Vietnam is not a party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, so Vietnamese documents intended for use in Belgium cannot be apostilled. Although « apostille » is the most searched-for term, the actual procedure is a multi-step consular legalisation followed by a sworn translation. This guide sets out each step for the Vietnamese community living in Belgium.
Why there is no apostille for Vietnamese documents
The Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 replaces legalisation between member states with a single stamp, the apostille. Vietnam has not acceded to this convention. As a result, Vietnamese documents intended for Belgium must go through consular legalisation (in Vietnamese, « hợp pháp hóa lãnh sự »), a procedure involving the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then the Belgian Embassy. If you are unsure which route applies, our guide on apostille or legalisation in Belgium explains the distinction.
Most requested Vietnamese documents in Belgium
The Vietnamese community in Belgium mainly requests translations of civil-status records and administrative documents for family reunification, marriage or diploma recognition. The most common documents are the birth certificate (giấy khai sinh), the marriage certificate (giấy chứng nhận kết hôn), the certificate of single status (giấy xác nhận tình trạng hôn nhân), the criminal record extract (lý lịch tư pháp) and diplomas and school certificates.
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The consular legalisation of Vietnamese documents
The steps of Vietnamese-Belgian legalisation
- Local authentication in Vietnam: the document is first certified by the competent Vietnamese authority (people's committee, public notary or civil-status office) depending on its nature
- Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA): the document is submitted to the consular department of MOFA in Hanoi or its branch in Ho Chi Minh City for official Vietnamese legalisation
- Belgian Embassy in Hanoi: the Belgian legalisation is affixed by the embassy, confirming the authenticity of the MOFA signature
- Sworn translation in Belgium: once the document is legalised, a translator recognised by the Belgian authorities produces the certified Vietnamese-French or Vietnamese-Dutch translation
Specific documents and their particularities
- Birth certificate (giấy khai sinh): required for municipal registration, family reunification and naturalisation
- Certificate of single status (giấy xác nhận tình trạng hôn nhân): essential for a marriage in Belgium, with a limited period of validity, so plan the procedure ahead
- Criminal record (lý lịch tư pháp): issued by the provincial Department of Justice or the National Criminal Records Centre
- Vietnamese diplomas: a sworn translation is required for NARIC recognition in Belgium
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Sworn translation and transliteration of names
Once consular legalisation has been obtained, the sworn translation is the final step, carried out in Belgium by a translator recognised by a Belgian Court of Appeal and entered in the National Register of Judicial Experts (RNEJ). The Vietnamese language uses a Latin alphabet enriched with numerous diacritics (tone and accent marks). The exact transliteration of surnames and given names is crucial: an entry such as « Nguyễn » or « Phạm » must correspond precisely to your passport and your Belgian documents to avoid any administrative rejection. Our sworn translators ensure this spelling consistency.
Turnaround times by urgency
- Express 24h: a one-page birth certificate or criminal record already legalised
- 48h to 72h: complete files, diplomas or multi-page documents
- Certified PDF or paper original: immediate digital delivery or postal dispatch bearing the sworn translator's official stamp
Procedure in 4 steps
- Upload a legible scan of your document to the platform
- Receive a firm quote within the hour
- Your document is handled by a sworn translator recognised by the competent authorities
- Delivery by email or post as required, with signature and official stamp
In summary
- Vietnam is not a party to the Hague Convention: no apostille, but consular legalisation instead.
- Three preliminary steps: local authentication, Vietnamese MOFA, Belgian Embassy in Hanoi.
- Then a sworn Vietnamese-French or Dutch translation by a Belgian sworn translator (RNEJ).
- Mind the transliteration of names and respect the diacritics to avoid rejections.
For more, see our guides on translating Vietnamese documents in Belgium and the legalisation of documents in Belgium.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can my Vietnamese document be apostilled?
No. Vietnam is not a party to the 1961 Hague Convention, so no apostille can be affixed to a Vietnamese document. The only valid route is consular legalisation: authentication in Vietnam, legalisation by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), and then legalisation by the Belgian Embassy in Hanoi. The term « apostille » is often used out of habit, but the actual procedure remains legalisation.
Where can I obtain my Vietnamese criminal record (lý lịch tư pháp) from Belgium?
The lý lịch tư pháp is issued by the Department of Justice of your province of residence in Vietnam or by the National Criminal Records Centre. From Belgium, you can request it through the Vietnamese Embassy, authorise a relative in Vietnam, or use the online service set up by the Vietnamese Ministry of Justice. Allow around 2 to 4 weeks in most cases.
Why is the transliteration of Vietnamese names so important?
Vietnamese contains numerous diacritics (tone and accent marks) that change the meaning and spelling of a name. A Belgian authority compares your translated record with your passport and your other documents. If the spelling of a name such as « Nguyễn » or « Trần » varies from one document to another, the file may be rejected. Our sworn translators ensure rigorous and consistent transliteration.
Do I need to have the sworn translation itself legalised?
No. It is the original Vietnamese document that must be legalised by the Vietnamese authorities and then by the Belgian Embassy. The sworn translation produced in Belgium by a translator recognised by a Court of Appeal and entered in the RNEJ is directly valid for Belgian authorities, with no additional legalisation of the translation required.