Vietnam Completes Initial Procedures to Join the 1961 Hague (Apostille) Convention

The Apostille Convention (the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961) is an international treaty that simplifies the recognition of foreign public documents, replacing consular legalisation with a single apostille stamp.

The Convention applies to public documents issued by courts, judicial bodies, administrative authorities and notaries; it does not apply to documents from diplomatic missions or those directly handling commercial or customs matters. An apostille certifies the signature, capacity and seal — not the content.

On 12 December 2025, the Government approved accession via Resolution 407/NQ-CP; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed the instrument of accession on 31 December 2025, deposited in the Netherlands. The Convention takes effect for Vietnam on 11 September 2026, supporting administrative reform, digital transformation and international integration.