Circular 11/2025/TT-BNG guidance on consular authentication and legalization

CIRCULAR

Providing for forms and detailed guidance on a number of regulations
on consular authentication and consular legalization

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Pursuant to the Government's Decree No. 111/2011/ND-CP dated December 05, 2011 on consular authentication and consular legalization;         

Pursuant to the Government's Decree No. 196/2025/ND-CP dated July 04, 2025 amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Government's Decree No. 111/2011/ND-CP dated December 05, 2011 on consular authentication and consular legalization;

Pursuant to the Government's Decree No. 28/2025/ND-CP dated February 24, 2025 stipulating the functions, tasks, powers and organisational structure of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

At the proposal of the Director of the Consular Department;

The Minister of Foreign Affairs promulgates the Circular on forms and detailed guidance on a number of regulations on consular authentication and consular legalization.

Article 1. Scope of regulation

This Circular details Point g, Clause 2, Article 18 of the Government's Decree No. 111/2011/ND-CP dated December 5, 2011, on consular authentication and consular legalization, as amended and supplemented under the Government's Decree No. 196/2025/ND-CP dated July 4, 2025 (hereinafter referred to as the Decree) and provides detailed guidance on a number of measures for the implementation of Point b, Clause 2, Article 18 of the Decree.

Article 2. Agencies delegated to exercise the authority for consular authentication and consular legalization within the territory of Vietnam

The Consular Department, the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City and agencies delegated with competence under law are delegated to exercise the competence for consular authentication and legalization within the territory of Vietnam.

Article 3. Papers and documents eligible for consular authentication  

Papers and documents issued, notarised, authenticated, or certified by agencies and organisations of the Party, the State and other organisations delegated or authorised to perform public services include:

1. Administrative decisions and documents issued by state administrative agencies, agencies or organisations delegated to perform state administrative management or issued by competent persons in such agencies or organisations.

2. Civil status and nationality papers issued by competent agencies in accordance with the law on civil status and nationality.

3. Judicial record cards, judgment enforcement decisions, judgments and decisions of People's Courts, bailiff’s records and other procedural documents.

4. Papers and documents notarised or authenticated in accordance with the law on notarisation and authentication.

5. Diplomas, certificates, papers and documents certifying the learning and research process and results issued by educational institutions of the national education system in accordance with law.

 6. Health examination certificates, medical certificates, medical examination conclusions and other medical papers issued by medical establishments or competent health agencies of Vietnam in accordance with law.

 7. Commercial vouchers and papers issued and certified by competent state agencies or organisations of Vietnam in accordance with law.

 8. Other papers and documents, if made, issued or certified by agencies and organisations of the Party, the State and other organisations delegated or authorised to perform public services.

Article 4. Papers and documents bearing unidentifiable seals, signatures and titles

Papers and documents specified at Point a, Clause 2, Article 12 of the Decree include:

1. Papers and documents bearing seals, signatures and titles that have not yet been officially introduced.

2. Papers and documents bearing seals, signatures and titles that cannot be identified by comparison with specimens of seals, signatures and titles officially introduced or through verification results.

Article 5. Sending dossiers of application for consular authentication and consular legalization via postal services

The sending of dossiers by post to the Consular Department or the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City as stipulated in Clause 2, Article 6 of the Decree shall be made at all post offices of the Vietnam post system according to the service agreement between the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the postal service provider.

Article 6. Introduction of seal specimens, signature specimens and titles

1. The introduction of seal specimens, signature specimens, titles and term of authorisation (if any) of agencies and organisations issuing, notarising, authenticating and certifying papers and documents as prescribed in Clause 4, Article 11 of the Decree shall be carried out as follows:

a) Agencies and organisations shall introduce their seal specimens, signature specimens, titles and the term of office of relevant signatories; and concurrently, designate a contact point responsible for receiving and handling verification requests.

b) Agencies and organisations shall annually review their seal specimens, signature specimens and titles of agencies, organisations and signatories and notify the review results before February 1 of the following year.

c) The Consular Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City shall receive the introduction of seal specimens, signature specimens and titles of central agencies and organisations, local agencies and organisations and foreign representative missions in Vietnam.

Local foreign affairs agencies shall receive the introduction of seal specimens, signature specimens and titles sent to the foreign affairs agencies of local agencies and organisations and central agencies and organisations located within their jurisdiction; forward the original of the written introduction to the Consular Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City within 05 working days from the date of receipt of the introduction and retain a photocopy of such documents.

2. The Consular Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City are responsible for introducing their seal specimens, signature specimens and titles to foreign representative missions in Vietnam and overseas Vietnamese representative missions. Agencies delegated to exercise the competence for consular authentication and legalization are responsible for introducing their seal specimens, signature specimens and titles to the Consular Department for notification and introduction to foreign representative missions in Vietnam and overseas Vietnamese representative missions.

