DECREE

ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HAGUE CONVENTION OF 5 OCTOBER 1961 ABOLISHING THE REQUIREMENT OF LEGALISATION FOR FOREIGN PUBLIC DOCUMENTS (APOSTILLE CONVENTION)

THE GOVERNMENT

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government No. 63/2025/QH15;

Pursuant to the Law on Treaties No. 108/2016/QH13, as amended and supplemented by Law No. 137/2025/QH15;

Pursuant to the Law on Vietnamese Representative Missions Abroad No. 33/2009/QH12, as amended and supplemented by Law No. 19/2017/QH14 and Law No. 08/2026/QH16;

At the proposal of the Minister of Foreign Affairs;

The Government hereby promulgates this Decree providing guidance on the implementation of the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (Apostille Convention).

CHAPTER I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Decree provides for:

The authority, order and procedures for issuing Apostille certificates for Vietnamese public documents.
The receipt and use in Vietnam of public documents bearing an Apostille certificate issued by a Contracting State to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (hereinafter referred to as the “Apostille Convention”).
The verification of Apostille certificates and state management of the implementation of the Apostille Convention.

Article 2. Regulated Entities

This Decree applies to:

Agencies, organizations and individuals requesting the issuance of Apostille certificates;
Competent Vietnamese authorities responsible for issuing Apostille certificates;
Agencies, organizations and individuals receiving and using in Vietnam public documents bearing an Apostille certificate issued by a Contracting State to the Convention; and
Other agencies and organizations involved in the issuance, verification, state management and international cooperation relating to Apostille certificates.

Article 3. Interpretation of Terms

For the purposes of this Decree:

“Contracting State to the Convention” means a party that has joined the Apostille Convention by signature, ratification or accession in accordance with the Convention.
“Apostille certificate” means a certificate issued by a competent authority of Vietnam or a Contracting State to certify the origin of a public document, including the authenticity of the signature, the capacity in which the signatory has acted, the authority of the signatory, and the seal or stamp affixed to the public document, if any, in accordance with Article 4 of this Decree.
“Public document” means a document or instrument, whether in paper or electronic form, issued or executed by a competent agency, organization or individual under the laws of the country where the document is issued or executed, in the exercise of its functions, duties and powers under the laws of that country, including:
- documents issued by a court or judicial authority, or by a competent official thereof;
- administrative documents;
- notarial instruments; and
- official certificates placed on documents signed in a private capacity.
“Competent authority for issuing Apostille certificates” means an authority designated by a Contracting State to the Convention, in accordance with the Convention, to issue Apostille certificates. For the purposes of this Decree, this includes the competent authorities of Vietnam and of Contracting States having applicable relations with Vietnam.
“Electronic Apostille certificate (e-Apostille)” means an Apostille certificate issued in electronic data form, digitally signed in accordance with the law on electronic transactions and meeting the technical requirements specified in Clause 3, Article 20 of this Decree.
“Information System for the Issuance and Management of Apostille Certificates” means the professional information system developed, managed and operated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for receiving, processing, issuing, storing, retrieving and verifying Apostille certificates (hereinafter referred to as the “Apostille Information System”).
“Electronic Apostille Data Repository” (hereinafter referred to as the “Data Repository”) means a component of the Apostille Information System used to store, retrieve and verify information concerning issued Apostille certificates, developed, managed, operated and secured in accordance with the laws on electronic transactions, data and cybersecurity.
“Electronic Register (e-Register)” means the publicly accessible online interface of the Data Repository that enables verification of the authenticity of Apostille certificates in accordance with the Convention.

Article 4. Contents of an Apostille Certificate

An Apostille certificate certifies the origin of a public document, including the authenticity of the signature, the capacity in which the signatory has acted, the authority of the signatory, and the seal or stamp affixed to the public document, if any.
An Apostille certificate does not certify the content or form of the public document.

Article 5. Requirements for Issuance of Apostille Certificates and Order of Priority

Vietnamese public documents shall be issued with Apostille certificates at the request of an agency, organization or individual for use in a Contracting State having applicable relations with Vietnam. An Apostille certificate is not mandatory where the public document is exempt from, or does not require, certification or authentication under a treaty to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a party or under the laws or prevailing practices of the country where the document is to be used.
The issuance of an Apostille certificate does not replace notarization or certification required under Vietnamese law where the public document is to be used in Vietnam.
For use in Vietnam, a public document of a Contracting State having applicable relations with Vietnam must bear an Apostille certificate, except for documents rejected under Article 26 of this Decree or cases where a treaty to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a party, or Vietnamese law and practice, provides an exemption from or does not require consular legalization or another certification procedure for that type of document.
Public documents of Vietnam intended for use abroad and foreign public documents intended for use in Vietnam shall be certified in one of the following forms:
a) Apostille certification under this Decree, applicable to public documents circulating between Vietnam and a Contracting State having applicable relations with Vietnam;
b) Consular certification or consular legalization in accordance with the law on consular certification and legalization, applicable to public documents circulating in relations with a country that is not a Contracting State to the Convention;
c) Where a treaty to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a party provides for a simpler certification or authentication procedure, or exempts public documents from certification or authentication requirements applicable under Point a or Point b of this Clause, the provisions of that treaty shall prevail.

