Procedures for marriage registration with foreign elements in Vietnam (Vietnamese people marrying foreigners)
In order for the Procedures for marriage registration with foreign elements in Vietnam (Vietnamese people marrying foreigners) to go smoothly and quickly, ABA VISA shares with you the necessary information as follows:
Competence to register the marriage with foreign elements
From January 1, 2016, the authority to register marriages involving foreign elements is exercised by the District People’s Committee. As follows:
Article 34 of the Law on Civil Status provides:
The People’s Committee of the district where the Vietnamese citizen resides shall register the marriage between a Vietnamese citizen and a foreigner. Between Vietnamese citizens residing in the country and Vietnamese citizens residing abroad. Between Vietnamese citizens concurrently holding foreign nationality and Vietnamese citizens or foreigners.
In case a foreigner residing in Vietnam requests marriage registration in Vietnam, the district-level People’s Committee of the place where either party resides shall register the marriage.
General provisions pursuant to Vietnamese Law – Procedures for marriage registration with foreign elements in Vietnam (Vietnamese people marrying foreigners)
Registering marriage with a foreigner is under Law on Civil Status and Law on Marriage and Family. In which:
1/ Conditions for registering marriage
Pursuant to the prevailing Law on Marriage and Family, the couple must meet the following conditions:
- Reaching the statutory age (20 years old for men and 18 years old for women);
- Deciding to enter a marriage relationship voluntarily;
- Having full of civil act capacity;
- Not falling into the banned cases by the Law. They are sham marriages. Underage marriage, forcing a person into marriage. Deceiving a person into marriage. Marriage registration while in a marital relationship with another person. And marriage is banned by the law based on Vietnamese ethical traditions.
In addition, the foreigner wishing to register marriage to a Vietnamese must comply with the regulations on marriage conditions of his country.
One of the frequently asked questions that we received was whether Vietnam allows same-sex marriage registration. However, Vietnamese law does not acknowledge this kind of marriage.
2/ Documents required
- Some necessary documents shall include the following:
- Standard application form for marriage registration. The couple must sign this application before the witness of the State officer in charge;
- Identity card for the Vietnamese and passport or other similar documents for the foreigner;
- Certificate of marital status. This document confirms that both are currently not in marriage and have no impediment to entering into the proposed marriage;
- The health certificates of both applicants show that they have no mental issue which prevents their act control;
- In the case where one party got a divorce verdict or a marriage annulment from a competent authority (event overseas or domestic), (s)he needs to submit it; and
Document showing current residence of Vietnam individual.
For documents from overseas, the couple needs to legalize them. Then, they also need to translate them into Vietnamese under a certifying procedure in Vietnam.
3/ Timeline for settling marriage dossier and competent authority – Procedures for marriage registration with foreign elements in Vietnam (Vietnamese people marrying foreigners)
💜 The marriage registration with a foreigner takes about 10 – 15 working days after the in-charge State officer received a valid application dossier from the applicants. The assessment of the submitted dossier shall be made at the district-level People’s Committee (the “PC”) where the Vietnamese have permanently resided or temporarily resided.
💜 On the date of receiving the marriage certificate per the invite of the State authority, both applicants must present at that the PC to sign on the certificate. If anyone is absent, the PC could not issue the certificate. Accordingly, (s)he must send a request letter to re-schedule for receiving the certificate but no later than 60 days. After that, if the parties do not present for receiving it, the PC shall cancel the certificate.
💜 The marriage certificate is valid from the date on which they are documented in the vital records and granted to the partners.
With many years of experience supporting the marriage registration procedure with foreign elements (Vietnamese people marrying foreigners). Customers who have needs or questions related to this issue, please contact ABA VISA directly via Hotline 0938165817 for timely support.
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