Procedures for certification of true copies from originals in Vietnam

Procedures for certification of true copies from originals in Vietnam (Internet image)

Regarding this issue, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

1. Papers, documents as the basis for certification of true copies from originals in Vietnam

Papers, documents as the basis for certification of true copies from originals according to Article 18 of Decree 23/2015/ND-CP are as follows:

- Originals of papers, documents issued by competent agencies, organizations;

- Originals of papers, documents prepared by individuals with confirmation and seals from competent agencies, organizations;

2. Originals of papers, documents that can not serve as the basis for certification of true copies in Vietnam

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

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

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

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

- 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.

- Originals that issued, notarized or certified by competent agencies from foreign countries without consular legalization as prescribed in Clause 1, Article 20 of Decree 23/2015/ND-CP.

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

3. Procedures for certification of true copies from originals in Vietnam

According to Article 20 of Decree 23/2015/ND-CP stipulating the procedures for certification of true copies from originals as follows:

- Requesters must present originals of papers and documents as the basis for certification of true copies and a copy to be certified as true.

In case originals of papers, documents that were issued, notarized or certified by a foreign competent agency or organization, they must be consular legalized according to the law before certification of true copies is performed except cases of exemption from consular legalization as prescribed in the International Agreement to which Vietnam is a signatory or according to the principle of reciprocity;

- In case requesters present originals only, the agency or organization shall have them photocopied for authentication except the agency or organization has no means of photocoying.

- Authenticating person shall examine originals and make comparison. If information of copies is the same as that of originals, originals of paper, documents other than as defined in Article 22 of Decree 23/2015/ND-CP, authentication shall be performed as follows:

+ Fully write testimonies for certification of true copies from originals according to the form as regulated;

+ Sign and write full name, affix seal of the agency that performs authentication and record it in the authentication book.

If a copy has at least two pages, testimonies should be written in the last page, or a copy has at least two sheets, a stamp must be affixed on its adjoining edges.

One or more copies that are authenticated from one original at the same time shall be noted in the book with only one authentication number.

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