Public documents that have already undergone consular certification or legalization may still be issued an Apostille certificate for use in a Contracting State having applicable relations with Vietnam, and vice versa.

Where a Contracting State objects to Vietnam’s accession, or Vietnam objects to the accession of such Contracting State, in accordance with Article 12 of the Convention, the Apostille Convention shall not apply between the two countries. Public documents circulating between the two countries shall therefore be handled in accordance with Point b, Clause 3 of this Article.

CHAPTER II

ISSUANCE OF APOSTILLE CERTIFICATES FOR VIETNAMESE PUBLIC DOCUMENTS

Article 6. Competent Vietnamese Authority for Issuing Apostille Certificates

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall be the competent authority for issuing Apostille certificates in Vietnam. The Minister of Foreign Affairs shall specifically designate the authorities responsible for issuing Apostille certificates (collectively referred to as the “Apostille-Issuing Authority”).
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall notify the depositary of the Convention, through diplomatic channels, of the Apostille-Issuing Authority and any relevant changes.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs shall prescribe the criteria, conditions and roadmap for decentralizing authority to issue Apostille certificates to provincial-level People’s Committees, as well as the responsibilities of provincial-level People’s Committees receiving such delegated authority, in accordance with the laws on the organization of the Government and local government.

Article 7. Persons and Entities Eligible to Request an Apostille Certificate

An agency, organization or individual may request an Apostille certificate for its own documents or documents belonging to another person without a power of attorney.
A person requesting an Apostille certificate for another person’s documents shall be legally responsible for the lawfulness of the submission and use of such documents and shall comply with the law on personal data protection and other relevant legislation.

Article 8. Language and Place of Issuance

Apostille certificates shall be issued in Vietnamese and English. The heading “Apostille (Convention de La Haye du 5 octobre 1961)” shall be presented in French in accordance with Article 4 of the Apostille Convention.
Apostille certificates shall be issued at the headquarters of the Apostille-Issuing Authority.

Article 9. Fees for Issuing Apostille Certificates

An applicant for an Apostille certificate shall pay consular certification and legalization fees at the time of filing the application, in accordance with the law on fees and charges.
Where an application is submitted and the result is received by postal service, the applicant shall pay the applicable postal charges.
Where an application is submitted online, payment shall be made in accordance with the law governing the provision of administrative procedures in the electronic environment.
Where an application has been returned because the verification period expired and the applicant subsequently resubmits the application in accordance with Point c, Clause 5, Article 15 of this Decree, the resubmitted application shall continue to be processed on the basis of the previously submitted documents and fees.

Article 10. Vietnamese Public Documents Eligible for Apostille Certification

Vietnamese public documents eligible for Apostille certification include:

Documents prepared, issued or certified by competent authorities or persons in judicial proceedings or enforcement proceedings in accordance with the law applicable from time to time, including judgments, decisions and procedural documents of People’s Courts, People’s Procuracies and investigation agencies; decisions, minutes and documents of civil judgment enforcement management agencies, civil judgment enforcement agencies and criminal judgment enforcement agencies; enforcement officer’s certificates (vi bằng) and other documents prepared by enforcement officers in the performance of their duties.
Administrative documents prepared, issued or certified by competent agencies, organizations or persons in accordance with law, including civil status, nationality and adoption documents; criminal record certificates; diplomas, certificates and certifications of academic or research results; medical examination certificates, medical certificates, medical assessment conclusions and other medical documents; and other administrative documents issued or certified by state agencies or organizations to which the State has delegated or authorized the provision of public services.
Notarial instruments under the laws on notarization applicable from time to time, including notarized contracts, transactions, translations and copies.
Certified documents issued by competent agencies, organizations or persons under the law on certification, including certified copies of originals; certified signatures and certified translator signatures; and certified contracts and transactions.
Other Vietnamese public documents prepared, issued or certified by competent agencies, organizations or persons in the performance of their functions and duties in accordance with law, except as provided in Clause 1, Article 11 of this Decree.

Article 11. Documents Outside the Scope of, or Ineligible for, Apostille Certification

The following documents are outside the scope of Apostille certification:
a) Documents prepared or issued by Vietnamese diplomatic or consular officials in the performance of diplomatic or consular functions under Vietnamese and international law;
b) Administrative documents directly related to commercial or customs activities, except documents that, before the Apostille Convention entered into force for the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, were subject to consular certification under the law on consular certification and legalization. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall specifically determine the documents covered by this Point in the list prescribed in Clause 7, Article 30 of this Decree;
c) Documents not prepared, issued or certified by a competent agency, organization or person in the performance of its functions, duties or powers under law and that have not been notarized or certified;
d) Foreign public documents prepared, issued or certified by foreign agencies, organizations or competent persons.
The following documents are not eligible for Apostille certification:
a) Documents that have been unlawfully erased, altered or otherwise tampered with;
b) Documents for which there are grounds to establish that they are forged;
c) Documents for which verification under Article 15 of this Decree establishes that the competent authority did not issue the document, or that the seal, signature, title or authority appearing on the document is unauthentic, unauthorized, not an original seal or signature, or inconsistent with the registered specimen;
d) Public documents that have been declared invalid, recalled or annulled, or determined to have been unlawfully issued under an effective decision, judgment or document of a competent state authority;
dd) Public documents prohibited from being taken abroad under Vietnamese law;
e) Vietnamese public documents in electronic data form that do not contain a valid digital signature of the competent agency, organization or person, or whose digital signature fails to satisfy the technical format prescribed by the law on electronic transactions.

