Consular Legalisation in Vietnam: Process, Documents, Timing

Documents issued abroad are not automatically valid in Vietnam. Before a Vietnamese authority will accept a foreign degree, criminal record certificate or marriage certificate, it usually has to be consularly legalised and then translated and notarised into Vietnamese.

Two directions

• Foreign document used in Vietnam: certified by the issuing country authority, then legalised by the Vietnamese embassy or consulate there, or by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Vietnam.
• Vietnamese document used abroad: certified by the Consular Department or a provincial Department of Foreign Affairs, then legalised by the destination country mission in Vietnam.

Documents we legalise most often

• University degrees and professional certificates — for work permit files
• Criminal record certificates
• Marriage and birth certificates — for TT visas and residence cards
• Corporate documents of foreign parent companies

Does an apostille work?

Vietnam is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille alone is generally not sufficient — the document still needs consular legalisation, unless a bilateral agreement exempts it. Check before paying for an apostille abroad.

Timing

Legalisation typically takes 5–7 working days once the document reaches the right authority, plus courier time from abroad. Notarised translation adds 1–3 working days. Plan four to six weeks in total if the document has to travel internationally.

Fee on request, depending on the document type and the country of issue. Xem bản tiếng Việt