Consular legalization is a necessary procedure to certify the authenticity of foreign documents for use in Vietnam or Vietnamese documents for use abroad. In accordance with Decree No. 111/2011/ND-CP, amended by Decree No. 196/2025/ND-CP, effective from August 3, 2025, the following outlines the detailed steps and requirements for consular legalization at competent domestic authorities and Vietnamese representative missions abroad.
- Procedures for Consular Legalization at Competent Domestic Authorities
According to Article 14 of Decree No. 111/2011/ND-CP, as amended by Decree No. 196/2025/ND-CP, the steps and formalities for consular legalization at competent domestic authorities are as follows:
- Dossier Submission
Applicants for consular legalization must submit one (01) set of documents, including:
(i) One (01) Consular Legalization Application Form, as prescribed.
(ii) For direct submission: Present the original or a copy of the Citizen Identification Card/Personal Identification Card/Certificate of Identification, Passport, or other valid international travel documents, or provide an electronic ID card.
(iii) For postal submission: Submit one (01) copy of the Citizen Identification Card/Personal Identification Card/Certificate of Identification, Passport, or other valid international travel documents. These copies must be taken from the original documents but do not require certification.
(iv) Foreign documents to be legalized, which have been certified by the diplomatic missions, consular offices, or other competent authorities of the foreign country.
(v) One (01) translated copy of the documents to be legalized, in Vietnamese or English, if the documents are not originally in these languages.
(vi) One (01) copy of the documents mentioned in item (iv) for storage at the competent domestic authorities.
- Verification of Document Authenticity
If necessary, the receiving officer may request the applicant to present the original documents and provide one (01) additional copy for storage to verify the authenticity of the submitted documents.
- Legalization Process
The domestic competent authority will legalize consular documents by comparing the seals, signatures, and titles of the foreign certifying body with the officially registered specimens provided to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Processing Time
According to Clause 5, Article 11 of Decree No. 111/2011/ND-CP, as amended by Decree No. 196/2025/ND-CP:
- For dossiers containing 1 to 4 documents, the processing time is one working day from the date of receipt of a complete and valid dossier.
- For dossiers containing 5 to 9 documents, the processing time is no more than two working days.
- For dossiers containing 10 or more documents, the processing time may be extended but must not exceed four working days.
- Handling Special Cases
If the specimen signatures, seals, or titles of the foreign certifying authority have not been officially registered or need further verification, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will request official verification. Upon receiving the verification results, the Ministry will process and return the results to the applicant.
- Procedures for Consular Legalization at Vietnamese Representative Missions Abroad
In accordance with Article 14 of Decree No. 111/2011/ND-CP, as amended by Decree No. 196/2025/ND-CP, the procedures for consular legalization at Vietnamese representative missions abroad are as follows:
- Dossier Submission
Applicants for consular legalization must submit one (01) set of documents, including:
(i) One (01) Consular Legalization Application Form, as prescribed.
(ii) For direct submission: Present the original or a copy of the Citizen Identification Card/Personal Identification Card/Certificate of Identification, Passport, or other valid international travel documents, or other personal identification documents as required by the local laws.
(iii) For postal submission: Submit one (01) copy of the Citizen Identification Card/Personal Identification Card/Certificate of Identification, Passport, or other valid international travel documents or personal identification documents as required by the local laws. These copies must be taken from the original documents but do not require certification.
(iv) Foreign documents to be legalized, which have been certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, other competent authorities of the foreign country, or the diplomatic/consular missions where the Vietnamese representative mission is located.
(v) One (01) translated copy of the documents to be legalized, in Vietnamese, English, or a foreign language understandable by the receiving officer, if the documents are not originally in these languages.
(vi) One (01) copy of the documents mentioned in item (iv) for storage at the Vietnamese representative mission.
- Verification of Document Authenticity
If necessary, the receiving officer may request the applicant to present the original documents and provide one (01) additional copy for storage to verify the authenticity of the submitted documents.
- Legalization Process
The Vietnamese representative mission will legalize the consular documents by comparing the seals, signatures, and titles of the foreign certifying authority with the officially registered specimens provided to the mission.
- Processing Time
According to Clause 5, Article 11 of Decree No. 111/2011/ND-CP, as amended by Decree No. 196/2025/ND-CP:
- For dossiers containing 1 to 4 documents, the processing time is one working day from the date of receipt of a complete and valid dossier.
- For dossiers containing 5 to 9 documents, the processing time is no more than two working days.
- For dossiers containing 10 or more documents, the processing time may be extended but must not exceed four working days.
- Handling Special Cases
If the specimen signatures, seals, or titles of the foreign certifying authority have not been officially registered or need further verification, the representative mission will request official verification from the competent authorities of the foreign country. Upon receiving the verification results, the mission will process and return the results to the applicant.
In conclusion, the above procedures ensure the uniformity and compliance of consular legalization processes at both domestic authorities and Vietnamese representative missions abroad. Applicants are advised to prepare complete and valid dossiers to facilitate faster processing.
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