Article 12. Application Dossier and Submission Methods

An application for an Apostille certificate shall consist of one set of documents. The required documents depend on the method of submission as follows:

In-person submission at the One-Stop Service Division or submission by postal service:
a) An application form for an Apostille certificate, using the form issued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs;
b) The original public document for which an Apostille certificate is requested. Where the public document is a certified copy or a certified translation in accordance with the laws on notarization and certification, the certified copy or translation may be submitted instead. The public document must remain intact and must not be detached, erased or otherwise altered.
Fully online submission through the National Public Service Portal or the National Identification Application:
a) The application form in interactive electronic format;
b) An electronic version of the public document bearing a valid digital signature of the competent agency, organization or person in accordance with the law on electronic transactions.

Article 13. Receipt of Applications

Applications for Apostille certificates shall be received in accordance with the law governing administrative procedures under the one-stop and interconnected one-stop mechanisms and the provision of administrative procedures in the electronic environment, following these steps:

The receiving authority shall verify the applicant’s identity through an electronic identification account. Where an application is submitted in person or by post and identification information cannot be retrieved or is incomplete, the authority shall verify and cross-check the information against an identity document or proof of the legal status of the organization presented or subsequently provided by the applicant.
The receiving authority shall check whether the application is complete and valid and cross-check the information contained in the public document against the information in the Apostille application form.
Where the public document shows signs of forgery or unlawful erasure or alteration, the receiving authority shall make a notation in the application dossier for handling under Articles 14 and 15 of this Decree.
Where the application is incomplete or invalid, the receiving authority shall provide guidance for supplementation and completion once. The applicant shall supplement and complete the application within 07 working days from receipt of such guidance. This period shall not be counted toward the processing time.

Article 14. Processing of Apostille Applications

The Apostille-Issuing Authority shall compare the signature, seal, title and authority appearing on the public document against the information and data on seals, signatures, titles and authorities specified in Article 23 of this Decree.
The results of such comparison shall be handled as follows:
a) Where the information matches, the Apostille-Issuing Authority shall issue the Apostille certificate in accordance with Article 16 of this Decree;
b) Where the application falls within any of the cases requiring verification under Clause 1, Article 15, the Apostille-Issuing Authority shall conduct verification in accordance with Article 15;
c) Where the information does not match but there are grounds to establish that the information or data specified in Article 23 have not been fully updated or contain discrepancies, the Apostille-Issuing Authority shall conduct verification under Article 15 before deciding whether to issue the Apostille certificate. In other cases of inconsistency that do not fall within the verification cases specified in Clause 1, Article 15, the Apostille-Issuing Authority shall refuse to issue the Apostille certificate in accordance with Article 18;
d) Where the public document is a certified copy or a certified translation bearing a certified translator’s signature, and there are reasonable grounds to doubt the authenticity of the copy or translation, the Apostille-Issuing Authority shall prioritize retrieval and cross-checking of electronic notarization or certification data under the law on notarization and certification. Where such data cannot be retrieved, the applicant shall be required to present the original for inspection and comparison.
Receipt, processing and return of results shall be updated on the Administrative Procedure Information System and synchronized with the National Public Service Portal in accordance with the law governing administrative procedures under the one-stop and interconnected one-stop mechanisms.

Article 15. Verification of the Authenticity of Public Documents

The Apostille-Issuing Authority shall verify the authenticity of a public document in any of the following cases:
a) The signature, seal, title or authority appearing on the public document is not contained in the information or data specified in Article 23 or has not been officially introduced to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
b) There are reasonable grounds to doubt the authenticity of the document, including where it shows signs of forgery or unlawful erasure or alteration;
c) There is information, an indication or a report suggesting that the public document is prohibited from being taken abroad or is subject to restrictions on its use abroad under specialized legislation.
Where an application falls within Clause 1 of this Article, the Apostille-Issuing Authority shall suspend processing of the document in question, notify the applicant of the verification, specify the reason and expected verification period, and send a written request for verification as follows:
a) For the cases specified at Points a and b, Clause 1: to the agency or organization that issued the document, or to the superior state management agency of that agency, to confirm the authenticity of the document, seal, signature, title and authority. The applicant shall not be required to provide additional documents;
b) For the case specified at Point c, Clause 1: to the competent state authority responsible for the relevant sector to confirm the status of circulation of the document.
The authority receiving a verification request shall respond in writing within 05 working days from receipt of the request. In complex cases, the response period shall not exceed 10 working days, and the reason shall be notified to the requesting authority.
Immediately upon receipt of the written verification result, the Apostille-Issuing Authority shall proceed as follows:
a) Where the result confirms authenticity and the document is eligible for circulation, the Apostille-Issuing Authority shall issue the Apostille certificate under Article 16;
b) Where the result confirms that the document is unauthentic, the Apostille-Issuing Authority shall refuse to issue the Apostille certificate and return the document to the applicant, with notice under Article 18. Where the document contains forged elements or was issued by an unauthorized agency or organization, the Apostille-Issuing Authority shall refuse issuance and retain and transfer the dossier in accordance with Clause 4, Article 18;
c) Where the document is authentic but prohibited from being taken abroad or subject to restrictions on use abroad under specialized legislation, the Apostille-Issuing Authority shall refuse to issue the Apostille certificate, notify the applicant under Article 18 and transfer the dossier to the competent state authority responsible for the relevant sector for handling in accordance with specialized legislation.
Where the verification period expires without a response:
a) After 15 days from the date on which the written verification request was sent without receiving a response, the Apostille-Issuing Authority shall urge the requested authority to respond;
b) After 30 days from the date on which the written verification request was sent without receiving a response, the Apostille-Issuing Authority shall notify the applicant in writing of the verification process and return the application dossier together with the public document;
c) Where a verification result is subsequently received after the period specified at Point b and the dossier has already been returned, the Apostille-Issuing Authority shall notify the applicant to resubmit the application in accordance with Article 12.

