Consular Legalization

Consular/Embassy legalization is a consular service requested by a natural person or a legal entity or an organization to certify the authenticity of the last seal or signature affixed to a notarial act or other documents.

The purpose of Consular/Embassy legalization is to ensure that notarial deeds issued in one country have due legal valid and can be acknowledged by the relevant authorities in another country with no question as to their authenticity. 

There are two consular legalization categories: Civil affairs legalization (Civil status documents: Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Diploma, etc.) and Commercial affairs legalization (Company Profile, Operation License, Investment Certificate, etc.).

An Apostille is a form of authentication issued to documents for use in countries that participate in The Hague Convention of 1961. The list of countries that accept apostilles is provided by the US State Department. When you have an Apostille Certificate, your documents can be recognized in foreign countries that are members of the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty. The Apostille Certificate is issued by the Competent Diplomatic Representative body in the country where documents issued. 

The types of documents include corporate documents such as Company Bylaws, Articles of Incorporation, Power of Attorney, Diplomas, Degrees, Transcripts, Marital Status, Job Certifications, Deeds of Assignments, Etc.

The Apostille process only requires a Consular Certification from the competent diplomatic mission of the country issuing the document (usually the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), then the document will be lawfully used in countries that have joined the 1961 Hague Convention.

Procedures for Consular Legalization will take two steps: 
1. Applying for a consular certificate from the diplomatic mission (Embassy/Consulate) of the country issuing the document. 
2. Requesting a consular certificate from the diplomatic mission (Embassy/Consulate) of the country using that document.

There are, up to now, 120 contracting countries to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. The list of those parties was last revised on July 20, 2019. Please refer to the link below: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostille_Convention

 “Consular Legalization” is the certification of seals, signatures, and titles by a competent Vietnamese agency on papers and documents issued in foreign countries; for such papers and documents to be recognized and used in Vietnam.” _ According to the Vietnam Government Decree No. 111/2011/ND-CP

"Consular Certification" procedure is that the competent authorities of Vietnam certify the seal, signature, titles on documents issued by a Vietnamese organization for such papers and documents to be recognized and used in foreign countries.” _ According to the Vietnam Government Decree No. 111/2011/ND-CP

Step 1: Notarize the foreign documents
Firstly, your documents issued by the Competent bodies/Organizations of foreign countries should be authenticated at a Competent Notary of the country where the documents were issued. 

Step 2: Certified by foreign diplomatic body 
Your notarized documents should be certified by the Competent Diplomatic Body of the country where the documents were issued (Apostille is required).

Step 3: Certified by Vietnamese diplomatic body 
Your notarized documents should be certified by the Competent Diplomatic Representative Body of Vietnam (Consular Department - Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Department of External Relations - Consular Section).

Step 4: Translate that certified documents into Vietnam 
Finally, to make your foreign documents valid when used in Vietnam or summited to the Competent Bodies of Vietnam, your foreign documents should be translated into Vietnamese and certified the translation by the Justice Division of any District People's Committee or Notary Service in Vietnam (Notarized translation).

Mokrica's consultants and translators are available in different countries can assist in updating the procedures for Consular/Embassy Legalization and implementing these procedures in overseas countries as well as offering the translation services to documents submitted.

For more information about the Diplomatic and Consular Services of the world's countries, please refer to the link below: https://www.embassypages.com/