Where can I certify true copies from my contracts in Vietnam?

Where can I certify true copies from my contracts in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 5 of Decree 23/2015/ND-CP stipulating authorities and responsibilities for authentication, specifically as follows:

1. The Justice offices of provincial-affiliated districts and cities (hereinafter referred to as the Justice Office) shall:

a) Certify true copies from originals of papers, documents issued or certified by Vietnamese competent authorities, foreign competent authorities, or Vietnamese competent authorities in association with foreign competent authorities.

b) Authenticate signatures on papers and documents;

c) Authenticate signatures of translators with respect to papers and documents translated from foreign language to Vietnamese or vice versa;

d) Authenticate contracts concerning properties as movables;

dd) Authenticate agreements for division of heritage, written admission of heritage as movables;

Heads, deputy heads of the Justice Office shall carry out authentication for the aforesaid matters as regulated in this Clause, sign their names and affix seals.

2. People’s Committees of communes (hereinafter referred to as the People’s Committee of communes) shall:

a) Certify true copies from originals of any paper, document issued or certified by Vietnamese competent authorities;

b) Authenticate signatures on papers and documents except signatures of translators;

c) Authenticate contracts concerning properties as movables;

b) Authenticate contracts concerning land use right according to the Law on Land;

dd) Authenticate contracts concerning houses according to the Law on Housing;

e) Authenticate testaments;

g) Authenticate written refusal of heritage;

h) Authenticate agreements for division of heritage, written admission of properties as movables as defined in Points c, d and dd of this Clause;

Presidents, deputy presidents of People’s Committees of communes shall carry out authentication, sign names and affix seals;

3. Diplomatic missions, consulate representative agencies and other agencies authorized to act as consuls in foreign countries (hereinafter referred to as the representative agency) have authorities and responsibilities for authenticating the matters as defined in Points a, b and c of this Clause. Diplomats, consuls shall carry out authentication, sign names and affix seals;

4. Notaries have authorities and responsibilities for authenticating the matters as defined in Points a, Clause 1, Point b, Clause 2 of this Article, signing names and affixing seals of the Notary Office.

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According to this Article, you can certify a true copy of this contract at the Justice Office, the People’s Committee of communes, the Notary Office in Vietnam.

What types of documents are not certified as true copies in Vietnam? 

According to Article 22 of Decree 23/2015/ND-CP on originals of papers, documents that can not serve as the basis for certification of true copies include:

1. Originals with information being erased, modified, added or cut arbitrarily;

2. Originals that are damaged, crushed with information being not identifiable.

3. Originals affixed with a 'confidential’ seal of a competent agency or affixed no seal but with a notice “photocopying is not permitted”.

4. Originals containing information going against the law and social ethics, information propagating war inciting, anti-Vietnamese socialist regime, distorting history of Vietnamese people, offending reputations, dignities, prestige and citizenship of organizations, individuals.

5. Originals that issued, notarized or certified by competent agencies from foreign countries without consular legalization as prescribed in Clause 1, Article 20 hereof.

6. Papers, documents prepared by individuals without confirmation and seals from competent agencies, organizations;

Best Regards!