What Conditions and Documents Does a Foreigner Need to Marry a Vietnamese Woman?

Below are the legal conditions, required documents, competent authorities, procedures, processing time, common risks, and how LH Legal supports clients to ensure a lawful and secure marriage registration.

Related articles:

- Procedures for marriage registration with a foreign national in Vietnam (2025)

- Guidance on marriage registration with overseas Vietnamese when household registration is lost

Conditions for a Foreigner to Legally Marry a Vietnamese Citizen

Pursuant to Article 8 of the Law on Marriage and Family 2014, the conditions for marriage in Vietnam are as follows:

“1. A man and a woman wishing to marry must meet the following conditions:

a) The man must be at least 20 years old, and the woman at least 18 years old;

b) The marriage is voluntarily decided by both parties;

c) Neither party has lost civil act capacity;

d) The marriage does not fall into any prohibited cases prescribed in Points a, b, c, and d, Clause 2, Article 5 of this Law.

2. The State does not recognize marriage between persons of the same sex.”

In addition, the marriage must not violate prohibited acts such as:

• Sham marriage (marriage not intended to build a family);

• Underage marriage;

• Marriage while one party already has a lawful spouse;

• Marriage between persons of direct bloodline or within three generations of kinship, etc.

These cases are strictly prohibited under Points a, b, c, and d, Clause 2, Article 5 of the Law on Marriage and Family 2014.

Marriage Registration Dossier for a Foreigner and a Vietnamese Citizen

Once the conditions for marriage are satisfied, both parties must prepare a marriage registration dossier involving foreign elements in accordance with Article 30 of Decree No. 123/2015/NĐ-CP.

Required documents include:

1. Marriage registration dossier:

a) The man and woman may jointly declare information in one Marriage Registration Application Form;

b) The foreigner’s marital status certificate issued by a competent foreign authority and still valid, certifying that the person currently has no spouse.

If the foreign country does not issue marital status certificates, this may be replaced by a document issued by a competent foreign authority certifying that the person is eligible for marriage under the law of that country.

If the marital status certificate does not specify its validity period, it and the medical certificate shall be valid for 06 months from the date of issuance.

2. If the foreigner does not have a passport, they may present an international travel document or a residence card.

Additionally, pursuant to Clause 9, Article 2 of Decree No. 07/2025/NĐ-CP, amending Clause 3, Article 30:

Where the Vietnamese party has divorced or had a marriage annulled abroad but such information is not recorded in the electronic civil status database, the civil status authority shall require the individual to complete the procedure for recording the divorce/annulment before registering a new marriage.

If the Vietnamese party is a public official, civil servant, or serving in the armed forces, a written confirmation from the managing authority is required, confirming that the marriage with a foreigner does not violate sector-specific regulations.

Moreover, pursuant to Clause 1, Article 38 of the Law on Civil Status 2014, both parties must submit a mental health certificate issued by a competent medical institution (in Vietnam or abroad), certifying that neither party suffers from mental illness or other diseases preventing awareness and control of their behavior.

All documents issued by foreign authorities must be consularly legalized

Summary of Documents Required from a Foreigner

• Marriage Registration Application Form (standard form);

• Certificate of marital status for each party;

• Mental health medical certificate;

• Identity and residence documents:

  • Passport or valid substitute document (for the foreigner);

  • ID card/Citizen ID/Passport (for the Vietnamese party);

  • Proof of residence to determine competent authority;

• Additional documents (if applicable):

  • Divorce decree or annulment record (if previously married);

  • Written approval from the managing authority (for Vietnamese public officials/armed forces personnel);

  • Marital status certificate issued by a Vietnamese diplomatic mission abroad (for Vietnamese citizens residing overseas temporarily).

Important note:

All documents issued by foreign authorities must be consularly legalized and translated into Vietnamese in accordance with Vietnamese law, unless exempted under an international treaty.

If the marital status certificate or medical certificate does not state a validity period, it is only valid for 06 months from the date of issuance.

Competent Authority and Place of Marriage Registration

Under Article 37 of the Law on Civil Status 2014, as amended by Decree No. 120/2025/NĐ-CP, the authority to register marriages involving foreign elements now belongs to the commune-level People’s Committee (ward/commune/special administrative unit) where the Vietnamese citizen resides.

Accordingly, foreigners wishing to marry a Vietnamese spouse must submit the dossier to the commune-level People’s Committee where the Vietnamese spouse has permanent or temporary residence (instead of the district-level authority as previously required).

The processing time for marriage registration involving a foreign element is 5 working days

Procedure and Processing Time

Step 1: Submission of dossier

Both parties submit the complete dossier directly or online via the National Public Service Portal or provincial public service portals.

Step 2: Dossier review

The One-stop Service Unit checks the completeness and validity of the dossier. If incomplete, applicants are requested to supplement the documents.

Step 3: Verification

Within 15 days from receipt of a valid dossier, the civil status officer conducts verification to ensure compliance with marriage conditions and detect any signs of illegal marriage (e.g., sham marriage). If necessary, coordination with police or relevant agencies may occur.

Step 4: Decision and issuance of Marriage Certificate

If the dossier is valid and conditions are met, the Marriage Certificate is signed by the competent authority.

Step 5: Issuance of Marriage Certificate

Both parties must be present to receive the certificate, confirm voluntary marriage, and sign the civil status register. Each spouse receives one original Marriage Certificate.

According to Decree No. 120/2025/NĐ-CP:

“The processing time for marriage registration involving foreign elements is 05 working days from receipt of a complete and valid dossier; where verification is required, the time may be extended but shall not exceed 10 working days.”

Common Risks When Foreigners Marry in Vietnam

1. Incomplete or invalid dossiers (missing certificates, expired documents).

2. Failure to consularly legalize foreign documents, leading to rejection.

3. Extended verification due to suspicion of sham marriage.

4. Language and cultural barriers, sometimes requiring interpreters.

5. Failure to collect the Marriage Certificate on time (over 60 days), resulting in cancellation.

LH Legal - Your Trusted Legal Partner for Marriage Registration in Vietnam

Marriage involving foreign elements can be complex and requires in-depth knowledge of Vietnamese law. LH Legal provides comprehensive legal support to ensure that your marriage is lawful, smooth, and secure, including:

• Detailed legal consultation on marriage conditions and procedures;

• Full support in preparing, reviewing, translating, notarizing, and legalizing documents;

• Guidance to minimize risks and delays;

• Ongoing legal assistance for post-marriage matters (visa, residence, civil status).

If you have any questions or need legal advice, please contact us via the following forms:

Hotline for direct consultation by our Legal team: 1900 2929 01

Register your information for a legal consultation here: https://luatsulh.com/dang-ky-tu-van.html

Phone number via zalo for setting up appointments: 0903 796 830

Website: https://luatsulh.com/

Main office address: 12A Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, Tan Dinh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City (Formerly: Da Kao Ward, District 1)

Nha Trang Branch office address: 144 Hoang Hoa Tham Street, Nha Trang Ward, Khanh Hoa Province (Formerly Loc Tho Ward, Nha Trang City)

Follow LHLegal Law Ltd. at:

Website: https://luatsulh.com/

Facebook: Luật sư LHLegal

Youtube: Luật sư LHLegal

Lawyer Hòa’s TikTok channel: Luật sư Hoà (LHLegal)

Our Company’s TikTok channel: Luật sư LHLegal

Criminal Lawyer’s TikTok channel: Luật sư Hình sự

Zalo OA Channel

LH Legal’s Profile