Vietnam Civil Documents · Updated May 2026
Vietnamese Marriage Certificate (Giấy chứng nhận kết hôn) for U.S. Immigration: Translation, Prior Divorces, and What Ho Chi Minh City Accepts
Get the certificate U.S. immigration accepts, translate it at the stage that needs it, and handle prior marriages before they stall your case.
Summary
Bring the original Giấy chứng nhận kết hôn (Marriage Certificate) plus a photocopy to your interview at the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. Add a certified English translation when you upload civil documents to the National Visa Center (NVC) and for any filing with USCIS. If you or the U.S. petitioner were married before, you also need the court divorce decision for every prior marriage. No apostille is required for the U.S. immigrant visa. If the original is lost, a Trích lục kết hôn (Marriage Registration Extract) is accepted in its place.
At a glance
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Document name | Giấy chứng nhận kết hôn (Marriage Certificate). A Trích lục kết hôn (Marriage Registration Extract) issued by a competent state agency can be presented in its place. |
| What U.S. immigration needs | The original Giấy chứng nhận kết hôn (or a Trích lục kết hôn) plus a photocopy at the Ho Chi Minh City interview. For the NVC document upload and for adjustment of status with USCIS, a certified English translation as well. |
| Issuing authority | The People's Committee where the marriage was registered. Since July 1, 2025 (Decree 120/2025/NĐ-CP), commune-level (Phường/Xã) People's Committees register foreign-related marriages; before that it was the provincial Department of Justice (Sở Tư Pháp). |
| Appearance | Red certificate with the national emblem and a red seal in the bottom right. Both spouses' full names are capitalized with all Vietnamese tone marks. Each spouse receives one original. |
| Cost | Free for two Vietnamese citizens. 1,500,000 VND (about $59 USD) for a foreign-related marriage. Processing 3 to 8 working days, per the State Department reciprocity page. Verify before paying. |
| Prior marriages | If you or the U.S. petitioner were ever married before, you also need the divorce decision (the District People's Court 40-DS form) or the prior spouse's death certificate for every earlier marriage. |
| Legalization / apostille | Not required for the U.S. immigrant visa. Vietnam joined the Hague Apostille Convention effective September 11, 2026, replacing consular legalization for documents used abroad; this does not add a U.S. visa requirement. |
Fees and issuing authority verified May 2026 against the U.S. Department of State Vietnam reciprocity page. Verify the current fee directly before paying.
What U.S. immigration needs, and at which stage
U.S. immigration accepts the Giấy chứng nhận kết hôn, the standard Vietnamese marriage certificate. There is no special long-form or short-form version to choose between, as there is for some countries. What trips people up instead is the translation rule, because it is different at each stage of the case.
At the Ho Chi Minh City interview
Bring the original certificate and a photocopy. The U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City accepts Vietnamese-language documents and only sometimes asks for a translation. The originals must match the documents you uploaded to CEAC (the online application system).
At the NVC document upload
When you upload civil documents to the National Visa Center through CEAC, include a certified English translation in the same file as the Vietnamese original. This is the stage most applicants miss, because the interview rule is more lenient than the upload rule.
For adjustment of status with USCIS
If you file adjustment of status with USCIS inside the United States, a certified English translation is required under U.S. federal regulation 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) for every foreign-language document.
How to get the certificate, in order
The marriage certificate is issued by the People's Committee where the marriage was registered. Vietnam has no centralized national vital-records system, so you request it from the local office that holds the record. Follow these steps in order.
Step 1: Get the original Giấy chứng nhận kết hôn from the People's Committee
Each spouse is issued one original marriage certificate when the marriage is registered. Request it (or an additional certified copy) at the People's Committee that registered the marriage. Since July 1, 2025, that is the commune-level (Phường/Xã) People's Committee where the Vietnamese spouse resides; certificates registered before that date were issued by the provincial Department of Justice (Sở Tư Pháp). A foreign-related registration costs 1,500,000 VND (about $59 USD) and takes 3 to 8 working days.
Step 2: If the original is lost, request a Trích lục kết hôn instead
If you cannot find the original certificate, ask the same office for a Trích lục kết hôn (Marriage Registration Extract). The State Department reciprocity page states the extract can be presented in lieu of the marriage certificate. Note that the certificate only confirms the marriage was valid; it does not show a later divorce.
Step 3: Pull the divorce decision too, if either spouse was married before
If you or the U.S. petitioner had any prior marriage, request the court divorce decision for each one. A Vietnamese consensual divorce is the District People's Court 'Decision Recognition of Consent to Divorce and the Agreement of the Parties' (a black-and-white 40-DS form), not a People's Committee document. The petitioner's prior divorces count too, not only the Vietnamese spouse's.
Step 4: Order a certified English translation for the NVC upload and any USCIS filing
Before you upload civil documents to the National Visa Center through CEAC, add a certified English translation of the Vietnamese certificate in the same file. For adjustment of status filed with USCIS inside the United States, the translation is required under federal regulation. At the Ho Chi Minh City interview itself the consulate accepts Vietnamese documents and only sometimes asks for a translation, so do not skip the translation for the upload assuming the interview rule covers you.
