Vietnam now accepts apostilles. Here's what changes.
By the Costa Mesa Apostille team · 4 min read
For years, sending a U.S. document to Vietnam meant a long chain of certifications ending at a Vietnamese embassy or consulate. As of September 11, 2026, that changed. Vietnam is now a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so most U.S. public documents need just one certificate: an apostille.
What happened
Vietnam joined the 1961 Apostille Convention at the end of 2025, and the Convention entered into force for Vietnam on September 11, 2026. From that date, Vietnam accepts apostilles issued by other member countries, including the United States, in place of consular legalization.
What it means for your documents
- California documents — birth and marriage certificates, notarized powers of attorney, court records, corporate filings — get an apostille from the California Secretary of State.
- Federal documents, such as FBI background checks, get an apostille from the U.S. Department of State.
- Documents from other states get an apostille from that state's designated authority. We handle all three.
- No embassy step. The Vietnamese consulate is no longer part of the process for apostille-eligible documents, which usually means fewer steps, lower fees and a shorter timeline.
New rules take time to reach every office. Ask the organization receiving your document — an employer, university or government agency in Vietnam — to confirm it accepts apostilled documents, and whether it also needs a certified Vietnamese translation. If you already have documents that were legalized under the old process, ask the recipient whether they will still accept them.
Other recent changes worth knowing
Vietnam isn't the only country to join recently. China began accepting apostilles in November 2023 and Canada in January 2024. Thailand is scheduled to join on February 28, 2027 — until then, documents for Thailand still need embassy legalization. Our country checker is verified against the official HCCH status table, so it always shows the current rule.
How we can help
Send us a scan and we'll confirm exactly what your Vietnam-bound document needs, arrange a certified translation if required, and get the apostille — $135 per California document, state fees included. Walk in to our Costa Mesa office, mail your documents in, or call or email us. We usually reply within 30 minutes.