1.DIFFERENCE BETWEEN APOSTILLE AND LEGALIZATION

Surely during the process of researching and clearing immigration at least once, you will hear terms like Apostille  and Consular legalization  So do you know well about these two concepts, what are the similarities and differences between these documents? In which case each will be used. Let’s find out now!

Currently, the demand for trade, travel, business exchange, goods, labor export, study abroad or tourism of Vietnamese people abroad is increasing. Understanding and understanding the functions and powers of documents, distinguishing the difference between Apostille and Legalization – consular legalization will help you carry out immigration procedures more quickly and accurately.

What is Apostille? When is it used?

When coming to live, work or travel in another country, if you want personal documents and documents to be legally accepted and used, you need to be recognized by the government of the host country. So to put it simply, Apostille is a form of certification of signatures and seals stamped on public documents to help you legally use that document in one of the countries parties to  the Apostille convention. Also known as the Hague Convention (convention on exemption from legalization of foreign public documents).

British Apostille certification stamp

The authority that issues Apostille certification is usually the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country issuing the documents to be used. Currently, as many as 120 countries have signed the Hague convention to exempt consular legalization of their documents for use within the bloc.

Consular legalization

As noted, Apostille certification is only valid for use in member states under the Hague Convention. So what should countries that are not part of the Hague convention, such as Vietnam? At this time, it is mandatory that your documents be carried out consular legalization – Legalization.

Consular legalization is the use by the competent authority of the country where documents certify seals, signatures and titles on foreign papers and documents to be used in that country. This step will be done after the documents have been consular certified by the competent authority of the issuing country.

Consular legalization form in Vietnam

Consular legalization authorities are usually:

+ The Ministry of Foreign Affairs or competent agencies in the country using papers and documents

+ Or the Embassy/Consulate General of the country using the papers or documents located in the issuing country.

So what’s the difference between Apostille and Legalization?

First of all, you need to understand that Apostille and Consular Legalization are both 2 mandatory processes that must be done if you want to use any documents in a country other than in the issuing country. But which process you need to go through depends on the type of documentation, the country of supply, and the water that will be used legally.

Apostille

When your documents are eligible for Apostille certification and use them in a Hague party country, you only need to apply for an Apostille certification stamp.

For example, if you have a birth certificate issued in Japan and want to use it in Germany, you only need to apply for an Apostille certificate at the Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Ministry to legally use it in Germany.

Consular legalization

The process of Legalization is classified into 2 applicable cases depending on the country you intend to use the paper, as well as the type of document to be certified. Concrete:

+ Case 1: For documents, documents are eligible for Apostille certification, but the country you want to use the document is not a party to the Hague convention. In this case, you must first apply for an Apostille certification stamp from the competent authority in the issuing country. Then proceed to apply for a consular legalization stamp of the Embassy or Consulate of the country that will use that document that is located in the issuing country.

For example, when you want to use an Indian birth certificate in Vietnam, you need an Apostille certificate at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Commonwealth Affairs, and then apply for a consular legalization stamp from the Embassy/Consulate General of Vietnam in India.

The use  of Apostille or Legalization depends on the issuing country, the country where the document is used, the type of document

Thus, when you use documents in the Hague convention, Apostille certified documents will not have to go through consular legalization (legalization) at the embassy of the country where the document is used.

+ Case 2: the document is not eligible for Apostille certification, or the issuing country is not part of the Hague convention. You need to apply for a consular certificate stamp at the competent diplomatic mission of the issuing country. Then apply for a consular legalization stamp of the Embassy of the country that will use that document is located in the issuing country.

For example: Chinese documents that want to be used in Vietnam will need consular certification at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China first, then consular legalization at the Vietnamese Embassy in China.

The above article has shown the clear difference between Apostille and Legalization, hope to have provided you with useful information. If you need  our company services, please contact Vietnam Chris Travel  immediately for our support.

