Vietnam Apostille & Embassy Attestation in India

Difference Between Apostille and Attestation

Attestation is a broad term; it can either be Notary Attestation, Apostille Attestation, or Embassy Attestation. Depending on the purpose and country where the document will be used, you will need to follow the applicable authentication process.

Reasons To Get An Apostille For Vietnam

An Apostille for Vietnam on specific documents can be a crucial part of the visa, employment, education, family, or business process. The documents that need an Apostille vary depending on the purpose of travel and the requirements of the receiving authority. Below are some common reasons why you may need an Apostille for Vietnam:

Student Visa / Education

To visit Vietnam for the purpose of studying at a university or institute, you may need to Apostille your educational documents:

• Transcript
• Degree/Diploma Certificate
• Educational Certificates

Work Visa / Employment

A work visa allows you to work in Vietnam for a specific duration. For employment purposes, you may need Apostille or authenticated documents such as:

• Experience Letter
• Degree Certificate
• PCC (Police Clearance Certificate)

Dependent / Family Visa

A dependent or family visa permits you to join a family member in Vietnam. Depending on the requirements, you may need documents such as:

• Apostille for Birth Certificate
• Apostille Marriage Certificate
• PCC Apostille

If you want to marry in Vietnam, you may need an authenticated or Apostilled:

• Single Status Certificate

Commercial / Business Purpose

Documents required for commercial or business activities in Vietnam may include:

• GST Certificate
• AOA (Article of Association)
• MOU (Memorandum of Understanding)
• Registration Certificate
• Board Resolution
• Power of Attorney
• Packing List
• Certificate of Origin
• Commercial Invoice

The exact documents and authentication requirements depend on the type of document and the purpose for which it will be used.

Apostille For Personal Documents: Step-by-Step Guide

Personal document authentication involves different steps depending on the document type and the requirements of the issuing and receiving authorities. Common steps may include:

• Local Verification
• Notary Attestation, where required
• State/SDM Authentication, where applicable
• Ministry of External Affairs Apostille

Local Verification – At a regional level, your personal documents may need to be authenticated by the authority that originally issued the document. For instance:

• Your driving license may be verified by the RTO (Regional Transport Office)
• Diploma, degree certificates, or transcripts may be verified by the university/institute
• An experience letter may be verified by the corporation/company you were working for
• The Birth Registrar verifies birth certificates
• Divorce decree certificates may be authenticated by the Registrar of the district court

Notary Attestation – Depending on the document, the document may need to be submitted to a Notary Public Office or other authorized authority. The document is checked for correctness and authenticity before the applicable attestation is provided.

State/SDM Attestation – Depending on the type of document, State authentication or SDM authentication may be required before the MEA Apostille. The applicable route can vary according to the document and its place of issue.

State Attestation – Under State Attestation, documents undergo verification by the concerned state authority. This process may be required for certain types of documents before they are submitted for further authentication.

SDM Attestation – SDM authentication is another route that may be applicable to certain documents. The appropriate pre-authentication process depends on the document type and the requirements for obtaining the MEA Apostille.

MEA Apostille – Once the required verification and authentication are completed, the documents can be submitted to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India, for Apostille. An Apostille certifies the authenticity of the signature, capacity of the signatory, and seal or stamp on the public document. It does not certify the contents of the document.

For Indian public documents covered by the Hague Apostille Convention, a valid MEA Apostille can be used in Vietnam without further consular legalization.

It's always better to talk to your Apostille helpline, they will guide you on which process you need.

Vietnam Embassy Attestation / Consular Legalization

Although Vietnam is now a Hague Apostille country, Vietnam Embassy Attestation may still be relevant for documents that fall outside the scope of the Apostille Convention.

For such documents, the traditional legalization process may involve:

• Document preparation and notarization, where required
• Authentication/Attestation by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)
• Submission to the Embassy of Vietnam in India
• Embassy Consular Legalization

The Embassy of Vietnam in India states that it continues to process consular legalization for documents issued in India that fall outside the scope of the Apostille Convention and are therefore not eligible for an Apostille.

For Embassy legalization, the Vietnam Embassy's requirements can include the legalization request and a copy of the documents, an application form, and a copy of the applicant's passport or Aadhaar card. The Embassy also states that documents submitted for legalization should have the required MEA authentication.

Apostille For Commercial Documents: Simplified

These are the common steps involved in obtaining an Apostille for eligible commercial documents:

• Local Verification
• Chamber of Commerce / Appropriate Commercial Authentication
• MEA Apostille

Local Verification – This is the first step of document authentication. Depending on the document, your commercial documents may need to be authenticated by the appropriate issuing or government authority.

Chamber of Commerce / Commercial Authentication – Certain commercial documents may require authentication through the appropriate Chamber of Commerce or other authorized body before submission for MEA Apostille.

Ministry of External Affairs – The MEA India finally issues the Apostille for eligible documents for use in Vietnam.

For documents that fall outside the scope of the Hague Apostille Convention, the traditional Embassy legalization process may apply instead. The Vietnam Embassy in India confirms that such documents can continue to be submitted for consular legalization.