1. What is a Marriage Status Certificate for foreigners?
Pursuant to Article 30 of Decree 123/2015/ND-CP, a Marriage Status Certificate for foreigners (commonly referred to as a “Single Status Certificate” or “Certificate of No Impediment”) is a formal document issued by the competent authority of the foreigner’s country of citizenship. Its primary purpose is to certify that the individual is currently not in a marriage relationship with anyone.
When a foreign national registers a marriage with a Vietnamese citizen at a competent authority in Vietnam, submitting a Marriage Status Certificate for foreigners is mandatory. This document certifies that the individual is eligible to marry under the laws of their home country and does not violate any prohibitive provisions of the Law on Marriage and Family of Vietnam.
2. Conditions for a Marriage Status Certificate for foreigners
To be recognized and utilized in Vietnam, a Marriage Status Certificate for foreigners must satisfy the conditions prescribed in Article 10 of the Law on Marriage and Family 2014 and relevant guiding documents:
- Validity Period: The document must remain valid. Typically, this certificate is valid for no more than 06 months from the date of issuance to the date of dossier submission.
- Content of Certification: It must explicitly state that the foreign national is currently single (never married, divorced, or widowed).
- Consular Legalization: Unless exempted under a Judicial Assistance Agreement, the document must undergo consular legalization to hold legal validity in Vietnam.
- Age Requirement: The foreigner must meet the legal marriage age (at least 20 years for males and 18 years for females) according to Vietnamese law or comply with their home country’s laws, provided they do not conflict with the fundamental principles of Vietnamese law.
3. Procedure for obtaining a Marriage Status Certificate for foreigners at DHH Law Firm
Our process for supporting clients in obtaining a Marriage Status Certificate for foreigners is optimized through the following steps:
- Step 1: Obtaining certification from the home country’s authorities The foreigner must contact the civil registry office or the diplomatic mission of their country to request a single status certificate. DHH Law Firm provides detailed guidance on the specific required documents for each respective country.
- Step 2: Consular Legalization and Notarized Translation Pursuant to Decree 111/2011/ND-CP (or Decree 196/2025/ND-CP for updated digital processes), we execute:
- Consular certification at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing country or their diplomatic mission.
- Consular legalization at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam.
- Translation into Vietnamese and judicial notarization.
- Step 3: Finalizing the Marriage Registration Dossier Once a valid Marriage Status Certificate for foreigners is obtained, our attorneys will assist clients in submitting the marriage registration dossier to the District-level People’s Committee where the Vietnamese citizen resides, in accordance with Article 37 of the Law on Civil Status 2014.
CONTACT DHH LAW FIRM
🏢 Head Office: 2nd Floor, No. 829 Huynh Tan Phat Street, Phu Thuan Ward, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
📞 Hotline:
+84 89 9352 777 (VN)
+84 89 9351 777 (EN)
🌐 Website: www.dhhlawfirm.vn
📧 Email: contact@dhhlawfirm.vn
