Vietnam has issued a new decree (Decree 293/2026/ND-CP) implementing the Apostille Convention from 11 September 2026. The process is expected to simplify authentication of foreign public documents for use in Vietnam.
Foreign documents used in Vietnam currently require consular legalisation, followed by Vietnamese translation and notarisation. An Apostille is issued by the competent authority in the document’s country of origin, while consular legalisation is completed for use in the destination country, such as Vietnam.
Where the Apostille Convention applies between the issuing country and Vietnam, and the document meets the relevant requirements, an Apostille replaces consular legalisation. Translation, notarisation and sector-specific requirements may still apply.
For documents issued in countries that are not parties to the Apostille Convention, or where the Convention does not apply between the issuing country and Vietnam, existing consular certification and legalisation procedures will continue.
Documents legalised through the existing consular process before 11 September 2026 will remain valid and will not require re-authentication under the Apostille process.
Applications may be submitted online or in person. Processing in Vietnam is expected to take one to four working days, depending on the volume of documents.
Preparing overseas documents for Vietnamese work permit and immigration applications can be complex and time-consuming. Assignment letters, employment confirmations, academic qualifications and evidence of family relationships generally require notarisation in the country of origin, authentication by the relevant foreign affairs authority and legalisation by a Vietnamese embassy or consulate. Some documents may also require further certification in Vietnam.
Where the Convention applies, the new Decree is expected to replace multi-step consular legalisation with a single Apostille issued in the country of origin. This should reduce administrative requirements, shorten preparation times and make foreign public documents easier to use in Vietnam, giving employers and foreign nationals greater efficiency and certainty when preparing work permit, immigration and related applications.
For a deeper discussion on the above, please reach out to your Vialto Partners point of contact, or alternatively:
Brittany Chong
Partner
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