Marriage registration would be a must if you’re planning to get married as a foreigner in Vietnam. So be sure to meet all the legal requirements and submit the required documents properly.
Legal requirements for getting married in Vietnam
According to the Vietnamese Law on Marriage and Family, you need to meet the following conditions for marriage registration:
1. The male must be at least 20 years old and the female at least 18
2. Both parties must enter the marriage voluntary
3. Both parties must have full civil act capacity
4. Strict prohibition of forced marriage, sham marriage, underage marriage, deceiving the other party, or marrying while still legally bound to another spouse
Laws do not permit marriage between individuals with relationships as follows:
1. Relatives within three generations
2. Same direct bloodline
3. Adoptive parents and adopted child (or former adoptive relationships)
4. Father-in-law and daughter-in-law
5. Mother-in-law and son-in-law
6. Stepfather and wife’s stepchild
7. Stepmother and husband’s stepchild
8. No recognition of same-sex marriage
📍Besides Vietnam, you would also need to follow the marriage law of your foreign partner’s country.
Sample of Marriage Application Form
The newest marriage application form between a Vietnamese citizen and a foreigner:
The fee for marriage registration involving foreign elements usually ranges from 1,000,000 – 1,500,000 VND, depending on the regulations set by the People’s Council of each province or direct-controlled municipality.
Other than that, there’s also a government policy of fee exemption for people with:
● Meritorious service to Vietnam’s revolution (including their family members)
● Disabilities
● Low-income
What are the documents required for marriage registration?
Here are the necessary documents required for marriage registration:
● Certificate of having no mental illness or any condition affecting cognitive ability and behavioral control
● Written confirmation of no marriage against regulations for civil servants, public employees, and armed forces personnel
Step-by-step procedures for marriage registration
Here is the 4-step process of completing marriage registration for foreigners in Vietnam:
Step 1: Fully prepare all required paperwork and have your foreign documents translated into Vietnamese and notarized.
Step 2: Submit the application dossier to the competent district-level People’s Committee.
Step 3: The competent authority will review the application and issue a receipt if the application is valid or request additional paperwork if necessary.
Step 4: Come back to the People’s Committee to sign the marriage certificate and receive it later within 15 working days.
Here are some of the common questions that you might have when getting married in Vietnam
Q: How long does it take for foreigners to register their marriage in Vietnam?
If all the conditions are met, you can get the marriage certificate within 15 working days after the competent authority has received all necessary documents.
Q: Where can foreigners register their marriage in Vietnam?
All marriage registration applications are received and processed at the district-level People’s Committee where the Vietnamese citizen resides.
Q: Where to get your marriage registration documents translated?
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