Schmidt & Schmidt offers the legalization of documents from Vietnam.
Vietnam has not joined Hague Convention on the Simplified Authentication of Documents. This means that documents from Vietnam cannot be legalized by apostille, they will only be recognized abroad after they undergo consular legalization.
Consular legalization is the process of authenticating or certifying a legal document so a foreign country's legal system will recognize it as with full legal effect that is carried out by the diplomatic or consular mission of the country in which the document is to be used.
Consular legalization is more complex, time-consuming and costly than the simpler apostille procedure. Consular legalization requires several pre-certifications before a public document can be certified at the embassy or consulate of the destination country.
It is a common requirement that the document has to be translated into the official language of the destination country before submission to the embassy. It is up to the diplomatic mission to decide about the authentication procedure.
Consular legalization includes confirmation of a document by the authorized bodies of the Ministry of Justice, divisions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and then by the consulate (or consular section of the embassy) of the destination country. It must be remembered that the document will have legal force only in the territory of the country whose consulate stamp is on it.
Not only documents issued in the Vietnam are subject to consular legalization for their use in other countries, but also documents from other countries for their use in Vietnam.
The following documents can be legalized:
- Extracts from the commercial register
- Certificates of civil status (certificates of birth, death, marriage and divorce)
- Education documents (school reports, certificates, diplomas)
- Judicial decisions
- Notarized copies of documents
- Notarized translations
- Further notarial documents (authorizations of signatures, last will, declarations)
Consular legalization of public documents from Vietnam for use abroad
To legalize Vietnamese documents for use abroad, one needs to submit the original document, along with any required copies or supporting materials, to the respective consular office.
The specific requirements and procedures for consular legalization may vary depending on the regulations of the destination country. However, the legalization procedure requires the basic following steps:
- First your documents are legalized by the Vietnamese authorities as done by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Department of External Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ho Chi Minh City.
- Most countries then require a translation by a sworn translator, in some cases this translation may also need legalization.
- Afterwards, provided both the original and the translation are submitted, the respective foreign country's embassy or consulate will be able to authenticate and legalize your Vietnamese documents for use abroad.
After passing all these official procedures, the legalization of the document will be completed, and it can be legally used in the territory of the relevant foreign state.
Consular legalization of foreign documents for use in Vietnam
Foreign documents must be legalized before they can be used in Vietnam. The representations and embassies of Vietnam all over the world are in charge of this process.
Since Vietnam is not a party to the Hague Convention on the Simplified Legalization of Documents, documents issued in other countries and intended for use in the Vietnam are also subject to consular legalization, which usually includes the following actions:
- Notarization: Begin by having your document notarized through one of the recognized notary public services.
- Authentication: Your document undergoes authentication by the respective country or state authority.
- Foreign Affairs or Central Government Authentication: The document receives an endorsement from the central government or its foreign affairs department.
- Vietnam Embassy Legalization: The last step involves the Vietnam Embassy in your country, where the document is officially legalized.
After successful certification, you may submit your documents to the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Department of External Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ho Chi Minh City for the authentication and legalization of your documents for use in Vietnam.
Сonsular legalization in all cities of Vietnam
Schmidt & Schmidt provides apostille and consular legalization services for public documents originating from all regions across Vietnam. We handle the entire process, from document review to obtaining the necessary certifications, ensuring that your documents are valid and recognized internationally. With our reliable services, you can confidently use your Vietnam public documents abroad.
Procurement of documents from Vietnam
If the important documents are lost or damaged, or current copies of the documents are needed, the re-issue of the documents is required. It is not unusual for people outside Vietnam to encounter difficulties with obtaining new documents when abroad. Our consultants will help you procure new documents from Vietnam remotely, and we can arrange for your documents to be sent by courier anywhere in the world.
Certified translation of documents from Vietnam
Copies and transcripts of civil status documents can be translated into any language by a sworn translator in Vietnam or the translation can be done in the country of destination. We offer certified translations of civil status documents with further certification. The cost of the work is calculated according to the volume of the document in question.
Does the translation have to be legalized?
Any foreign document issued in one country and used in another country must be legalized for use abroad. Therefore, the authenticity of a certified translation from Vietnam needs to be certified by an apostille. Consequently, many authorities may not accept certified translations from Vietnam if the translation has not been properly authenticated in Vietnam for use abroad. To avoid this confusion, translations should better be made in the state of the destination of the document.
