Implementation plan for 1961 Hague Apostille Convention issued
VGP - Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son signed a Decision approving a plan on the implementation of the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents (Apostille Convention).
The plan aims to ensure the full and comprehensive implementation of the provisions of the Apostille Convention and gradually deploy e-Apostille.
It also targets to improve the legal framework to facilitate the use of public documents between Viet Nam and other member countries, and define specific responsibilities for relevant agencies and organizations to ensure the effective implementation of the Convention.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall work with ministries and sectors authorized to issue public documents, as well as the local People's Committees in developing a system for the issuance and management of Apostille certificates, establishing an e-database of issued Apostille certificates and setting up procedures for inspection and supervision of Apostille issuance.
The implementation timeline will start from September 11, 2026.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is tasked to participate in meetings of the Hague Conference on Private International Law, engage in information exchange and training programs, and handle verification requests from other member states.
Training programs will be organized for officials responsible for issuing and receiving public documents, including those tasked with recognizing foreign Apostilles.
To prevent fraud, the Ministry of Public Security will work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other authorities to verify and address cases involving forged documents, and recommend preventive measures.
Viet Nam has officially completed the initial key procedures in the process of acceding to the Apostille Convention, marking a new step forward in administrative reform and international integration.
The Apostille Convention is one of the most important and successful international treaties of the Hague Conference on Private International Law. It was established to simplify the use of public documents among member states.
Accordingly, instead of undergoing the multi-step consular legalization process, a public document only needs a single certification (an Apostille) issued by the competent authority of the originating country to be recognized in other member states of the Convention.
Once the Convention takes effect for Viet Nam, citizens and businesses will enjoy many practical benefits. Administrative procedures related to the use of public documents abroad will be significantly simplified, thereby reducing processing time and costs by eliminating multiple certification steps.
At the same time, public documents from member states that bear an Apostille will be accepted directly in Viet Nam without additional consular legalization procedures, facilitating people-to-people exchanges, study, employment, residence, as well as promoting international business and investment cooperation and improving the investment environment in Viet Nam./.