 

2.SOMETHING TO KNOW ABOUT THE HAGUE CONVENTION ON APOSTILLE

 

List of Parties to the Hague Convention (Apostille Certification Countries)

According to data updated on 20/07/2019, there are currently 117 countries and territories that are parties to The Hague Apostille Convention. That is, 117 countries and territories issue Apostille certification. Documents and documents, when certified by Apostille in one country and territory, will be used in the remaining 116 countries and territories legally. To apply for Apostille certification for documents/documents issued from these countries and regions, please contact us for the best service.

 

Albania Greece Oman
Andorra Grenada Panama
Antigua and Barbuda Guatemala Paraguay
Argentina Honduras Peru
Armenia Hong Kong Philippines
Australia Hungary Poland
Austria Iceland Portugal
Azerbaijan India Romania
Bahamas Ireland Russia
Bahrain Israel Saint Kitts and Nevis
Barbados Italy Saint Lucia
Belarus Japan Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Belgium Kosovo Samoa
Belize Kazakhstan San Marino
Bolivia Kyrgyzstan Sao Tome and Principe
Bosnia and Herzegovina Latvia Serbia
Botswana Lesotho Seychelles
Brazil Liberia Slovakia
Brunei Liechtenstein Slovenia
Bulgaria Lithuania South Africa
Burundi Luxembourg South Korea
Cape Verde Macau Spain
Chile Macedonia Suriname
Colombia Malawi Swaziland
Cook Islands Malta Sweden
Costa Rica Marshall Islands Switzerland
Croatia Mauritius Tajikistan
Cyprus Mexico Tonga
Czech Republic Moldova Trinidad and Tobago
Denmark Monaco Tunisia
Dominica Mongolia Turkey
Dominican Republic Montenegro Ukraine
Ecuador Morocco United Kingdom
El Salvador Namibia United States
Estonia Netherlands Uruguay
Fiji New Zealand Uzbekistan
Finland Nicaragua Vanuatu
France Niue Venezuela
Georgia Norway
Germany

The following countries and territories are not parties to the Hague Apostille Convention and documents/documents for use in these countries and territories or originating from them are required Consular legalization or consular certification.
To obtain consular certification, consular legalization for documents/documents issued from these countries and territories or brought for use in these countries and territories.We are provided with the best service.

Afghanistan Indonesia Palestine
Algeria Iran Qatar
Angola Iraq Rwanda
Bangladesh Jamaica Saudi Arabia
Benin Jordan Senegal
Burkina Faso Kenya Sierra Leone
Burma, Myanmar Kuwait Singapore
Cambodia Laos Sri Lanka
Cameroon Lebanon Sudan
Canada Libya Syria
Chile Macedonia Taiwan
China Madagascar Tanzania
Congo Republic Malaysia Togo
Congo Democratic Mali Thailand
Ivory Coast Mauritania Turkmenistan
Cuba Mozambique UAE (United Arab Emirates)
Egypt Burma, Myanmar Uganda
Eritrea Nepal Vietnam
Ethiopia Niger Yemen
Ghana Nigeria Zambia
Guinea Pakistan Zimbabwe
Haiti

 

  1. SOME CASES HANDLED WHEN LEGALIZING CONSULAR HISTORY TO USE DOCUMENTS IN VIETNAM APPLYING FOR A WORK PERMIT

Example:

+ Case 1: Your documents are full of   Apostille stamp (The Hague Apostille Convention) from the Department of Foreign Affairs ( Mofa)of the Philippines. We will apply for embassy seals, consular legalization stamps- consular legalization translation + notarization. Time 12-15days . Original copies of your documents are required as in the Philippines, passport photocopy signed by page, 1 authorization to go through handwritten visitor procedures sent to the company .So we will legalize for you.

+ Case 2: Your documents do not have   the Apostille stamp (The Hague Apostille Convention)  from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs like the Philippines, you have to send your own documents back to the Philippines to apply for the Apostille Stamp by yourself. Then bring the original with the Apostille stamp of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs( Mofa) back to our company  so that we can do it for you .

Contact: 

Phone: 0983026382(zalo/whatsapp)

Email:  vietnamchristravel@gmail.com