What Documents Are Required to Register a Marriage with a Foreigner?

What Documents Are Required to Register a Marriage with a Foreigner?

Conditions for Marriage Registration with a Foreigner

Marriage is the establishment of a husband-and-wife relationship between a man and a woman in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Marriage and Family regarding marriage conditions and registration. Therefore, marriage with a foreigner must satisfy both substantive conditions (conditions for marriage) and formal conditions (marriage registration).

Conditions for Marriage

Pursuant to Article 8 of the Law on Marriage and Family 2014:

“Article 8. Conditions for Marriage

1. A man and a woman may marry each other if they fully satisfy the following conditions:

a) The man is at least 20 years old and the woman is 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 of the prohibited cases specified 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.”

Additionally, pursuant to Points a, b, c, and d, Clause 2, Article 5 of the Law on Marriage and Family 2014:

“2. The following acts are prohibited:

a) Sham marriage or sham divorce;

b) Child marriage, forced marriage, deceptive marriage, or obstruction of marriage;

c) A person who already has a spouse marrying or cohabiting as husband and wife with another person, or an unmarried person marrying or cohabiting with someone who already has a spouse;

d) Marriage or cohabitation as husband and wife between persons of direct bloodline; relatives within three generations; adoptive parents and adopted children; former adoptive parents and adopted children; parents-in-law and children-in-law; step-parents and step-children.”

Accordingly, the conditions for marriage with a foreigner include:

• The man must be at least 20 years old and the woman at least 18 years old;

• The marriage must be voluntary;

• Neither party has lost civil act capacity;

• The marriage does not fall under prohibited cases, such as:

  • Sham marriage or sham divorce;

  • Child marriage, forced marriage, deceptive marriage, or obstruction of marriage;

  • Bigamy or cohabitation in violation of marital status;

  • Marriage between persons related by prohibited degrees of kinship.

A Vietnamese citizen marrying a foreign national in Vietnam must carry out the marriage registration procedure at the district-level People’s Committee

Marriage Involving Foreigners

Marriage between Vietnamese citizens and foreigners is clearly regulated in Article 126 of the Law on Marriage and Family:

• Each party must comply with the marriage conditions under the law of their own country;

• If the marriage is registered at a competent Vietnamese authority, the foreigner must also comply with Vietnamese marriage conditions;

• Marriage between foreigners permanently residing in Vietnam and registered at a Vietnamese authority must comply with Vietnamese marriage conditions.

Marriage Registration

Pursuant to Article 9 of the Law on Marriage and Family 2014:

“Article 9. Marriage Registration

1. Marriage must be registered and conducted by a competent state authority in accordance with this Law and the law on civil status.

Unregistered marriages shall have no legal validity.

2. A couple that has divorced and wishes to re-establish the marital relationship must register the marriage again.”

Additionally, Clause 1, Article 37 of the Law on Civil Status 2014 provides:

“The district-level People’s Committee of the place of residence of the Vietnamese citizen shall register marriages between Vietnamese citizens and foreigners; between Vietnamese citizens residing in Vietnam and Vietnamese citizens residing abroad; between Vietnamese citizens residing abroad; and between Vietnamese citizens holding dual nationality and Vietnamese citizens or foreigners.”

Accordingly, when a Vietnamese citizen marries a foreigner in Vietnam, the marriage must be registered at the district-level People’s Committee where the Vietnamese citizen resides.

Required Documents for Marriage Registration with a Foreigner

Pursuant to Article 30 of Decree 123/2015/NĐ-CP and Article 2 of Decree 07/2025/NĐ-CP, the required documents include:

For Vietnamese Citizens:

• Marriage registration declaration form (prescribed form);

• Certificate of marital status or marriage registration declaration certified for marital status, issued within the last 6 months;

• Copy of valid Citizen ID/ID card or passport.

For Foreigners:

• Marriage registration declaration form;

• Copy of a valid passport;

• Certificate of marital status issued by the competent authority of the country of nationality, issued within the last 6 months, confirming that the person is currently unmarried.

  • If the country does not issue marital status certificates, an alternative document issued by a competent Vietnamese authority certifying eligibility for marriage under Vietnamese law may be used.

If the foreigner does not have a passport, an international travel document or residence card may be presented.

Additional Notes

In certain cases, additional documents may be required, including:

• Civil status annotation of divorce or annulment if the Vietnamese citizen previously divorced or annulled a marriage abroad but such information is not reflected in the civil status database;

• Written confirmation from the managing authority if the applicant is a civil servant, public employee, or serving in the armed forces, confirming that the marriage with a foreigner does not violate sector regulations.

Competent Authority for Marriage Registration with a Foreigner

Pursuant to Article 37 of the Law on Civil Status 2014:

The district-level People’s Committee where the Vietnamese citizen resides has authority to register marriage between a Vietnamese citizen and a foreigner in Vietnam.

The district-level People’s Committee is the competent authority to register marriages between Vietnamese citizens and foreign nationals in Vietnam

Procedure for Marriage Registration with a Foreigner

Step 1: Submission of Application

The couple submits a complete dossier directly to the district-level People’s Committee where the Vietnamese citizen resides or online via the National Public Service Portal.

Step 2: Receipt of Application

The competent authority reviews the documents and compares originals. If valid, a receipt specifying the result date is issued.

Step 3: Verification of Application

The Justice Division examines and verifies the dossier. If all legal conditions are met, it reports to the Chairperson of the district-level People’s Committee for decision.

If complaints arise or clarification is required regarding identity, voluntariness, or documents, the Justice Division coordinates verification and may work directly with both parties.

Step 4: Issuance of Marriage Certificate

Both parties must be present at the People’s Committee office. If the marriage is voluntary, the marriage is recorded in the civil status register, signed by both parties, and the Marriage Certificate is issued and handed over by the Chairperson of the district-level People’s Committee.

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