NEWS / Apostille Convention takes effect in Vietnam

The Convention of the 5th October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, better known as the Hague or Apostille Convention, has come into effect in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. This new reality significantly simplifies international document transactions between Vietnam and other members of the Convention, including the United States and the entirety of Europe (except Vatican City).

Until now, documents originating from the United States and intended for use in Vietnam needed to be authenticated by their state of origin (or the federal government in the case of federal documents) and then further legalized by the Embassy of Vietnam in Washington, DC, or one of its consulates in New York City, Houston, or San Francisco.

Starting September 11, 2026, it is sufficient to obtain an apostille issued by the document’s state of origin (or federal government in the case of federal documents) without the need for further consular legalization. The move was made in compliance with Vietnamese Government Decree No. 293/2026/ND-CP, which provided the guidelines for the implementation of the Hague Convention in Vietnam.

“As from 11 September 2026, the Embassy of Viet Nam to the United States of America will cease to accept applications for consular legalisation of public documents issued by the competent authorities of the United States of America,” the Embassy of Vietnam states on its website.

According to BAL, consular legalization will still apply to diplomatic and consular documents as well as certain commercial and customs-related administrative documents.

Vietnam also reserves the right to reject an apostilled document if the document or apostille shows signs of forgery or unauthorized alteration as well as in cases when it violates Vietnamese law or conflicts with public order or social morality, Vietnam Briefing reports.

The Ministry of Justice is Vietnam’s National Organ responsible for communication with the Hague Conference on Private International Law, charged with upholding the Apostille Convention.

Whether you need to obtain an apostille or the more complicated consular authentication/legalization for your document, we are here to help! Do not hesitate to contact us via e-mail at info@apostille.us or by phone at (212) 233-7061. You can also place an order on our website.