Certified Copies of Birth Certificates: Are They Subject to an Expiration Date?

A copy is a reproduction from the original or a typed document that contains complete and accurate content as recorded in the principal register.

According to Article 3 of Decree 23/2015/ND-CP, a copy that is certified from its original as stipulated in this Decree is valid for use in place of the original used for comparison certification in transactions, except where otherwise provided by law.

The Notarization Law 2014 and Decree 23/2015/ND-CP, as well as previous regulations on notarization and certification, do not stipulate the validity period of certified copies.

From a practical perspective, certified copies can be divided into two types:

- "Unlimited" copies: Copies certified from documents such as birth certificates, transcripts, bachelor's degrees, motorcycle driving licenses, etc., are of unlimited validity, except where the original has been revoked or canceled.

- "Limited" copies: Copies certified from documents with a defined validity period such as Identity Cards (15 years), Judicial Record Cards (6 months), Marriage Status Certificates (6 months), etc., are only valid for use within the validity period of the original document.

Thus, according to the above provisions, there is no regulation on the validity period of certified copies. However, the birth certificate is a document used as a basis to accurately determine personal information of the holder, and according to the Civil Code 2015, an individual has the right to change their name. Therefore, when the name is changed, the birth certificate will also change.

Therefore, to ensure accuracy in the process of searching and verifying information regarding documents that have been certified for a long time, the competent authority may request the user to present the original for comparison when necessary.

Sincerely!