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.
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
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.
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.
Website links to the authentication services provided by the foreign diplomatic authority in some countries: Singapore, USA, India, China, Japan, S.Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines
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.
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:
- In Hanoi: Consular Department – Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Address: 40 Tran Phu, Ba Dinh district, Hanoi
- In HCMC: Foreign Affairs Department of Ho Chi Minh City – Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Address: 6 Alexandre de Rhodes, Ben Nghe, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
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.