On 23 July 2026, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree No. 293/2026/NĐ-CP, which provides regulations on the competence and procedures for issuing Apostille certificates for Vietnamese public documents, the receipt, use, and verification of Apostille certificates, and state management of the implementation of the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, also known as the Apostille Convention.
Read the full decree here: Decree 293_2026_ND CP_23072026_Implementation Guidelines for 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. English translation is not available.
Purpose of the Decree
To regulate the competence and procedures for issuing Apostille certificates for Vietnamese public documents.
To provide requirements for the receipt, use, and verification of Apostille certificates in Vietnam.
To support state management of the implementation of the Apostille Convention in Vietnam.
Scope of Application
This Decree applies to Vietnamese public documents used in Member States of the Apostille Convention where the Convention is in force in relation to Vietnam.
It also applies to public documents issued by Member States of the Convention for use in Vietnam, subject to applicable exemptions, rejection grounds, or consular legalization requirements under Vietnamese law.
Key Highlights
Requirements for Issuing Apostille Certificates
Vietnamese public documents may be issued with an Apostille certificate for use in a Member State of the Convention with which the Convention is in force in relation to Vietnam, unless the documents are exempt from certification requirements under applicable laws or treaties.
An Apostille certificate does not replace notarization or certification requirements applicable to the use of such documents in Vietnam.
For use in Vietnam, public documents issued by a Member State of the Convention with which the Convention is in force in relation to Vietnam must bear an Apostille certificate, except where such documents are rejected or are exempt from, or do not require, consular legalization under Vietnamese law.
Where a Member State of the Convention objects to Vietnam’s accession, or Vietnam objects to the accession of another Member State, the Apostille Convention shall not apply between the two countries.
Forms of Certification
Public documents of Vietnam for use abroad and foreign public documents for use in Vietnam shall be certified in the following forms:
Apostille Certification
Apostille certification applies to public documents circulating between Vietnam and a Member State of the Convention with which the Convention is in force in relation to Vietnam.
Consular Certification and Consular Legalization
Consular certification and consular legalization apply to public documents circulating between Vietnam and a country that is not a Member State of the Convention.
Treaty-Based Simplified Procedures
Where an international treaty to which Vietnam is a party provides for simpler procedures or exempts the certification or authentication of public documents, the provisions of such treaty shall take precedence.
Public documents that have been consular certified or legalized may still be issued with an Apostille certificate for use in a Member State of the Convention with which the Convention is in force in relation to Vietnam, and vice versa.
Principles on Exemption from Consular Legalization
Public documents of a Member State of the Convention with which the Convention is in force in relation to Vietnam, which have been issued with an Apostille certificate and do not fall under any grounds for rejection, shall be exempt from consular legalization and may be used in Vietnam without additional certification procedures.
Agencies and organizations in Vietnam shall not require additional consular certification or legalization for validly apostilled documents.
An electronic Apostille certificate issued by the competent authority of a Member State of the Convention shall have the same legal validity as a paper Apostille certificate.
Use of Public Documents of a Member State of the Convention in Vietnam
Apostilled public documents that are not in Vietnamese must be translated into Vietnamese.
The translation must be notarized or certified in accordance with Vietnamese law, unless otherwise provided by specialized legislation.
A valid Apostille certificate may be used in Vietnam without additional consular legalization procedures.
Where there are reasonable grounds to doubt the authenticity of an Apostille certificate and the certificate cannot be verified through the electronic Register of the relevant Member State, the receiving agency or organization shall request support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to verify the Apostille certificate.
Transitional Provisions
Applications for consular certification received before the effective date of this Decree shall continue to be processed in accordance with the regulations applicable at the time of submission.
Transitional arrangements apply to documents that were certified or authenticated before the effective date of this Decree.
Public documents of a Member State of the Convention that were consular legalized by the competent authorities of Vietnam before the effective date of this Decree shall remain valid for use in Vietnam. Receiving agencies and organizations shall not require users to obtain an Apostille certificate for such documents.
Public documents of Vietnam that were consular certified before the effective date of this Decree and are required for use in a Member State of the Convention where the Convention is in force in relation to Vietnam may be issued with an Apostille certificate upon request, without requiring re-issuance of the original public documents.
From the date on which the Convention takes effect in relation to Vietnam, Apostille certificates issued before that date by the competent authorities of a Member State of the Convention with which the Convention is in force in relation to Vietnam shall be accepted and may be used in Vietnam, provided that they do not fall under any grounds for rejection.
Implications to Clients
The Decree is expected to simplify the authentication and legalization process for qualifying public documents exchanged between Vietnam and applicable Member States of the Apostille Convention.
Clients should assess whether the new Apostille process may facilitate the submission and use of foreign public documents in Vietnam, potentially reducing administrative procedures, processing time, and associated costs once the Decree takes effect.
Companies submitting public documents for regulatory, licensing, importation, or other administrative purposes in Vietnam should monitor the implementation of the new Apostille procedures and prepare for any changes to document legalization workflows.
Effective Date
11 September 2026
For Inquiries
For inquiries or support regarding medical device regulatory requirements in Vietnam, please contact sales@andamanmed.com.