Marriage registration for foreigners in Vietnam

Question: I am a foreign citizen who wants to marry a Vietnamese citizen in Vietnam. What documents are required to register the marriage and where should we get the process done?

Answer: In Vietnam, the registration of a marriage between a foreigner and a Vietnamese citizen is carried out by the People's Committee of the district where the Vietnamese partner resides. Required documents include:

• A medical certificate issued by a competent medical organization in Vietnam or abroad confirming that both parties do not suffer from mental illness or other conditions that impair their ability to perceive and control their actions.

• A document certifying the foreign party's marital status issued by the competent authority of the foreign party's home country, which is still valid and confirms that the person is not currently married. If the foreign country does not issue such a certificate, an alternative document from the competent authority confirming that the person meets the legal requirements for marriage in the home country must be provided.

Note: The validity of the marital status certificate is determined by the expiration date indicated on the document. If no expiration date is indicated, both the marital status certificate and the medical certificate are valid for six months from the date of issuance.

• Foreigners and overseas Vietnamese must submit a copy of their passport or an equivalent travel document.
• A certificate of marital status for Vietnamese citizens residing in Vietnam. If the marital status information is available in the Electronic Civil Status Database or the National Population Database, submission (in person or online) is not required.

Additional documents (if applicable):

• Vietnamese citizens who have been divorced or annulled by a foreign authority must submit an extract from the civil status record confirming the registration of the divorce or marriage annulment (Divorce Note).

• Vietnamese citizens who are civil servants, public servants or members of the armed forces must have a written confirmation from their agency or unit that their marriage to a foreigner is not in violation of sector-specific regulations.

• If the applicant is working, studying or temporarily residing abroad, he/she must submit a certificate of marital status issued by a Vietnamese diplomatic or consular mission abroad.

Documents to be presented

• For Vietnamese citizens:

  A passport, identity card, national ID card, electronic ID card, certificate of identity, or other personal identification document containing a photograph issued by a competent authority that is still valid. If personal information from these documents is already available in the National Population Database or the Electronic Civil Status Database and is automatically populated by the system, the applicant is not required to upload these documents (for online submission).

• For foreign nationals:

  The original passport must be presented for identity verification. If the foreign national does not have a passport, he or she may present an international travel document or residence card.

• Proof of residence:

  Required if the civil registry office is unable to retrieve the applicant's place of residence information using the methods specified in Clause 2, Article 14 of Decree No. 104/2022/ND-CP of December 21, 2022. If information on the place of residence has been successfully retrieved from the National Population Database, the applicant is exempt from presenting (for in-person submission) or uploading (for online submission) this document.

Notes on document submission

• For in-person submission:

  If a photocopy is submitted with the original for verification, the receiving officer must review and compare the documents, sign the verification, and not require the applicant to submit a certified copy.

• For online submission:

  Scanned copies or photographs of documents must be clear, complete, and unaltered. Documents issued abroad must be consular legalized and translated into Vietnamese unless exempted under applicable regulations. If the required documents already exist in electronic form or are stored in the electronic civil status database, the applicant may use these digital versions. When picking up the marriage certificate at the Civil Status Registration Office, the applicant must present the Marital Status Certificate (for foreigners) and the medical certificate issued by a competent medical institution. When picking up the marriage certificate at the Civil Status Registration Office, the applicant must present the Marital Status Certificate (for foreigners) and the medical certificate issued by a competent medical facility.

Marriage registration documents

Applicants must present (for in-person submission) or upload (for online submission) the following documents:

• A Marriage License Application form with complete information for both parties. Both parties may complete a single form (for in-person submission).

• An interactive electronic civil status form provided through the Public Service Portal (for online submission).

Procedures for filing marriage registration

In-person submission

• Time: 15 days.
• Fees:

  Determined by the People's Council of each province or sub-national city.

• Fee exemptions:

  Applicable to persons with meritorious service to the revolution, households classified as poor, and persons with disabilities.

• Procedure:

  The applicant submits the marriage registration application to the one-stop shop section or public administration center of the district people's committee.

Online submission processing

• Time: 15 days.
• Fees: As determined by the provincial/municipal People’s Council.
• Fee exemptions: Same as for in-person submission.
• Procedure: The applicant submits the marriage registration application via the National Public Service Portal (https://dichvucong.gov.vn) or the provincial-level Public Service Portal (https://dichvucong.---.gov.vn). Either the male or female party may submit the application without requiring a power of attorney from the other party.

Application process

For in-person submission:

• The applicant submits the marriage registration application to the one-stop shop section or public administration center of the district people's committee.

• If applicable, the applicant pays the marriage registration fee.

For online submission:

• The applicant creates an account (if not already registered) on the national or provincial public service portal, verifies his or her identity, and logs into the system.

• The applicant selects the appropriate district-level People's Committee for processing.

• The applicant completes the interactive electronic marriage registration form, attaches scanned copies or electronic versions of required documents, and pays fees through the online payment system or another legally approved method.

Final steps (for both methods):

• Both parties must be present in person at the registry office to verify their identity documents, confirm their voluntary decision to get married, and verify the information on the marriage certificate and marriage registry book.

• Both parties must sign the Marriage Record Book and Marriage Certificate. Each spouse will receive an original Marriage Certificate.

Eligibility requirements

• Minimum age: Male 20 years and older, Female 18 years and older.
• Voluntary consent:

  Marriage must be a voluntary decision on the part of both parties.

• Legal capacity: Both parties must have full civil capacity.
• For overseas Vietnamese: Must provide a valid foreign residence permit issued by a competent foreign authority.

Prohibited marriages (as per Clause 2, Article 5 of the Law on Marriage and Family):

• Sham marriages for purposes other than genuine matrimony.
• Child marriage, forced marriage, deceptive marriage, or obstruction of marriage.
• Bigamy or marrying someone who is already married.
• Incestuous marriages, including direct blood relatives.
• Relatives within three generations.
• Adoptive parents with adopted children.
• Former adoptive parents with adopted children.
• Father-in-law with daughter-in-law, mother-in-law with son-in-law.
• Stepfather with stepdaughter, stepmother with stepson.

Note: The state does not recognize same-sex marriage.

Competent authority:

• The Justice Department of the district-level People’s Committee processes marriage registrations.