Apostille Requirements for Vietnam

The Hague Apostille Convention entered into force for Vietnam on September 11, 2026. Covered U.S. public documents no longer require Vietnamese embassy legalization after receiving a valid apostille.

The Embassy of Vietnam in Washington, D.C. stopped accepting consular legalization applications for U.S. public documents covered by the Convention as of that date. Documents outside its scope may still follow consular legalization procedures.

Documents legalized through consular channels before September 11, 2026 remain valid for use in Vietnam. They do not need a new apostille solely because the procedure changed.

State-issued records and documents notarized by a state notary generally go to that state's Secretary of State or other designated apostille authority. The proper office depends on where the record was issued or notarized.

Federal documents, including FBI Identity History Summaries, follow the U.S. Department of State apostille process. A U.S. state office cannot apostille an FBI-issued background check.

Vietnamese authorities do not issue apostilles for U.S.-issued public documents. Vietnamese-issued documents follow Vietnam's own designated-authority process.

One apostille replaces embassy legalization for an eligible document; it does not remove required preparation. Depending on the issuing jurisdiction and document type, notarization, county certification or another preliminary certification may still be required before the apostille can be issued.

Birth and marriage records generally require official certified copies from the issuing agency. Diplomas, transcripts, powers of attorney, corporate documents and adoption paperwork must be reviewed individually for the required certification and the receiving authority's instructions.

Documents not written in Vietnamese require a Vietnamese translation notarized or certified in accordance with Vietnamese law. Confirm the accepted translator, certification method and sequence with the receiving authority before arranging translation.

An apostille authenticates a signature, official capacity and, where applicable, a seal or stamp. It does not certify the document's content or replace the recipient's requirements for format, document age or supporting records.

The Convention excludes documents executed by diplomatic or consular agents and administrative documents dealing directly with commercial or customs operations. These exclusions do not mean that every corporate or business document is excluded; eligibility depends on the particular document and the issuing jurisdiction's rules.

Documents originating in jurisdictions where the Convention is not in force with Vietnam may require consular legalization unless another exemption applies. Confirm the applicable route before shipping originals.

Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic objected to Vietnam's accession, so the Convention does not apply between Vietnam and those countries. These objections do not prevent eligible U.S. public documents from following the apostille route for Vietnam.