Article 16. Issuance of Apostille Certificates and Return of Results

A paper Apostille certificate shall contain all information specified in Article 20 and shall be issued in the form prescribed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. It shall be affixed or attached directly to the public document, or presented on a separate sheet that is attached to, bound with and inseparable from the public document.
An electronic Apostille certificate shall be integrated into or attached to the electronic public document and shall ensure data integrity in accordance with the technical requirements specified in Clause 3, Article 20.
Results shall be returned to the applicant through the method registered at the time of submission: in person at the One-Stop Service Division; by postal service; or electronically through the electronic Data Repository of the organization or individual on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Administrative Procedure Information System and the National Public Service Portal, in accordance with law, or via the applicant’s email address. The issuance and management of administrative-procedure result codes and electronic archiving shall comply with the law governing administrative procedures under the one-stop and interconnected one-stop mechanisms.
Immediately after issuing an Apostille certificate, the Apostille-Issuing Authority shall update the relevant information in the Data Repository in accordance with Article 21.

Article 17. Processing Time Limits

The processing period for issuing an Apostille certificate shall be calculated from the date on which a complete and valid application is received and shall depend on the number of public documents included in the application and the method of submission. For paper Apostille applications submitted under Clause 1, Article 12:
a) 01 working day for applications containing 01 to 04 public documents;
b) 02 working days for applications containing 05 to 09 public documents;
c) 04 working days for applications containing 10 or more public documents.
For fully online applications for electronic Apostille certificates under Clause 2, Article 12:
a) On the same working day for applications containing 01 to 04 public documents received before the time prescribed by the law governing administrative procedures in the electronic environment; applications received after that time shall be counted as received on the following working day;
b) 01 working day for applications containing 05 to 09 public documents;
c) 03 working days for applications containing 10 or more public documents.

The commencement of the processing period under this Clause shall be determined in accordance with the law governing administrative procedures in the electronic environment.

The periods specified in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Article do not include the verification period under Article 15.
Where an application cannot be processed within the periods specified in Clauses 1 and 2 due to objective reasons, system technical incidents or force majeure as prescribed by law, and the case does not involve verification under Article 15, the Apostille-Issuing Authority shall notify the applicant in writing before the deadline, stating the reason and the new processing period in accordance with the law governing administrative procedures under the one-stop and interconnected one-stop mechanisms. An extension may only be granted once.

Article 18. Handling of Refusals and Retention of Documents

The Apostille-Issuing Authority shall refuse to issue an Apostille certificate in the following cases:
a) The document falls outside the scope of Apostille certification under Clause 1, Article 11;
b) The public document is ineligible for Apostille certification under Clause 2, Article 11;
c) The period specified in Clause 4, Article 13 has expired and the application still fails to satisfy the requirements of Article 12;
d) The comparison under Clause 1, Article 14 establishes that the signature, seal, title or authority appearing on the public document does not match the relevant information and data specified in Article 23.
Where an Apostille certificate is refused, the Apostille-Issuing Authority shall notify the applicant in accordance with the law governing administrative procedures under the one-stop and interconnected one-stop mechanisms within the periods specified in Clauses 1 and 2, Article 17. In the case specified at Point c, Clause 1 of this Article, notice shall be given within 01 working day from expiry of the period specified in Clause 4, Article 13. The notice must state the reasons and legal grounds. The original public document received shall be returned to the applicant together with the refusal notice, except in the case specified in Clause 4 of this Article.
The Apostille-Issuing Authority shall guide the applicant toward the appropriate procedure under law, such as consular certification or consular legalization, where the document is intended for use in a country that is not a Contracting State to the Convention.
Where written verification confirms that a document contains forged elements or was issued by an unauthorized agency or organization, the Apostille-Issuing Authority shall:
a) retain the entire public document and related materials in the application dossier and prepare a retention record signed by the applicant, or state the reason why the applicant did not sign;
b) notify the applicant in writing of the retention of the document and transfer of the dossier to the competent authority for handling, stating the reasons;
c) within 05 working days from preparation of the retention record, notify in writing the competent authority under the law where the Apostille-Issuing Authority is headquartered, requesting that it take receipt of the retained documents and retention record for consideration and handling in accordance with law.