Prior marriages: the divorce documents NVC requires
A marriage-based case has to show that both spouses were free to marry. If either of you was married before, the current certificate is not enough on its own. The single most common cause of a stalled case is a missing prior-divorce document, and applicants are often surprised that the U.S. petitioner’s prior divorces count too.
What to gather for every prior marriage
- •The original Giấy chứng nhận kết hôn for your current marriage (or a Trích lục kết hôn if the original is lost).
- •The court divorce decision (District People's Court 40-DS form) for every prior marriage of the Vietnamese spouse that ended in divorce.
- •The divorce decree for every prior marriage of the U.S. petitioner, not only the Vietnamese spouse.
- •The death certificate (Trích lục khai tử) for any prior spouse who has died.
A Vietnamese divorce is a court matter, not a People's Committee one. The document is the District People's Court “Decision Recognition of Consent to Divorce and the Agreement of the Parties,” issued on a black-and-white 40-DS form. A consensual divorce usually takes 2 to 4 months and a contested one 4 to 6 months, per the State Department reciprocity page. The court fee is 300,000 VND (about $12 USD) for a straightforward case.
Do you need an apostille or legalization?
For the U.S. immigrant visa
Not required. The original certificate plus a photocopy is presented at the Ho Chi Minh City interview, and a certified English translation is added for the NVC upload and USCIS filings. Do not pay for legalization unless a specific U.S. agency asks for it in writing.
The September 2026 apostille change
Vietnam joined the Hague Apostille Convention effective September 11, 2026, replacing consular legalization for Vietnamese documents used abroad. This simplifies using documents in other countries; it does not add a U.S. visa requirement.
The translation requirement for adjustment of status comes from a U.S. federal regulation (8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)): every foreign-language document needs a complete certified English translation with a signed statement that the translator is competent and the translation is accurate. The Ho Chi Minh City consulate is more lenient at the interview because it accepts Vietnamese-language documents.
What applicants report
Aggregated from VisaJourney IR-1/CR-1 and NVC threads (2011–2025) and the U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City pre-interview checklist (2024–2026). Real applicant reports, not legal advice; your office and case may differ.
Tips from the community
Translate for the NVC upload, not just the interview
Applicants repeatedly learn that the rule at the Ho Chi Minh City interview (Vietnamese documents accepted) is not the rule at the NVC document stage. NVC guidance is to include a certified English translation in the same file as the original Vietnamese document when you upload to CEAC. Skipping it triggers a document-correction request and resets the clock.
VisaJourney NVC threads, 2020–2025
You can self-certify the translation for USCIS
For USCIS filings, a bilingual friend or relative can translate the certificate and sign a statement that they are competent in both languages and the translation is accurate. Members report paying about $4 per page in Vietnam versus roughly $50 per page in the United States, so many translate before leaving Vietnam.
VisaJourney IR-1/CR-1 and NVC threads, 2011–2020
The petitioner's prior divorces count too
A recurring surprise: the U.S. citizen or LPR petitioner must document their own prior divorces, not just the Vietnamese spouse's. If the petitioner was married before, gather the U.S. divorce decree for each marriage or the case stalls at NVC.
VisaJourney IR-1/CR-1 document threads, 2024–2025
Bring originals to Ho Chi Minh City that match your CEAC upload
The consulate's pre-interview checklist says to bring the original marriage certificate and a photocopy, and the originals must match what was uploaded to CEAC. Members advise carrying the original certificate plus a spare photocopy of every civil document, even ones already submitted online.
U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City checklist, 2024–2026
In their words
“anybody can do and certify the translation for USCIS but later, at the Consulate, requirements vary.”
“You can translate them yourself for USCIS. You must include a copy of the original, your translation, and a signed statement with your name, a sentence saying you are fluent in the language, and your signature.”
Common problems and fixes
| Issue | Fix |
|---|---|
| Uploaded the Vietnamese certificate to CEAC with no English translation | Add a certified English translation in the same file as the original. NVC requires it at the upload stage even though the Ho Chi Minh City interview usually accepts Vietnamese documents. |
| No court divorce decision for a prior marriage | Request the District People's Court divorce decision (40-DS form) for every prior marriage of both spouses, including the U.S. petitioner's prior divorces. |
| Brought a certificate but the original was lost | Request a Trích lục kết hôn (Marriage Registration Extract) from the same People's Committee. The State Department accepts it in lieu of the marriage certificate. |
| Paid for an apostille or legalization the U.S. visa did not need | The immigrant visa does not require legalization of the Vietnamese certificate. Vietnam's September 2026 apostille accession is for documents used abroad, not a new U.S. requirement. |
Sources
- U.S. Department of State: Vietnam Reciprocity and Civil Documents (verified May 2026)
- U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City: Immigrant Visa Interview Supplement (verified May 2026)
- U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Vietnam: Marriage (verified May 2026)
- Decree 120/2025/NĐ-CP: commune-level People's Committee registers foreign-related marriages from July 1, 2025
- Hague Conference on Private International Law: Vietnam accession to the Apostille Convention, in force September 11, 2026
- 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3): certified English translation requirement for foreign-language documents
- VisaJourney IR-1/CR-1 and NVC forum threads (community), 2011–2025
Frequently asked questions
What is the Vietnamese marriage certificate called, and what does it look like?
