Things to know about getting married in Vietnam for foreigners

Illustrative image (Source: theguardian)

The Vietnamese authorities are the place you need to contact to get information about the conditions for marriage registration in Vietnam.

Below is some general information about the conditions for marriage registration in Vietnam. These requirements may vary by location and are subject to change. Please contact the People’s Committee where you or your fiance/fiancé live for more information.

Vietnamese law does not provide for marriage between two people who are not Vietnamese citizens unless one of the two foreigners has a valid permanent or temporary residence permit in Vietnam. We recommend that you contact the Department of Justice for guidance.

Procedures for getting married in Vietnam

The application for marriage is submitted directly to the People’s Committee of the district where you live. If either person is a Vietnamese citizen, the Vietnamese authorities may request that the application be submitted in the district where the Vietnamese citizen lives. Paperwork requirements may vary from place to place.

General requirements for foreigner fiancés/fiances include the following

a, Marriage application: This form is obtained at the Justice Department of the District People’s Committee and must be signed in front of the civil status officer of the People’s Committee. The form is filled out by one person using the same pen. Although fees vary from place to place, in general, the cost of marriage registration is about 1 million Vietnamese Dong, payable in cash upon receipt of the marriage certificate (February 2021 in Hanoi and Hanoi). Ho Chi Minh City).

b, Passport Photo: A 3x4cm photo of each applicant is attached to the marriage application.

c, Passport of US citizen: A notarized copy, which you can notarize at a Notary Public of Vietnam. Notarized copies must be legalized at the Department of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam.

d, Address Verification: In the case of US citizens living in Vietnam, a certificate of residence from the local police is required.

e, Health certificate: A health certificate issued by an authorized Vietnamese or foreign medical organization within 6 months from the date of filing the marriage application. This certificate must certify that the applicant does not have mental illnesses that result in an inability to recognize and control his or her conduct. Please contact the Department of Justice under the District People’s Committee for specific instructions.

f, Affidavit of celibacy. The applicant can obtain this document from the civil case management agency in the state where they live or fill out the celibate form at the Embassy/Consulate in Vietnam. This affidavit must be signed within 6 months prior to the date of filing the marriage application. Applicants who have been previously married must submit a notarized copy of the Judgment of Divorce or Death Certificate of the previous spouse.

g, Confirmation Letter from the Vital Statistical Office of the United States: This letter is issued by the state or local government where the applicant lives, which confirms that there is no data on the registration of the applicant. applicant’s marriage registration. The certification period in this document starts from the age of 18 to the present time. *This requirement may or may not be required by location.

h, Other information:

The time to process the application for marriage registration is 15 days from the date the District Justice Department receives the complete and valid dossier. In case a police confirmation is required, the time can be extended for another 10 days.

All documents that are not in Vietnamese must be notarized translated into Vietnamese at the Vietnamese Embassy/Consulate in the United States or a notarized translation office in Vietnam. This service can also be provided by the Judicial Departments of the district People’s Committee. Please refer to the list of translation and notary offices here.
After submitting all documents and fees, the District Justice Department can conduct a face-to-face interview with both parties to check and determine their voluntary marriage and ability to communicate with each other. This requirement may vary by location.
In case one of the two is a Vietnamese citizen, he or she should consult the authorities.

So How to get Temporary Residence Card (trc) for foreign spouse/ child of Vietnamese citizens?

Please read the link below for further information about the concerns.

Temporary Residence Card (TRC) for Foreign Spouse/ Child of Vietnamese Citizens