Vietnam Joins the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (Apostille Convention)

I. Definitions of Consular Legalization and Consular Certification

According to the provisions of Article 2, Decree No. 111/2011/ND-CP dated December 5, 2011:

1. "Consular Certification" means the certification by a competent Vietnamese authority of the seal, signature, and title on Vietnamese papers and documents so that such papers and documents may be recognized and used abroad.

2. "Consular Legalization" means the certification by a competent Vietnamese authority of the seal, signature, and title on foreign papers and documents so that such papers and documents may be recognized and used in Vietnam.

Accordingly, foreign documents wishing to be recognized and used in Vietnam must undergo Consular Legalization procedures. Similarly, Vietnamese documents intended for use abroad must also undergo Consular Certification procedures.

Current Implementation Process:

The procedure for Consular Certification of documents issued in Vietnam is as follows:

1. Consular Certification at the Consular Department or the Department of External Relations of Ho Chi Minh City;

2. Certification at the foreign diplomatic representative mission in Vietnam.

The procedure for Legalization of documents issued abroad for use in Vietnam is as follows: Depending on the laws of each country, the standard procedure typically includes:

1. Documents are certified by a notary public or a Court;

2. Subsequently certified by the foreign diplomatic authority;

3. Legalized at the Vietnamese Embassy/Consulate abroad.

II. Benefits of Joining the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents

Accession to the Hague Convention means that Consular Legalization or Certification procedures will be abolished. Citizens and businesses will shorten the time required to prepare documents related to legalization procedures (which usually takes 2-3 months) in the process of preparation, submission of dossiers, and performance of administrative procedures in Vietnam. Vietnamese documents will also be used abroad more conveniently, reducing costs related to consular certification procedures before being used overseas.

This accession is in line with the policy of promoting administrative reform, digital transformation, and international integration.

III. Validity of the Convention and Competent Authorities of Vietnam

According to paragraph 2, Article 12 of the Apostille Convention, the accession only has effect in the relationship between Vietnam and other contracting states that do not raise an objection to this accession within a period of 6 months after the receipt of the aforementioned notification (the 6-month period ends on July 13, 2026). According to paragraph 3, Article 12 of the Apostille Convention, the Convention will enter into force between Vietnam and other contracting states that do not object to Vietnam's accession starting from September 11, 2026. Thus, if there are no objections to the accession, starting from September 11, 2026, Consular Legalization or Certification procedures will be exempted for member states of the Apostille Convention.

List of participating countries in the Hague Convention: Click here

Vietnam has designated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the competent authority to issue Apostille stamps, including: The Consular Department (headquartered in Hanoi) and the Department of External Relations of Ho Chi Minh City.

IV. Implementation Plan for the Apostille Convention

On February 25, 2026, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 330/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister: Regarding the approval of the Implementation Plan for the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (Apostille Convention).

This is an important legal document aimed at:

1. Assigning specific responsibilities to Ministries and sectors in the implementation of the Convention.

2. Building a database system and technical infrastructure to issue and verify e-Apostille stamps.

3. Propagating, disseminating, and training officials on the new process.

Full text of the Decision: Click here.

The information contained in this article is general and intended only to provide information on legal regulations. DB Legal will not be responsible for any use or application of this information for any business purpose. For in-depth advice on specific cases, please contact us.

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