3. Overseas Vietnamese representative missions are responsible for introducing their seal specimens, signature specimens and titles of representative missions to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or other competent foreign agencies and concurrently notify them to the Consular Department.

4. In case of any change in the seal specimens, signature specimens and in the title specified in Clause 1, Clause 2 and Clause 3 of this Article, the relevant agency shall introduce the specimens of the new seal, signature and the new title within 20 days from the date of change.

Article 7. Archiving of seal specimens, signature specimens and officially introduced titles

Agencies delegated to exercise the competence for consular authentication and legalization, and local foreign affairs agencies shall have to permanently preserve and archive, in a scientific and systematic manner, specimens of seals, signatures and officially introduced titles.

Article 8. Papers and documents not required to be enclosed with translations into Vietnamese or English

1. Papers and documents not required to be enclosed with translations into Vietnamese or English as prescribed at Point dd, Clause 1, Article 15 and Point b, Clause 1, Article 15a of the Decree are papers and documents made in Russian, French, Spanish, Chinese or German requesting consular legalization at the corresponding representative missions in Russia, France, Spain, China, Germany. This provision also applies to papers and documents made in other languages, requesting for legalization at other representative missions, if such representative missions have dossier-receiving officials being proficient in the respective language.

2. Translations of papers and documents specified at Point dd, Clause 1, Articles 14 and15, and b, Clause 1, Article 15a of the Decree are not required to be authenticated; the applicant shall be responsible for the accuracy of such translation according to the form LS/HPH-2025/CK specified in the Appendix to this Circular.

Article 9. Consular authentication and consular legalization of papers and documents bearing only seals or only signatures and titles

1. Agencies delegated to exercise the competence for consular authentication or legalization shall authenticate only seals, or only signatures and titles, on papers and documents requesting consular authentication or legalization in the following cases:

a) Papers and documents bearing only seals or only signatures and titles.

b) Papers and documents bearing only the original seal or only the original signature.

2. The Consular Department or the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City shall issue a certificate confirming that papers and documents have already been seen at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for papers and documents specified in Clause 2, Article 12 of the Decree.

Article 10. Forms used in consular authentication and consular legalization

1. To promulgate together with this Circular the Appendix with the following forms:

a) Application for consular authentication (form LS/HPH-2025/TK) and interactive electronic form (form LS/HPH-2025/TKDT);

b) Certificate of consular authentication and consular legalization (form LS/HPH-2025/CN);

c) Certificate of electronic consular authentication and consular legalization (form LS/HPH-2025/CNDT).

d) Certificate confirming the papers and documents seen (form LS/HPH-2025/XT);

dd) Translator's commitment (form LS/HPH-2025/CK);

e) Document introducing the seal specimens, signature specimens and titles (form LS/HPH-2025/GT);

g) Register book of consular authentication and legalization (form LS/HPH-2025/SDK).

2. The certificates specified at Points b, c, d, Clause 1 of this Article are specialised documents in service of consular legalization and consular authentication. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall print and issue forms of consular authentication certificates and consular legalization certificates and forms of certificates confirming papers and documents seen for use in the territory of Vietnam. Representative missions may directly use the certificate forms issued under this Circular or arrange for printing abroad for use according to the prescribed forms.

3. Forms of application for consular authentication, documents introducing the seal specimens, signature specimens and titles, and register books of consular authentication and consular legalization shall be published on the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the https://mofa.gov.vn for agencies, organisations and individuals needing to download and use.

Article 11. Transitional provisions

1. Dossiers received before the effective date of this Circular but not yet processed shall continue to be processed in accordance with the provisions of the Minister of Foreign Affairs' Circular No. 01/2012/TT-BNG dated March 20, 2012, guiding the implementation of a number of provisions of the Government's Decree No. 111/2011/ND-CP dated December 5, 2011, on consular authentication and consular legalization.

2. Form of register book of consular authentication and legalization issued under the Circular No. 01/2012/TT-BNG dated March 20, 2012 of the Minister of Foreign Affairs guiding the implementation of a number of provisions of the Government's Decree No. 111/2011/ND-CP dated December 05, 2011 on consular authentication, consular legalization will continue to be used until the end of December 31, 2025.

3. The issuance of certificates in the forms specified at Points b, c, d, Clause 1, Article 10 and the implementation of interactive electronic forms shall commence from January 1, 2026.

Article 12. Effect

1. This Circular takes effect from August 3, 2025 and replaces the Minister of Foreign Affairs' Circular No. 01/2012/TT-BNG dated March 20, 2012, guiding the implementation of a number of provisions of the Government's Decree No. 111/2011/ND-CP dated December 5, 2011 on consular authentication, consular legalization.

2. In the course of implementation, if there are any problems, relevant agencies, organisations and individuals are requested to promptly notify the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for guidance./.

* All Appendices are not translated herein.