It is the Giấy chứng nhận kết hôn (Marriage Certificate). It is a red certificate with the national emblem and a red seal in the bottom right, and both spouses' full names are capitalized with all Vietnamese tone marks. Each spouse receives one original copy when the marriage is registered. A Trích lục kết hôn (Marriage Registration Extract) issued by a competent state agency can be presented in lieu of the certificate.
Do I need to translate the Vietnamese marriage certificate into English?
Yes for the National Visa Center document upload and for adjustment of status filed with USCIS, where a certified English translation with a signed statement of competence and accuracy is required. At the immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnamese documents are accepted and a translation is only sometimes requested. To be safe, translate it for the CEAC upload rather than relying on the interview rule.
Who can certify the translation?
For USCIS, anyone competent in both Vietnamese and English can translate the certificate and sign a statement that they are competent and that the translation is complete and accurate. It does not have to be a professional or notarized translation. Community members report translating in Vietnam for a few dollars per page rather than paying about $50 per page in the United States.
Where is the marriage certificate issued, and how much does it cost?
By the People's Committee where the marriage was registered. Since July 1, 2025 under Decree 120/2025/NĐ-CP, commune-level (Phường/Xã) People's Committees register foreign-related marriages; before that the provincial Department of Justice (Sở Tư Pháp) did. A foreign-related registration costs 1,500,000 VND (about $59 USD) and takes 3 to 8 working days, per the State Department reciprocity page. It is free for two Vietnamese citizens. Verify the current fee before paying.
We were both married before. What do we need to bring?
You need the current marriage certificate plus proof that every earlier marriage legally ended. For a Vietnamese divorce that is the District People's Court divorce decision, titled the Decision Recognition of Consent to Divorce and the Agreement of the Parties, issued on a black-and-white 40-DS form. For the U.S. petitioner's prior marriages, bring the U.S. divorce decree for each one. For a deceased prior spouse, bring the death certificate. The petitioner's prior divorces count, not only the Vietnamese spouse's.
Does the Vietnamese marriage certificate need an apostille for U.S. immigration?
No. The U.S. immigrant visa does not require legalization or an apostille of the Vietnamese marriage certificate; the original and a photocopy are presented at the Ho Chi Minh City interview, and a certified English translation is added for the NVC upload and USCIS filings. Vietnam joined the Hague Apostille Convention effective September 11, 2026, which replaces consular legalization for Vietnamese documents used abroad, but that change does not create a new U.S. visa requirement.
I lost my original marriage certificate. Can I still proceed?
Yes. Ask the People's Committee that registered the marriage for a Trích lục kết hôn (Marriage Registration Extract), which the State Department reciprocity page accepts in lieu of the marriage certificate. Vietnam has no centralized national vital-records system, so the extract is requested from the local office that holds the record, and records from smaller communities or from before 1975 may be harder to recover.
Key takeaways
- ✓
U.S. immigration needs the original Giấy chứng nhận kết hôn (or a Trích lục kết hôn) plus a photocopy at the Ho Chi Minh City interview, and a certified English translation for the NVC document upload and any USCIS filing.
- ✓
The translation rule differs by stage: the Ho Chi Minh City consulate accepts Vietnamese documents and only sometimes asks for a translation, but the NVC upload and adjustment of status with USCIS require a certified English translation.
- ✓
If you or the U.S. petitioner were married before, you also need the court divorce decision (District People's Court 40-DS form) or the prior spouse's death certificate for every earlier marriage. The petitioner's prior divorces count too.
- ✓
Since July 1, 2025 the People's Committee registers foreign-related marriages (commune level), replacing the provincial Department of Justice. A foreign-related registration costs 1,500,000 VND and takes 3 to 8 working days.
- ✓
No apostille or legalization is required for the U.S. immigrant visa. Vietnam's September 11, 2026 apostille accession is for documents used abroad, not a new U.S. requirement.
Collecting documents for consular processing?
Green Card Genius guides you through every step of the consular processing path, including which civil documents NVC requires and in what order. See if it fits your situation.
See how it worksContinue reading
- 01Vietnamese Birth Certificate (Giấy Khai Sinh) for U.S. Immigration: How to Get It (2026)
- 02Getting Married in Vietnam: Documents and the Green Card Path (2026)
- 03Ho Chi Minh City Immigrant Visa Interview Trip: U.S. Consulate Logistics & Medical (2026)
- 04How to Prove Your Marriage is Real to USCIS (2026 Evidence Guide)
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