People Advisory Services Tax Alert | August 2026 | Vietnam issues decree guiding the implementation of the Apostille Convention

This Alert highlights Decree No. 293/2026/ND-CP, providing guidance on the implementation of the Hague Convention abolishing the requirement of legalization for foreign public documents (Apostille Convention).

On 23 July 2026, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree No. 293/2026/ND-CP¹ (Decree 293), providing guidance on the implementation of the Hague Convention abolishing the requirement of legalisation for foreign public documents (Apostille Convention). The Decree establishes the legal framework for implementing the Apostille mechanism in Vietnam, thereby helping to simplify administrative procedures for documents involving foreign elements.

Key developments

From 11 September 2026, Vietnamese public documents intended for use in countries where the Apostille Convention applies in relation to Vietnam will be issued with an Apostille certificate instead of undergoing consular certification. Conversely, public documents issued by member countries and bearing a valid Apostille certificate may be used in Vietnam without any additional consular legalization procedures.

Documents that were validly consularly certified or legalized before the effective date of the Decree will remain valid for use in Vietnam and will not be required to undergo the Apostille process again.

The Apostille certificate mechanism applies to various types of Vietnamese public documents, including court and procedural documents, civil status documents, criminal record certificates, diplomas and certificates, medical documents, administrative documents, notarized documents, and certified documents, as specified under the Decree.

For countries that are not parties to the Hague Convention or where Apostille Convention  does not yet apply in relation to Vietnam, consular certification and legalization procedures will continue to be carried out in accordance with the prevailing regulations.

Applications for an Apostille certificate may be submitted in person through the single-window unit, by post, or online. The standard processing time ranges from one to four working days and may be extended to up to ten working days where verification is required or a large number of documents is submitted.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the competent authority responsible for issuing Apostille certificates in Vietnam. It may delegate this authority to provincial-level people’s committees in accordance with the roadmap and conditions prescribed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Impact on employment and immigration procedures for businesses and foreign employees

The implementation of theApostille certificate mechanism is expected to simplify and shorten the document preparation process for work permit applications, work permit exemption procedures, visas, and temporary residence cards for foreign nationals from countries where the Hague Convention applies in relation to Vietnam.

Please note, however, that documents may still be required to be translated into Vietnamese and the translations notarized or certified in Vietnam, depending on the type of document and the requirements of the competent authority receiving the application.

Businesses should continue to monitor further guidance from the competent authorities, review their current document procedures, and update their internal processes to take advantage of the administrative benefits introduced by the Apostille certificate mechanism.