Procedures for issuance of certificate of single status in Vietnam

Procedures for issuance of certificate of single status in Vietnam (Internet image)

Authority to issue certificate of single status in Vietnam

According to Decree 123/2015/ND-CP, the People’s Committee of commune where a Vietnamese citizen permanently resides shall issue him/her with a certificate of single status.

If the Vietnamese citizen has no permanent residence but has a temporary residence registered as prescribed in law on residence, the People’s Committee of commune where he/she has registered temporary residence shall issue him/her with a certificate of marital status.

- Authority to issue the above-mentioned certificate of single status also apply in case of issuance of certificate of marital status to a foreigner or a stateless person residing in Vietnam upon his/her request.

Procedures for issuance of certificate of single status in Vietnam

The issuance of certificates of marital status (or certificate of single status) shall comply with the provisions of Articles 21, 22 and 23 of Decree 123/2015/ND-CP and instructions in Article 12 of Circular 04 2020/TT-BTP the following:

(1) If an applicant wishes to be reissued with the marital status certificate to get married but could not submit the old marital status certificate, the applicant shall provide the reason they could not submit it.

Within 03 working days from the date of receipt of the application, the civil registration authority shall verify with the authority of the locality where the applicant planned to register their marriage in writing.

If the civil registration authority could not verify or receive the verification result, the civil registration authority shall allow the applicant to draw up a confirmation of their marital status according to regulations in Articles 4 and 5 of Circular 04 2020/TT-BTP.

(2) The marital status certificate shall remain valid until the time at which the marital status is changed or for 06 months starting from the date of issuance, whichever comes first.

Example: a marital status certificate was issued on February 03, 2020 but, on February 10, 2020, the certificate holder registered their marriage, so the certificate was only valid until February 10, 2020.

(3) In case an applicant wishes to use the marital status certificate for marriage purpose, the civil registration authority shall issue only one copy to the applicant.

The marital status certificate shall contain the full name, year of birth, nationality and identity documents of the applicant, and the locality where the applicant plans to register their marriage.

Example: this certificate is issued for getting married to Mr. Nguyen Viet K, born in 1962, Vietnamese citizen, passport No. B123456 issued by Embassy of Vietnam in Germany on February 01, 2020; by the People’s Committee of Hoai Duc district, Hanoi.

This certificate is issued for getting married to Mr. KIM JONG DOEK, born in 1970, South Korean citizen, passport No. HQ12345 issued by the competent South Korean authority on February 02, 2020; at the premises of the competent South Korean authority in South Korea.

(4) In case an applicant wishes to use the marital status certificate for a purpose besides marriage, the applicant is not required to meet the marriage conditions; the marital status certificate shall specify its use and that it may not be used for getting married.

The certificate shall be issued in the amount requested by the applicant.

Example: this certificate is issued for house selling procedures and may not be used for marriage registration.

(5) Civil registration authorities may reject applications for marital status certificates that are to be used for same-sex marriage or marriage to a foreigner on the premises of a foreign representative mission in Vietnam.

Chau Thanh

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