Article 19. Cancellation, Revocation and Replacement of Issued Apostille Certificates

The authority that issued an Apostille certificate shall cancel it in the following cases:
a) The application for the Apostille certificate is determined to contain forged elements based on verification under Article 15 or a conclusion of a competent authority;
b) The public document bearing the Apostille certificate is determined by a competent authority to have been unlawfully issued or to have had no legal validity at the time the Apostille certificate was issued.

A cancelled Apostille certificate shall have no legal validity from the time of issuance.

Except in the case specified in Clause 1, where an error in issuing an Apostille certificate, not attributable to the applicant, renders the document unusable abroad, the issuing authority shall revoke and replace the Apostille certificate at the applicant’s request.

A revoked Apostille certificate shall cease to be effective from the time information concerning the revocation is publicly posted on Vietnam’s Electronic Register.

The replacement Apostille certificate shall have a new certificate number and new management number under Points h and l, Clause 1, Article 20. Replacement shall be carried out on the basis of the documents and fees already submitted. Where the public document originally attached cannot be reused for replacement, the Apostille-Issuing Authority shall instruct the applicant to provide another original or a certified copy or certified translation of the same public document, without requiring resubmission of the application dossier. A replacement request may be submitted in person at the One-Stop Service Division, by postal service or online. Revocation and replacement shall be carried out immediately upon receipt of the request.

The Apostille-Issuing Authority shall cancel or revoke and replace Apostille certificates in accordance with Clause 1 or Clause 2. No later than the following working day after the decision on cancellation or revocation and replacement, the Apostille-Issuing Authority shall update the validity status of the Apostille certificate in the Data Repository under Article 21, publicly post the information on Vietnam’s Electronic Register, and notify the person to whom the Apostille certificate was issued through an appropriate method.

For electronic Apostille certificates, invalidation of the electronic administrative-procedure result shall be carried out in accordance with the law governing administrative procedures in the electronic environment.

Where there are grounds to establish that an Apostille certificate has been used or is under verification in a Contracting State to the Convention, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall notify the competent authority of that Contracting State of the cancellation or revocation and replacement in writing or electronically. Where necessary, notification may be made through diplomatic channels.

Where, based on inspection or state management of Apostille certificates, the Apostille-Issuing Authority has not carried out cancellation or revocation and replacement as required under Clause 1 or Clause 2, the Minister of Foreign Affairs shall issue a written request requiring the Apostille-Issuing Authority to do so within 05 working days from receipt of the request. If the authority fails to act within that period, the Minister of Foreign Affairs shall directly decide on the cancellation or revocation and replacement and shall be responsible for that decision.

Cancellation or revocation and replacement of an Apostille certificate shall not affect the handling of consequences arising from transactions already established in the country receiving the document, which shall be governed by the law of that country. In Vietnam, the lawful rights and interests of a bona fide third party shall be protected in accordance with civil law.

Article 20. Form of the Vietnamese Apostille Certificate

An Apostille certificate shall contain the heading and languages specified in Clause 1, Article 8 and shall include:
a) The name of the country where the Apostille certificate is issued;
b) The full name of the person who signed the public document;
c) The capacity in which the person signed the public document;
d) The name of the authority bearing the seal or stamp affixed to the public document where the public document does not contain a signature;
dd) The place where the Apostille certificate is issued;
e) The date on which the Apostille certificate is issued;
g) The name of the authority issuing the Apostille certificate;
h) The Apostille certificate number;
i) The seal or stamp of the authority issuing the Apostille certificate;
k) The signature of the competent official of the Apostille-Issuing Authority; and
l) The management number.
An Apostille certificate shall contain a QR code linking to the Data Repository under Article 21, enabling retrieval and verification of information concerning the issued Apostille certificate through the Electronic Register.
In addition to the requirements specified in Clauses 1 and 2, an electronic Apostille certificate shall satisfy the following technical requirements:
a) It shall be digitally signed using the specialized official digital signature of the Apostille-Issuing Authority in accordance with the laws on electronic transactions and cryptography;
b) It shall contain a timestamp establishing the time of issuance;
c) It shall be attached to and inseparable from the electronic public document and shall preserve its integrity, with no possibility of alteration after issuance.
The Vietnamese Apostille certificate form must fully contain the information specified in Clauses 1 and 2. An electronic Apostille certificate must additionally satisfy the technical requirements specified in Clause 3. The form must also conform to the Certificate model annexed to the Convention. The Minister of Foreign Affairs shall prescribe the detailed format and presentation of the Apostille certificate.

