The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Justice (Sở Tư pháp) is located at 141–143 Pasteur, phường Xuân Hòa, TP. Hồ Chí Minh, phone 028 3829 7052. Foreigners mainly deal with it to apply for, regain or renounce Vietnamese nationality, for intercountry adoption, or to look up notary offices and approved translators. Criminal record certificates are now issued by the provincial police (since 1 March 2025), while marriage registration, birth registration and certification are done at commune-level People’s Committees.
Contact details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Authority | Ho Chi Minh City Department of Justice |
| Address | 141–143 Pasteur, phường Xuân Hòa, TP. Hồ Chí Minh |
| Phone | 028 3829 7052 |
| Website | sotuphap.hochiminhcity.gov.vn |
| stp@tphcm.gov.vn | |
| Opening hours | Office hours, Monday – Friday (call ahead before visiting) |
Since 1 July 2025, Ho Chi Minh City also covers the former province(s) of Bình Dương, Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu; the former Bình Dương, Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu Department of Justice has been merged into the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Justice.
What do foreigners do at the Department of Justice?
- Applying for, regaining or renouncing Vietnamese nationality: files are lodged at the Department of Justice where you live.
- Intercountry adoption: the Department seeks substitute families, matches children and organises the handover.
- Looking up notary offices, lawyers and translator collaborators approved by the Department.
- Registering branches of foreign law firms and managing foreign lawyers practising in the province.
- Receiving civil-status files with a foreign element when the applicant has no residence in Vietnam.
Procedures now handled elsewhere
| Procedure | Where to apply |
|---|---|
| Criminal record certificate | Ho Chi Minh City Police (Records Division); or online via VNeID / the National Public Service Portal |
| Marriage registration with a foreigner | Commune/ward People’s Committee where the Vietnamese partner lives |
| Birth registration for a child with a foreign parent | Commune/ward People’s Committee |
| Recording a foreign marriage or divorce | Commune/ward People’s Committee |
| Certificate of marital status | Commune/ward People’s Committee where you reside |
| Certified copies, translators’ signatures | Any commune/ward People’s Committee or a notary office |
| Consular legalisation | Consular Department (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) or an authorised foreign affairs office |
| Visas, residence cards, visa extensions | Ho Chi Minh City Police Immigration Office |
Tips before you visit
- Bring your passport and a valid temporary or permanent residence card.
- Foreign documents need consular legalisation (unless exempt) and a certified Vietnamese translation.
- Many procedures can be filed online via the National Public Service Portal (dichvucong.gov.vn); call ahead to confirm reception hours.
- If you do not read Vietnamese, bring an interpreter or use a support service.
FAQ
Where do foreigners in Ho Chi Minh City apply for a criminal record certificate?
Since 1 March 2025, at the Ho Chi Minh City Police or online via VNeID or the National Public Service Portal, not at the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Justice. See the criminal record guide.
Where do I register a marriage with a foreigner in Ho Chi Minh City?
At the commune/ward People’s Committee where the Vietnamese partner lives, within 5 working days.
Does the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Justice translate or certify documents?
No. Certification is done at commune/ward People’s Committees or notary offices; the Department approves the list of translator collaborators.
Departments of Justice in all 34 provinces
Need help with procedures for foreigners?
Info Travel, a Vietnam visa and immigration services company for foreigners, helps with nationality and marriage files, translation, legalisation, visas and residence cards in Ho Chi Minh City. Zalo/WhatsApp: +84327828822 / Hotline: +84903782118
Sources: the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Justice website and the Ministry of Justice list of provincial departments (dgts.moj.gov.vn), checked October 2026; Decree 120/2025/ND-CP; Official Letter 454/BTP-TCCB. Contact details may change; please call to confirm before visiting.
