

Hoang My Hao Tam, 21, said she had to wait for the entire morning to be able to complete the application.

People wait during their passport application at the Immigration Department headquarters in Hanoi, April 21, 2022. Photo: Pham Tuan / Tuoi Tre

“I arrived very early but my order number was over 200,” Tam stated, adding that she needed the passport to travel abroad in the near future.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Thuy Linh said she decided to apply for a new passport after having lost her old one during the previous COVID-19 outbreak.

Linh added she was very surprised to see how crowded the place was.

Many people have been coming to the headquaters for passport procedures on a daily basis, an official from the Immigration Department under the Ministry of Public Security.

People wait during their passport application at the Immigration Department headquarters in Hanoi, April 21, 2022. Photo: Pham Tuan / Tuoi Tre

The demand for overseas travel has soared following the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, the official elaborated.

Local residents are not familiar with the new online procedures, so they still file their application the conventional way.

To prevent overcrowding and long wait times, the Immigration Department will announce in advance the total of applications it can process each day.

Local residents are also advised to sign up for their passport online via the department’s website: https://hochieu.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn.

People wait outside of the passport application area after all seats are occupied at the Immigration Department headquarters in Hanoi, April 21, 2022. Photo: Pham Tuan / Tuoi Tre

Many have to stand as they wait for their turn to carry passport procedures at the Immigration Department headquarters in Hanoi, April 21, 2022. Photo: Pham Tuan / Tuoi Tre

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