1. What is consular legalization and consular certification?
- Consular certification is the act of a competent Vietnamese authority certifying the seal, signature, and title on Vietnamese papers and documents so that those papers and documents can be recognized and used abroad.
- Consular legalization is the act of a competent Vietnamese authority certifying the seal, signature, and title on foreign papers and documents so that those papers and documents can be recognized and used in Vietnam.
Thus, it can be clearly seen that consular certification and consular legalization are both under the authority of the competent Vietnamese authority; both certify the seal, signature, and title on the documents. Although consular certification and consular legalization have such similarities, the points worth noting to distinguish these two procedures are:
- Consular certification is the certification of Vietnamese papers and documents. The purpose is to have those papers and documents recognized and used abroad.
- Consular legalization is the certification of foreign papers and documents so that those papers and documents can be recognized and used in Vietnam.
However, consular certification and consular legalization only certify the seal, signature, and title on papers and documents, but do not include certification of the content and form of the papers and documents.
2. Authority authorized for consular certification and consular legalization
The competent authorities for consular certification and consular legalization of Vietnam include:
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has the authority to certify consular documents and legalize them domestically.
- The Consular Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City are agencies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs authorized to certify consular documents and legalize consular documents in the country.
- Diplomatic missions, consular offices or other agencies authorized to perform consular functions of Vietnam abroad are competent to conduct consular certification and consular legalization abroad.
3. Implementation procedures of Vietnam consular legalization
- The applicant must first obtain confirmation from the Embassy/Consulate of the country where the documents are located. Then submit directly or send the application for consular legalization to the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Hanoi) or the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City.
- The profile includes:
- Consular certification is the act of a competent Vietnamese authority certifying the seal, signature, and title on Vietnamese papers and documents so that those papers and documents can be recognized and used abroad.
- Consular legalization is the act of a competent Vietnamese authority certifying the seal, signature, and title on foreign papers and documents so that those papers and documents can be recognized and used in Vietnam.
Thus, it can be clearly seen that consular certification and consular legalization are both under the authority of the competent Vietnamese authority; both certify the seal, signature, and title on the documents. Although consular certification and consular legalization have such similarities, the points worth noting to distinguish these two procedures are:
- Consular certification is the certification of Vietnamese papers and documents. The purpose is to have those papers and documents recognized and used abroad.
- Consular legalization is the certification of foreign papers and documents so that those papers and documents can be recognized and used in Vietnam.
However, consular certification and consular legalization only certify the seal, signature, and title on papers and documents, but do not include certification of the content and form of the papers and documents.
2. Authority authorized for consular certification and consular legalization
The competent authorities for consular certification and consular legalization of Vietnam include:
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has the authority to certify consular documents and legalize them domestically.
- The Consular Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City are agencies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs authorized to certify consular documents and legalize consular documents in the country.
- Diplomatic missions, consular offices or other agencies authorized to perform consular functions of Vietnam abroad are competent to conduct consular certification and consular legalization abroad.
3. Implementation procedures of Vietnam consular legalization
- The applicant must first obtain confirmation from the Embassy/Consulate of the country where the documents are located. Then submit directly or send the application for consular legalization to the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Hanoi) or the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City.
- The profile includes:
+ 01 Consular certification/legalization application form No. LS/HPH-2012/TK.
+ Original identity document (ID card, passport or document in lieu of passport) in case of direct application; or 01 photocopy of identity document (ID card, passport or document in lieu of passport) in case of application by post. This document does not need to be certified.
+ Papers and documents requesting consular legalization (certified by a foreign diplomatic mission, consular office or other agency authorized to perform consular functions).
+ 01 copy of documents and papers requesting consular legalization.
+ 01 translation of the documents and papers requested for consular legalization into Vietnamese or English (if the documents and papers are not prepared in these languages). The translation does not need to be certified. The applicant is responsible for the accuracy of the translation.
+ 01 copy of translated documents.
+ 01 envelope with the recipient's address clearly written (if the application is sent by post and the results are requested to be returned by post).
+ Original identity document (ID card, passport or document in lieu of passport) in case of direct application; or 01 photocopy of identity document (ID card, passport or document in lieu of passport) in case of application by post. This document does not need to be certified.
+ Papers and documents requesting consular legalization (certified by a foreign diplomatic mission, consular office or other agency authorized to perform consular functions).
+ 01 copy of documents and papers requesting consular legalization.
+ 01 translation of the documents and papers requested for consular legalization into Vietnamese or English (if the documents and papers are not prepared in these languages). The translation does not need to be certified. The applicant is responsible for the accuracy of the translation.
+ 01 copy of translated documents.
+ 01 envelope with the recipient's address clearly written (if the application is sent by post and the results are requested to be returned by post).
4. Implementation procedures of Vietnam consular certification
- The applicant submits the application directly or sends it to the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Hanoi) or the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City.
- The profile includes:
- The applicant submits the application directly or sends it to the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Hanoi) or the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City.
- The profile includes:
+ Consular certification/legalization application form No. LS/HPH-2012/TK
+ Original identity document (ID card, passport or document in lieu of passport) in case of direct application; or 01 photocopy of identity document (ID card, passport or document in lieu of passport) in case of application by post. This document does not need to be certified.
+ Papers and documents requesting consular certification.
+ 01 copy of documents and papers requested for consular certification.
+ 01 envelope with the recipient's address clearly written (if the application is sent by post and the results are requested to be returned by post).
+ Original identity document (ID card, passport or document in lieu of passport) in case of direct application; or 01 photocopy of identity document (ID card, passport or document in lieu of passport) in case of application by post. This document does not need to be certified.
+ Papers and documents requesting consular certification.
+ 01 copy of documents and papers requested for consular certification.
+ 01 envelope with the recipient's address clearly written (if the application is sent by post and the results are requested to be returned by post).
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