Vietnam Consular Legalization of Foreign Documents: 5 Steps Guide

Vietnam Consular Legalization of Foreign Documents: 5 Steps Guide

Vietnam Consular Legalization is the process of certifying the authenticity of foreign documents to be recognized and used legally in Vietnam. Its primary purpose is to prevent fraud and ensure the integrity of documents used for official purposes. 

Vietnam consular legalization stamp
A sample of Vietnam consular legalization stamp

A variety of foreign documents are required to be consular legalized, including but not limited to:

  • Business documents, such as certificate of incorporation, financial statements, contracts
  • Birth, marriage, and death certificates
  • Police check certificates
  • Medical certificates
  • Certificates, diplomas, university degrees
  • Power of attorney and legal agreements

However, Vietnam exempts consular legalization in 4 cases.

In this guide, Nova Law will explain the consular legalization process for foreign documents intended for use in Vietnam

Vietnam Consular Legalization - Step by step Guide

Step 1. Preparation of foreign documents

  • Original documents issued by government authorities can be directly certified, so you can proceed to Step 2
  • All other documents, including copies, non-government issued documents, computer-generated documents, and commercial documents, might require certification or notarization by a public notary in the country of issuance. Then, proceed to Step 2.
Notarial Certificate China
Notarial Certificate in China

Step 2. Certification by the foreign diplomatic authority

After completing Step 1, documents need to be certified by the foreign diplomatic authority of the country where the documents were issued. The time and cost for certifying documents vary from country to country.

Dấu bộ ngoại giao nước ngoài

Website links to the authentication services provided by the foreign diplomatic authority in some countries: Singapore, USA, India, China, Japan, S.Korea, Thailand, MalaysiaPhilippines

Note: Vietnam is not a party member of the Hague Convention. After obtaining Apostille stamps, the foreign documents must be legalized by a consular section of Vietnam to be used in Vietnam

Step 3. Consular legalization by a Vietnamese Diplomatic Authority

Option 1: Legalize documents in overseas

Once the document has been certified by the foreign diplomatic authority, it must be presented to the Vietnamese embassy or consulate in the country of origin for further legalization. The embassy or consulate verifies the document’s authenticity and stamps it with a consular seal.

Consular Legalization by Vietnam Embassy in China

The individual registering for a Vietnam consular legalization may:

  • Come in person to the Vietnam Embassy or Consulate in the country of origin to legalize documents; or
  • Fill out the required requested documents on your own then use a regular courier or shipping company to deliver the documents to the Vietnamese Consulate of your country. You must include return shipping envelopes and money in the form of a check in most cases. Finalized and authenticated documents will be mailed back to you in a few weeks.

A dossier should have:

  • An application form for legalization of documents;
  • Document(s) requested for consular authentication (the result of step 2) + 01 its copy;
  • A photocopy of the requester’s ID or passport;
  • A translation of documents into Vietnamese and English (if required).

Option 2: Legalize documents in Vietnam

After your documents have been authenticated by the foreign diplomatic authority (as the result of Step 2), the document can be sent physically to Vietnam for consular legalization. The procedure will be divided into 2 sub-steps as follows:

– Step a. Documents need to be consular certified by the foreign Embassy/Consulate in Vietnam.

The Embassy or Consulate in Vietnam of the issuing country will verify the authenticity of its Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) stamp (This is the result of Step 2). However, not all embassies/consulates provide document authentication services. For example, the Chinese embassy/consulate in Vietnam currently does not offer this service.

It’s recommended that you contact the relevant embassy or consulate directly to confirm their services before proceeding with consular legalization in Vietnam.

– Step b. Documents are consular authenticated at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam

The dossier is the same as in Step (a). The requester may choose one of these places:

Consular Legalization by Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Consular Legalization by Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Step 4. Notarized translation of foreign documents into Vietnamese

Foreign documents in a foreign language must be translated into Vietnamese by a certified translator and notarized in Vietnam before submission to the competent Vietnamese authorities.

Step 5. Recognition by Vietnamese Authorities

Total fee and processing times for Vietnam consular legalization can vary depending on the specific country involved. It typically takes at least 2 weeks.

After the foreign document has been legalized, it can be recognized and used by various Vietnamese governmental agencies, courts, and other institutions for official purposes.

Nova Law’s consular legalization services in Vietnam

Navigating the Vietnam consular legalization process for foreign documents can be lengthy and challenging. That’s why Nova Law is here to help. We offer streamlined consular legalization services in Vietnam for foreign documents already stamped and certified by foreign diplomatic authorities. Our process typically takes just from 5 working days. Simply email your documents to info@novalaw.vn, and we’ll promptly review them and provide you with a competitive service quotation.

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