India Consular Issued (Ho Chi Minh City) Emergency Travel Certificate - 1975-83

The document is explicitly titled "Affidavit to be used in Lieu of Passport" and served as a single journey travel authorization to India. This suggests the applicant either did not possess a regular passport or it had expired, and this affidavit was issued to facilitate their urgent return to India.
This travel document is a fascinating piece of history, directly tied to the post-war period in Vietnam:
* Date of Issue (November 1975): This is just months after the Fall of Saigon (April 1975) and the reunification of Vietnam, marking a period of significant political and social upheaval. Ho Chi Minh City was the new name for Saigon.
* Indian Diaspora in Vietnam: The existence of the Indian Embassy and the issuance of this document highlight the presence of an Indian community in what was formerly South Vietnam. The applicant's father's 1951 passport issued in Saigon confirms a long-standing Indian presence.
* Permanent Settlement: The stated reason for travel—"Permanent Settlement"—suggests the applicant was part of a cohort of Indian nationals or persons of Indian origin who wished to repatriate to India following the change in government and conditions in Vietnam.
* Multiple Extensions and Location Change: The numerous revalidations (extending the validity for 7+ years until the end of 1983) and the change in issuing authority from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi (starting in the 1980s) strongly suggest bureaucratic delays, travel difficulties, and potentially shifts in diplomatic arrangements in post-war Vietnam. It was a challenging time for international travel and emigration.

In summary, this document is an emergency-type travel affidavit issued by the Indian diplomatic mission in a post-conflict country to an Indian national seeking permanent repatriation to her homeland, reflecting the turbulent political environment of Vietnam in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Price $100