Recording a Marriage or Divorce Registered Abroad in Vietnam (2026)

Vietnamese citizens who married or divorced abroad need to have it recorded in the civil register at the commune-level People’s Committee (Decree 120/2025/ND-CP) for it to be recognised in Vietnam. It takes 5 working days and requires a declaration form plus a copy of the foreign marriage certificate or divorce judgment, legalised and translated into Vietnamese.

Contents

When you need it

You married abroad and now live in Vietnam, and your spouse is applying for a temporary residence card.
You divorced abroad and want to remarry in Vietnam: the divorce must be recorded first.
To update your marital status in the national civil-status database.

Documents

Declaration form for recording the marriage or divorce.
Copy of the foreign marriage certificate, or of the final divorce judgment or decision.
Passport or ID of the applicant; if filing by post, copies of both partners’ papers.
Foreign documents consular-legalised and translated and certified into Vietnamese.

Timeline and fee

5 working days, up to 10 if verification is needed (for marriages). Fees are set by each province, for example 75,000 VND in Ho Chi Minh City.

When it is refused

The marriage breaches a prohibition under Vietnamese law (such as child marriage, sham marriage or bigamy).
A Vietnamese citizen married a foreigner at a foreign embassy or consulate located in Vietnam.

FAQ

Which commune office do I go to?

The commune-level People’s Committee where you reside. If you have no residence in Vietnam, ask the Department of Justice (Departments of Justice in all 34 provinces).