Which Documents Don't Need Consular Legalisation in Vietnam?

Not every foreign document needs consular legalisation to be used in Vietnam. Decree 111/2011/ND-CP lists four exempt cases, and since 11 September 2026 Vietnam applies the Apostille Convention. This guide helps you check whether your documents need legalisation before you spend time and money.

Contents

4 cases exempt from consular legalisation

Under an international treaty or the principle of reciprocity: documents exempted by an agreement that both Vietnam and the issuing country have signed.
Documents transferred directly or through diplomatic channels between the competent authorities of Vietnam and the foreign country.
Exempt under Vietnamese law.
Not required by the receiving authority under the law that applies to that procedure.

Countries with legalisation-exemption agreements with Vietnam

Vietnam has judicial assistance agreements with many countries. Documents within their scope (usually civil and family matters, sometimes labour) are exempt from legalisation:

Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan
Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria
China, Laos, Cambodia, Mongolia, North Korea
Cuba, Algeria
France (civil matters)
Taiwan (under the arrangement between the two economic and cultural offices)

The scope differs by agreement, so check with the receiving authority (Department of Justice, immigration office, labour department…) first.

Apostille: replacing legalisation since 11 September 2026

Public documents from Apostille Convention member countries, with that country’s apostille, can be used in Vietnam without consular legalisation.
It does not apply to countries that objected to Vietnam’s accession, or to documents outside the Convention’s scope (such as some administrative documents dealing directly with commercial or customs operations).
An apostille only certifies the signature, capacity and seal, not the content. Foreign-language documents still need a notarised Vietnamese translation.
Documents legalised before 11 September 2026 remain valid.

Compare the two procedures: apostille vs consular legalisation.

Vietnamese documents used in Vietnam

Documents issued by Vietnamese authorities for use in Vietnam do not need legalisation, for example a health certificate from a Vietnamese hospital, a Vietnamese criminal record certificate, or a labour contract signed in Vietnam.

Which documents usually still need legalisation?

For countries without an agreement and not using the apostille with Vietnam, these usually need legalisation: university degrees, work experience letters, foreign criminal record checks (work permit files), marriage and birth certificates (family visa files), and parent-company documents (investment files). See consular legalisation in Vietnam.

FAQ

How can I be sure my document is exempt?

Identify the issuing country, the document type and the authority that will receive it. Send the details to Info Travel on WhatsApp/Zalo and we will check for free before you start.