Article 21. Electronic Apostille Data Repository and Electronic Register

The Data Repository specified in Clause 7, Article 3 shall be managed and operated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Electronic Register specified in Clause 8, Article 3 shall meet the Convention’s requirements for registration and verification of Apostille certificates.
Upon issuing an Apostille certificate, the Apostille-Issuing Authority shall update the following information in the Data Repository:
a) The Apostille certificate number and date of issuance;
b) The full name and capacity of the person who signed the public document, or the name of the authority whose seal appears on the public document;
c) Whether the Apostille certificate is issued in paper or electronic form;
d) The validity status of the Apostille certificate;
dd) The electronic copy of the issued Apostille certificate;
e) The management number of the Apostille certificate.
The Electronic Register shall provide continuous public access 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, using the Apostille certificate number or by scanning the QR code on the Apostille certificate. No account registration shall be required. The Register shall display all information specified in Clause 2 of this Article. The search interface shall be available at least in Vietnamese and English.
Information in the Data Repository shall be retained in accordance with archival law and shall meet the requirements for retrieval and verification of Apostille certificates under the Apostille Convention. Confidentiality, backup, exploitation, sharing and information security shall comply with the laws on data, cybersecurity and personal data protection.

Article 22. Records Retained for Apostille Issuance

Paper records generated during the issuance of Apostille certificates shall be handled in accordance with the law on consular certification and legalization. The preservation regime and retention periods shall comply with archival law.
Storage and preservation of information relating to electronic Apostille certificates shall be carried out in accordance with Article 21.

Article 23. Information and Data on Seals, Signatures, Titles and Authorities of Persons Authorized to Sign Vietnamese Public Documents

Information and data concerning seals, signatures, titles and authorities of persons authorized to sign Vietnamese public documents contained in the information system for consular certification and legalization shall be inherited and updated in the Apostille Information System for comparison and verification purposes when Apostille certificates are issued.
The Apostille-Issuing Authority shall retrieve and use specimen data concerning seals, signatures, titles and authorities of persons authorized to sign documents in accordance with the law on consular certification and legalization to verify the origin of public documents before issuing Apostille certificates.
The introduction, updating and management of specimen seals, signatures, titles and authorities of persons authorized to sign public documents shall be carried out in accordance with the law on consular certification and legalization.

Article 24. Verification of Vietnamese Apostille Certificates at the Request of Foreign Authorities

Where a competent authority of a Contracting State having applicable relations with Vietnam requests verification of an Apostille certificate issued by Vietnam, the Apostille-Issuing Authority that issued the certificate shall verify and respond regarding its authenticity on the basis of information stored in the Electronic Register or retained records.
Verification under this Article is intended solely to confirm the authenticity of the Apostille certificate and information concerning its issuance and does not include verification of the content of the public document bearing the Apostille certificate.
Verification requests and results shall be exchanged directly between competent authorities in writing or electronically. Where necessary, they may be transmitted through diplomatic channels.
The response period shall be 05 working days from receipt of the verification request. Where additional verification is required or the matter is complex, the period shall not exceed 10 working days.
The Apostille-Issuing Authority shall notify the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of verification results for monitoring and consolidation purposes in connection with state management of the implementation of the Apostille Convention.

CHAPTER III

EXEMPTION FROM CONSULAR LEGALIZATION AND USE IN VIETNAM OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS OF CONTRACTING STATES

Article 25. Principles Governing Exemption from Consular Legalization and Use of Apostilled Public Documents

For the purposes of this Chapter, “Contracting State to the Convention” means a Contracting State having applicable relations with Vietnam, unless otherwise provided.
A public document of a Contracting State having applicable relations with Vietnam that bears an Apostille certificate issued by the competent authority of that Contracting State and does not fall under Article 26 shall be exempt from consular legalization and may be used in Vietnam without any additional certification procedure under applicable law.
Vietnamese agencies and organizations shall not require any additional consular certification or legalization procedure for a public document bearing a valid Apostille certificate.
An electronic Apostille certificate issued by a competent authority of a Contracting State shall have the same legal validity as a paper Apostille certificate and shall not be denied legal validity merely because it is presented in electronic data form. The authenticity of an electronic Apostille certificate shall be verified through the Electronic Register of the issuing Contracting State in accordance with Article 27 of this Decree or through the mechanism established by the Apostille Convention.

Article 26. Grounds for Refusing to Accept Apostilled Public Documents

A public document of a Contracting State having applicable relations with Vietnam bearing an Apostille certificate shall be refused in Vietnam in the following cases:

The document bearing the Apostille certificate is not a public document under the law of the country where it was issued, or is a document prepared by a diplomatic or consular official, or an administrative document directly related to commercial or customs activities.
The Apostille certificate was not issued by the competent authority of the Contracting State where the public document was issued, or the Apostille certificate does not contain the French heading “Apostille (Convention de La Haye du 5 octobre 1961)” and does not contain all information required under the Certificate model annexed to the Apostille Convention.
The public document or Apostille certificate shows signs of forgery, erasure or unlawful alteration.
The content of the public document violates Vietnamese law, infringes upon the interests of the Vietnamese State, or is contrary to the fundamental principles of Vietnamese law concerning public order or social morality.
The Apostille certificate has been cancelled or revoked by the competent authority of the Contracting State.

