Apostille for U.S. Documents Used in Vietnam

Do you have a U.S.-issued document you need to use in Vietnam? Since 11 September 2026, Vietnam has recognized the apostille — a single certificate issued in the U.S. — in place of the previous multi-step consular legalization process. VietVisas handles it end to end: notary + apostille, $170 per document, 3–5 business days. Need a Vietnamese translation too? $250 per document, 4–7 business days.

Two packages

Package	What's included	Time	Price
Notary + Apostille	Notarization (when needed) → apostille → delivery to your door	3–5 business days	$170/document
Notary + Apostille + Translation	All of the above, plus a certified Vietnamese translation that covers the apostille too	4–7 business days	$250/document

Not sure which package you need? Send VietVisas a photo of the document — we'll review it and recommend a package before you spend anything.

What is an apostille?

An apostille is a certificate page attached to your document. It is issued by the authorized U.S. office — usually the state's Secretary of State. It confirms that the signature, signer's role, and seal on the document are genuine. Every apostille carries a French title and the same 10 numbered items: country, signer, signer's role, seal, place of issue, date of issue, issuing authority, certificate number, and the authority's seal and signature.

Vietnam joined the 1961 Apostille Convention, which entered into force for Vietnam on 11 September 2026. The United States has been a party since 1981. Three things to remember:

• An apostille confirms origin, not content. The receiving office in Vietnam still reviews what the document says.
• An apostille doesn't replace notarization. Private documents — affidavits, powers of attorney, copies — must be notarized by a Notary Public first.
• An apostille doesn't expire, but it must never be detached from the document.

Which documents can get an apostille?

• Birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, and death certificates
• Diplomas, transcripts, and certificates
• Background checks
• Notarized affidavits, declarations, and powers of attorney

If you need a single status certificate to register a marriage, VietVisas has a separate package — see single status certificate. Administrative documents dealing directly with commercial or customs operations fall outside the Convention and still go through consular legalization.

The process — in the right order

1. Send VietVisas a photo of the document. We check whether it needs to be notarized.
2. Notarization (Notary) for private documents. A certified copy issued by a vital records office usually doesn't need further notarization.
3. Apostille from the Secretary of State.
4. Certified Vietnamese translation if you choose the $250 package. The translation is done after the apostille so it includes the certificate too.
5. Delivery to your door, free, in all 50 states. You receive your completed documents before you pay.

Doing the steps out of order is the most common reason files are sent back. See also: 5 mistakes that get files rejected.

Common mistakes

• Removing the staple to make copies — once the apostille is separated from the document, it's void.
• Skipping notarization for private documents: the Secretary of State only issues apostilles for signatures of a Notary Public or a public official.
• Translating before the apostille. A translation that leaves out the apostille usually has to be redone.
• Waiting until you're in Vietnam. An apostille can only be issued in the U.S. If you discover it's missing after you arrive, you'll have to send the documents back to the U.S.

Why VietVisas

• Clear per-document pricing: $170, or $250 with translation.
• The right office, in the right order: we determine how each document needs to be notarized and translated.
• Receive your completed documents, then pay by Zelle, Venmo, or credit card.
• Free delivery to your door in all 50 states, with help in Vietnamese and English.

Have a U.S. document you need to use in Vietnam? Message VietVisas for a free consultation.