Apostille and Consular Legalization of U.S. Documents

Do you have a U.S.-issued document you need to use in Vietnam? Since 11 September 2026, most U.S. public documents need only an apostille to be recognized there — no consular processing step is needed. When the receiving office still asks for consular legalization, VietVisas does that instead. Both are handled end to end, from $170.

What is an apostille?

An apostille is a single certificate, issued in the U.S. by the competent U.S. authority, confirming that the signature, capacity and seal on a document are genuine. 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 (signatures, copies) still need to be notarized before they can receive an apostille.
• An apostille doesn't expire — but it must never be detached from the document.

Apostille or consular legalization: which route does your document take?

Situation	Route
A U.S. public document used in Vietnam: birth or marriage certificate, divorce decree, background check, diplomas and notarized documents	Apostille
The receiving office in Vietnam specifically asks for consular legalization	Consular legalization
Administrative documents dealing directly with commercial or customs operations (outside the Convention)	Consular legalization
A document legalized before 11 September 2026	Still valid, no need to redo it
An affidavit of single status for marriage registration	VietVisas's $500 package uses consular legalization — see affidavit of single status

Not sure which applies to your document? Send VietVisas a photo — we'll look and tell you the right route before you spend anything.

The process — in the right order

The apostille route

1. Notarize if it's a private document: a power of attorney, a sworn statement, a copy of a diploma. A certified copy issued by a vital records office usually needs no extra notarization.
2. Get an Apostille from the Secretary of State of the same state that issued or notarized the document. For federal documents — such as an FBI background check — from the U.S. Department of State.
3. Translate into Vietnamese when the receiving office asks — see certified translation.

The consular legalization route

1. Notarize if needed.
2. State certification at the Secretary of State.
3. Consular legalization at a Vietnamese representative office in the U.S.
4. Translate into Vietnamese if needed.

Doing the steps out of order, or getting the apostille from the wrong state, are the most common reasons files get returned. See: 5 mistakes that get legalization rejected.

Common apostille mistakes

• The wrong state. A document notarized in California needs a California apostille, even if you now live in Texas.
• Detaching the apostille from the document to photocopy it — once separated, the apostille is void.
• Skipping notarization for a private document: the Secretary of State only apostilles the signature of a notary or a public official.
• Using a document that's too old when the receiving office wants a recent one, even though the apostille itself doesn't expire.
• Not checking with the receiving office first. Some offices in Vietnam may ask for extra documents or a translation.

Documents that usually need an apostille or legalization

• Birth and marriage certificates, divorce decrees, death certificates
• Diplomas, transcripts, certificates
• Criminal background checks, including FBI background checks
• Powers of attorney and notarized statements

Many Vietnamese offices also require an accompanying Vietnamese translation — see certified translation.

Cost & why choose VietVisas

The service fee is from $170, for an apostille or consular legalization — whichever your document needs. VietVisas identifies the right process and office for each document and completes the steps in the correct order. We serve the whole U.S. and deliver results free to your door in all 50 states, so you don't have to go from office to office.

Not sure whether your document needs an apostille or consular legalization? Message VietVisas for a free consultation.