Article 27. Use in Vietnam of Public Documents of Contracting States

A public document bearing an Apostille certificate that is not issued in Vietnamese must be translated into Vietnamese. The translation must be notarized or certified in accordance with Vietnamese law, unless specialized legislation provides otherwise.
A valid Apostille certificate shall be accepted and used in Vietnam without any further consular legalization procedure. Where necessary, the receiving agency or organization may verify the Apostille certificate through the Electronic Register of the issuing Contracting State by conducting an online search or scanning the QR code on the Apostille certificate.
Where there are reasonable grounds to doubt the authenticity of an Apostille certificate and verification cannot be conducted through the Electronic Register of the relevant Contracting State, the receiving agency or organization may request assistance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in verifying the certificate in accordance with Article 28.

Article 28. Assistance in Verifying Apostille Certificates Issued by Competent Authorities of Contracting States at the Request of Domestic Agencies and Organizations

A domestic agency or organization falling under Clause 3, Article 27 may request the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to assist in verifying an Apostille certificate by submitting a written request together with information concerning the certificate to be verified.
Immediately upon receipt of the request, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall send a verification request to the competent Apostille-Issuing Authority of the relevant Contracting State in writing or electronically. Upon receipt of the response, the Ministry shall promptly notify the requesting agency or organization of the result.
Where verification establishes that the Apostille certificate is invalid or shows signs of forgery, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security and relevant authorities to consider and handle the matter in accordance with law and, where necessary, notify the Contracting State that issued the Apostille certificate.

CHAPTER IV

STATE MANAGEMENT AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF AGENCIES, ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS IN IMPLEMENTING THE APOSTILLE CONVENTION

Article 29. Scope of State Management

State management of the implementation of the Apostille Convention includes:

Developing, promulgating and organizing the implementation of legal normative documents concerning implementation of the Apostille Convention;
Organizing and directing the issuance of Apostille certificates and the receipt and use in Vietnam of public documents of Contracting States bearing Apostille certificates;
Developing, managing and operating the Apostille Information System and Electronic Register;
Inspecting, supervising and handling violations of law relating to implementation of the Apostille Convention;
Training and providing professional development for officials and civil servants responsible for issuing Apostille certificates;
Disseminating and promoting awareness of the law relating to the Apostille Convention;
International cooperation in the implementation of the Apostille Convention; and
Compiling statistics and reporting on implementation of the Apostille Convention.

Article 30. Responsibilities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall assist the Government in exercising unified state management over implementation of the Apostille Convention and shall have the following duties and powers:

Serve as the national focal point for implementation of the Apostille Convention and take the lead in organizing implementation of this Decree.
Organize the issuance of Apostille certificates through Apostille-Issuing Authorities. The Minister of Foreign Affairs shall delegate authority to issue Apostille certificates to provincial-level People’s Committees according to the criteria, conditions and roadmap specified in Clause 3, Article 6.
Develop, manage and operate the Apostille Information System, Electronic Register and technical infrastructure serving Apostille issuance, ensuring connectivity and interoperability with the National Public Service Portal.
Prescribe the presentation format of the Apostille certificate; issue application forms, interactive electronic forms and professional forms; organize the printing and issuance of Apostille certificate forms; and notify the depositary of the Convention and Contracting States of Vietnam’s Apostille certificate form through diplomatic channels.
Update and publish the list of Contracting States having applicable relations with Vietnam and information on whether those States continue to recognize or no longer recognize consular certification results issued before the Apostille Convention entered into force for the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Such information shall be publicly posted on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Electronic Information Portal and the National Public Service Portal.
Serve as the national focal point for verification of Apostille certificates under the Apostille Convention; monitor and consolidate verification of Vietnamese-issued Apostille certificates at the request of foreign authorities; assist domestic agencies and organizations in verifying Apostille certificates issued by Contracting States; and urge competent authorities of Contracting States where responses to verification requests are delayed.
Guide and inspect implementation of this Decree; take the lead, in coordination with relevant ministries and ministerial-level agencies, in reviewing and issuing lists and professional guidance materials concerning public documents falling within or outside the scope of Apostille certification under specialized legislation. Such lists and guidance materials shall be publicly posted on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Electronic Information Portal for agencies, organizations and individuals to consult and apply consistently.
Consolidate and report to the Government on implementation of the Apostille Convention annually or when required.

Article 31. Responsibilities of Ministries, Sectors and Provincial-Level People’s Committees

Ministries, ministerial-level agencies and provincial-level People’s Committees shall, within the scope of their respective duties and powers:

Coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in organizing implementation of this Decree;
Direct subordinate agencies and organizations to accept public documents of Contracting States bearing Apostille certificates in accordance with this Decree; not require Apostille certification for public documents exempt from consular legalization under another treaty to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a party or under specialized legislation; and proactively coordinate verification where necessary in accordance with law.

Article 32. Responsibilities of Agencies and Organizations Issuing Vietnamese Public Documents

Be legally responsible for the authenticity, content and form of documents and instruments prepared or issued by them.
Promptly notify the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of specimen seals, signatures, titles, authorities and authorization periods of agencies, organizations and competent persons authorized to sign and issue public documents, in accordance with the law on consular certification and legalization.
An agency or organization preparing or issuing public documents that receives a verification request under Clause 2, Article 15 shall respond in writing within the period specified in Clause 3, Article 15.

