Marriage registration procedures with foreign elements in Vietnam that foreigners should know

Based on the Law on Marriage and Family in 2014 and Decision 2228/QĐ-BTP of the Ministry of Justice on 14/11/2022 prescribing new administrative procedures, sequence, marriage registration procedures with foreign elements include the following steps:

Step 1:

If choosing to submit documents in person:

The person requesting marriage registration submits the marriage registration dossier at the Single Window Department/Administrative Center of the district People's Committee with jurisdiction; pay fees if required to register marriage fees.

If choosing to submit documents online:

The person requesting marriage registration accesses the National Public Service Portal or the provincial Public Service Portal, registers an account (if not already have an account), authenticates users as instructed, logs into the system, identifies the correct district People's Committee with jurisdiction.

The person requesting online marriage registration provides information on the interactive electronic marriage registration form (provided on the Public Service Portal), attaches copies or electronic copies of documents, materials as required;

Pay fees, registration fees through online payment function or other methods as stipulated by law, complete the submission of documents.

Step 2:

- The official receiving the dossier at the Single Window Department is responsible for verifying the accuracy, completeness, consistency, and validity of the dossier.

Case 1: Complete and valid dossier

Accept the dossier, issue an Appointment Voucher, return the results to the person requesting (if the person requesting chooses to submit the dossier in person) or immediately send the Appointment Voucher, return the results via email or send appointment notification via mobile phone to the person requesting (if the person requesting chooses to submit the dossier online), transfer the dossier to the official in charge of marriage registration processing.

- After receiving the dossier in person, the official receiving the dossier at the Single Window Department digitizes (scans, converts to electronic documents on the information system, database) and digitally signs the documents, the dossier for processing administrative procedures has been digitized as prescribed.

Case 2: Incomplete and valid dossier

Notify the person requesting to supplement, complete the dossier, specify the types of documents, contents that need to be supplemented for the person requesting to supplement, complete. After the dossier is supplemented, re-implement step (i);

Case 3: Unable to supplement, complete the dossier

Report to the head of the Single Window Department with a notice of refusal to process the marriage registration request.

Step 3:

-The civil servant in charge of marriage registration examines the dossier (examine the uniformity, validity of information in the dossier, documents, materials submitted, presented, or attached by the person requesting).

+ In case the dossier needs to be supplemented, completed, or does not meet the conditions for handling, must be rejected, send a notification on the status of the dossier to the Single Window Department to notify the person submitting the dossier - re-implement Case 2 or Case 3;

+ In case need to verify, clarify or due to other reasons that cannot return the results on time:

Step 4:

The civil servant in charge of marriage registration prepares an Apology Note and an appointment to return the result, specifying the reason for the delayed return of the result and the scheduled time to return the result, transfer to the Single Window Department to return to the person requesting (if the person requesting chooses to submit the dossier in person), or send the Apology Note and an appointment to return the result via email or send a message via mobile phone to the person requesting (if the person requesting chooses to submit the dossier online).

Notes:

In case of complaints, accusations of marriage without meeting the marriage conditions as stipulated by the Law on Marriage and Family or finding issues that need to be clarified about the identity of the male party, the female party, or documents in the marriage registration dossier, the civil servant in charge of marriage registration reports to the head of the Judicial Department to coordinate with relevant agencies for verification and clarification.

During the verification, clarification of the dossier, if necessary, work directly with the parties to clarify the identity, voluntary marriage, marriage purpose.

- If the dossier is complete, valid, the parties meet the marriage conditions as stipulated by the Law on Marriage and Family, not subject to refusal to register for marriage as stipulated, in the case of receiving marriage registration dossiers in person, then:

+ The civil servant in charge of marriage registration enters the marriage registration book, updates the marriage registration information on the shared electronic household registration software, officially records.

+ In the case of receiving marriage registration dossiers online, the civil servant in charge of marriage registration sends back the electronic Marriage Certificate form with full information to the person requesting via email or device.

+ The person requesting is responsible for verifying the accuracy, completeness of the information on the electronic Marriage Certificate form and confirming (maximum 1 day).

- If the person requesting confirms unified, complete information, or no response after the request period, then:

The civil servant in charge of marriage registration records the content in the marriage registration book, updates the marriage registration information and officially stores it on the shared electronic household registration management software.

Step 5:

The civil servant in charge of marriage registration prints the Marriage Certificate, submits it to the People's Committee of the district for signing, and transfers it to the Single Window Department to return the result to the person requesting.

Step 6:

The person requesting marriage registration (both male and female parties must be present, present personal identification documents for comparison) checks the information on the Marriage Certificate, in the marriage registration book, confirms the voluntary marriage and signs in the marriage registration book, signs on the Marriage Certificate, each male and female party receives 01 original Marriage Certificate.

Notes:

In case one or both male and female parties cannot be present to receive the Marriage Certificate, according to their written request, the civil servant in charge of marriage registration reports to the head of the Judicial Department to extend the time to deliver the Marriage Certificate butnot more than 60 days, from the date the district People's Committee Chair signs the Marriage Certificate.

After 60 days, if both male and female parties do not come to receive the Marriage Certificate, the civil servant in charge of marriage registration reports to the Chair of the district People's Committee tocancel the signed Marriage Certificate.

If later the male and female parties still want to marry each other, they must go through the marriage registration procedure again.

* Competent authority:- The district People's Committee where Vietnamese citizens reside performs marriage registration between Vietnamese citizens and foreigners;

Between Vietnamese citizens residing in the country and Vietnamese citizens residing abroad;

Between Vietnamese citizens residing abroad with each other;

Between Vietnamese citizens with dual nationality and Vietnamese citizens or foreigners.

If a foreigner residing in Vietnam requests marriage registration, the district People's Committee where one of the two parties resides performs marriage registration.

* Administrative procedures authority:

The district Department of Justice receives dossiers and advises the Chair of the district People's Committee for consideration, decision-making.Results of administrative procedures:

Marriage Certificate (02 original copies), each spouse 01 copy.

5. Fees

- Specific fees determined by the Provincial People's Council, Central-affiliated cities.

- Exempt fees for people with merits to the revolution; poor households; disabled people.

Marriage procedures in Vietnam that foreigners should know