EN
©2001-2026 Atumi & Sakai
2026.10.26
1. Introduction
On 23 July 2026, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree No. 293/2026/ND-CP providing guidance on the implementation of the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 “Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents” (the “Apostille Convention”). As of 11 September 2026, the Apostille certification system has officially been implemented in Vietnam. Accordingly, public documents circulated between Vietnam and Hague Convention member states having applicable relations with Vietnam (i.e., member states that have not objected to Vietnam’s accession) will require only a single Apostille certification, replacing the consular legalization procedure previously required. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also issued guidance on the procedures for submitting applications to certify documents by Apostillization at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ One-Stop Service Division (Consular Department) and the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City.
As of 11 September 2026, Japan is one of the 125 member states of the Apostille Convention having applicable relations with Vietnam. According to the Notice issued by the Embassy of Vietnam in Japan regarding the application of Apostille certification as a replacement for consular legalization, public documents circulated between Vietnam and Japan (and vice versa) will require only a single Apostille certification instead of the previous consular legalization procedure. This significantly simplifies the process for authenticating public documents exchanged between the two countries.
This Legal Update provides an overview of the key aspects of Apostille certification as applied between Vietnam and Japan, as well as its practical implications for Japanese businesses and individuals investing, conducting business, working, or residing in Vietnam.
2. Key changes
2.1. Legal basis and scope of application
Apostille certification was established under the Hague Convention of 1961 and has been effective between Vietnam and Hague Convention member states that have not objected to Vietnam’s accession as of 11 September 2026. Its implementation in Vietnam is further detailed under Decree No. 293/2026/ND-CP. As of 11 September 2026, among the 129 member states of the Convention (excluding Vietnam), 125 countries have established applicable Apostille relations with Vietnam, including Japan. The Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Austria, and the Czech Republic have objected to Vietnam’s accession to the Convention and will therefore continue to apply bilateral consular legalization procedures under the traditional mechanism. Thailand has recently acceded to the Hague Convention, which will enter into force for the Kingdom of Thailand on 28 February 2027.
It should be noted that Apostille certification only replaces the consular legalization step, i.e., the authentication of the seal and signature of the signatory appearing on a public document for its use abroad. It does not replace any notarization requirements applicable to documents that must be notarized prior to submission, nor does it replace requirements for translation or certification of translations in accordance with the requirements of the receiving authority in Vietnam or Japan.
2.2. Procedure for obtaining Apostille certification for Japanese documents to be used in Vietnam
According to the Notice of the Embassy of Vietnam in Japan, for public documents issued by competent authorities of Japan that are required to be used in Vietnam, applicants shall submit their applications for Apostille certification directly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. They are no longer required to submit applications for consular legalization to the Embassy of Vietnam in Japan as previously required. However, where Japan has multiple competent authorities authorized to issue Apostille certifications, or where a certain territory has it own authority authorized to issue such certifications, applicants must contact the relevant authority corresponding to the place where the document was issued. After the Apostille certification has been issued, the document shall be recognized as legally valid for use in Vietnam without requiring any further consular legalization.
2.3. Procedures for obtaining Apostille certification for Vietnamese documents to be used in Japan
For Vietnamese public documents intended for use in Japan, it should be noted that the Embassy of Vietnam in Japan does not issue Apostilles. Instead, when an Apostille is required, the Vietnamese public documents must be submitted for Apostille certification in Vietnam, specifically at the One-Stop Service Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Consular Department), at 40 Tran Phu, Ba Dinh Ward, Hanoi, or at the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City, at 6 Alexandre de Rhodes, Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City.
The basic application dossier comprises (i) an Application Form for Apostille Certification (Form APO/TK issued together with Circular No. 12/2026/TT-BNG of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), together with scanned copies of the documents for which Apostille certification is requested, uploaded through the National Public Service Portal[1] or the Administrative Procedures Settlement Information System of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs[2], and (ii) the documents for which Apostille certification is requested (translated and notarized/certified, if required). The fee shall be paid by bank transfer using the QR code provided on the Receipt and Appointment Slip. The processing time is one working day for applications containing 1 to 4 public documents, two working days for applications containing 5 to 9 public documents, and four working days for applications containing 10 or more public documents.
2.4. Role of diplomatic missions after the Convention takes effect
The Embassy of Vietnam in Japan no longer performs consular legalization for Japanese public documents falling within the scope of the Apostille Convention. The Embassy will continue to perform consular legalization for documents falling outside the scope of the Convention, such as documents executed by diplomatic or consular officers, or administrative documents directly related to commercial or customs activities as provided under Article 1 of the Hague Convention.
3. Impacts on Japanese businesses and individuals
Previously, documents prepared in Japan used for investment and business activities in Vietnam were required to be processed in multiple steps, including notarization in Japan, authentication by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, and consular legalization. From now, businesses only need to obtain a single Apostille certification issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, significantly reducing the time and costs required for document preparation. This is particularly beneficial for transactions subject to strict deadlines.
With respect to employment and residence, applications for work permits (sometimes, work permits could be one of the documents required for a temporary residence card). Japanese employees in Vietnam often require supporting documents including diplomas, criminal record certificates, and health examination certificates issued by Japanese authorities. The requirement to obtain an Apostille certification from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan only, instead of submitting additional documents for consular legalization to the Embassy or Consulate General of Vietnam in Japan can help shorten the time required to prepare personnel-related documents. This is particularly useful when a business needs to assign personnel to Vietnam on short notice.
For Vietnamese documents required for use in Japan, it is now only necessary to obtain an Apostille certification from the Consular Department (Hanoi) or the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City, without having to submit additional documents to the diplomatic mission of Japan in Vietnam.
Note on legal risks: Businesses and individuals should carefully review each type of document intended for use to determine whether it falls within the scope of the Apostille Convention. Documents excluded from the Convention include documents executed by diplomatic or consular officers, or administrative documents directly related to commercial or customs activities. These documents must still undergo consular legalization under the traditional procedures. Requirements for translation and certification of translations in Vietnam or Japan also remain applicable in parallel with the procedure for obtaining Apostille certification.
As the new regulations implementing the Convention have only recently taken effect, businesses and individuals should proactively review the documents currently being used or expected to be used between the two countries to identify the appropriate competent authority for issuing the relevant Apostille certification and prepare the required documents in accordance with the new regulationsto help avoid delays in administrative procedures in either country.
[1] https://vpcp.dichvucong.gov.vn/p/home/dvc-trang-chu.html
[2] https://dichvucong.mofa.gov.vn/