Article 33. Responsibilities of Relevant Agencies, Organizations and Individuals

An agency, organization or individual requesting an Apostille certificate shall:
a) Be legally responsible for the purpose of use, content, authenticity and legality of the documents and instruments;
b) Provide relevant information to the Apostille-Issuing Authority.
A Vietnamese agency or organization receiving or using documents bearing Apostille certificates issued by a Contracting State shall:
a) Review and compare the documents against applicable law and relevant documents in deciding whether to accept them in handling matters falling within its functions and powers;
b) Proactively coordinate with competent authorities to verify the authenticity of foreign documents where necessary.

CHAPTER V

IMPLEMENTATION PROVISIONS

Article 34. Effectiveness

This Decree shall take effect from September 11, 2026.

Article 35. Application of the Law on Apostille Certification and Consular Certification and Legalization

From the effective date of this Decree, certification of public documents intended for use in a Contracting State having applicable relations with Vietnam shall be carried out in accordance with this Decree.
Consular certification and legalization shall continue to be carried out in accordance with the law on consular certification and legalization in the following cases:
a) Vietnamese public documents intended for use in a country that is not a Contracting State to the Convention;
b) Documents and instruments that do not fall within the scope of public documents specified in Clause 3, Article 3 and Article 10 of this Decree, or that fall outside the scope of Apostille certification under Clause 1, Article 11;
c) Other cases outside the scope of this Decree.

Article 36. Transitional Provisions

An application for consular certification of a Vietnamese public document that was validly received before this Decree takes effect but has not been resolved by that date, including applications undergoing supplementary verification, shall continue to be processed and the results returned in accordance with the law on consular certification and legalization.
The use of such consular certification results in a Contracting State shall be governed by a treaty to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a party or by the principle of reciprocity.
The person to whom the certification was issued may request an Apostille certificate for the same public document in accordance with this Decree.
The transitional mechanism for documents certified or authenticated before the effective date of this Decree shall be as follows:
a) Public documents of a Contracting State that were legalized by a competent Vietnamese authority before the effective date of this Decree shall continue to be valid for use in Vietnam. Receiving agencies and organizations shall not require the user to obtain an Apostille certificate for such public documents;
b) Vietnamese public documents that received consular certification before the effective date of this Decree and need to be used in a Contracting State with which the Convention is effective in relation to Vietnam may, at the request of the person to whom the certification was issued, be issued an Apostille certificate by the Apostille-Issuing Authority under this Decree without requiring reissuance of the original public document. Fees shall be collected in accordance with Article 9.
From the date on which the Convention becomes effective in relation to Vietnam, Apostille certificates issued before that date by competent authorities of Contracting States having applicable relations with Vietnam shall be accepted and used in Vietnam unless they fall within the refusal cases specified in Article 26.
The electronic component of Apostille issuance and management shall be implemented according to the following operational roadmap for the Apostille Information System:
a) Before the Apostille Information System becomes operational, the Apostille-Issuing Authority shall issue paper Apostille certificates in accordance with this Decree. Online applications shall be received and processed through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Administrative Procedure Information System connected to the National Public Service Portal. Procedures eligible for electronic processing shall be implemented immediately through those systems. Recording, storage, retrieval and verification of issued Apostille certificates shall be conducted on the basis of retained records, ensuring compliance with the Apostille Convention;
b) Electronic Apostille issuance, operation of the Electronic Register, integration of QR codes into Apostille certificates, and receipt and processing of fully online applications shall commence from the time the Apostille Information System becomes operational;
c) The Minister of Foreign Affairs shall announce the date on which the Apostille Information System becomes operational and direct the transition between Apostille issuance methods so as to ensure uninterrupted issuance of Apostille certificates.

Article 37. Organization of Implementation

From the date on which the Apostille Convention enters into force for the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Vietnamese diplomatic missions and consular missions abroad shall no longer carry out consular legalization of public documents of Contracting States having applicable relations with Vietnam where such documents are exempt from consular legalization under the Apostille Convention.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall guide and inspect implementation of Clause 1 of this Article and direct Vietnamese diplomatic and consular missions abroad to notify the competent authorities of the host country, the Vietnamese community and relevant organizations and individuals of the application of the Apostille mechanism in place of consular legalization for public documents of Contracting States having applicable relations with Vietnam, and provide guidance on Apostille certification procedures.
Such notification shall be made promptly to ensure that authentication of public documents is not disrupted.
Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies and Chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees of centrally governed provinces and cities shall be responsible for implementing this Decree.

RECIPIENTS

The Party Central Committee Secretariat;
The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Ministers;
Ministries and ministerial-level agencies;
People’s Councils and People’s Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities;
The Office of the Party Central Committee and Party Central Committee Commissions;
The Office of the General Secretary;
The Office of the President;
The Ethnic Council and Committees of the National Assembly;
The Office of the National Assembly;
The Supreme People’s Court;
The Supreme People’s Procuracy;
The State Audit Office of Vietnam;
The Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front;
Central-level agencies of socio-political organizations;
The Government Office: Minister-Director, Deputy Minister-Directors, Assistants to the Prime Minister, departments, authorities and the Official Gazette;
Filed: Archives, QHQT (02).

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