The Socialist Republic of Vietnam will officially become a member of the Hague Convention, commonly referred to as the Apostille Convention, on 11 September 2026. Vietnam deposited its instrument of accession to the Apostille Convention on 31 December 2025, and the convention will come into effect on 11 September 2026. Individuals seeking to legalise documents issued in South Africa for use in Vietnam, and vice versa, can now submit apostilled documents in support of immigration applications (e.g. authorisation to work, reside or study)

The Hague Convention, formally known as the ‘Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents’, is an international agreement aimed at simplifying and expediting the process of certifying and legalising cross-border documents. This means that South Africans applying for visas and other international documents in Vietnam will no longer need to undergo the cumbersome document legalisation process. Instead, they only need to obtain Hague Apostille certification. This significant change will save time, effort and resources, making the entire process more efficient.

What is an apostille?

The Apostille Convention is a multilateral treaty that facilitates the international use of public documents. Adopted by the Hague Conference on Private International Law in 1961, it has since been adopted by over 126 countries and territories worldwide. At its core, the Convention centres on the issuance of a standardised certificate, the apostille, by a competent authority in the country where the document originated.

An apostille is an official certificate issued by a designated authority in a country, in accordance with the Apostille Convention, which certifies the authenticity of a signature, the capacity in which the signatory acted, or the identity of a seal or stamp. In South Africa, it takes the form of a certificate attached to the document itself with a pink or green ribbon. An apostille does not confirm the contents of the document, but merely its correct issuance, thereby eliminating the possibility of fraud.

Each country that has signed the Apostille Convention determines which authority is responsible for issuing apostilles. In South Africa, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation and the High Courts issue apostilles in accordance with international guidelines. Once certified by the South African authorities, the documents can be used without further procedures in any other country that is a party to the Apostille Convention, including Vietnam.

Documents covered by the Apostille Convention

Not all types of documents are covered by the Apostille Convention – only public documents, as determined by the laws of South Africa. The Apostille Convention applies to the following public documents:

• Documents of an administrative nature, including birth, marriage, and death certificates;
• Documents emanating from an authority or an official connected with a court, tribunal, or commission;
• Extracts from commercial registers and other registers;
• Patents;
• Notarial acts and notarial attestations (acknowledgments) of signatures; and
• School, university, and other academic diplomas issued by public institutions.

Impact on businesses travel and visa documentation

Vietnam’s accession to the Apostille Convention has a direct impact on a wide range of practical situations, including:

• Visa applications and residence permits in Vietnam based on documents issued in South Africa.
• Citizenship procedures involving Vietnamese civil certificates.
• Study-related procedures, academic recognitions, and degree validations.
• Family reunification processes, marriage registrations, and birth registrations.
• Commercial, corporate, or employment-related operations with an international component.

From 11 September 2026 onward, these procedures may be handled using apostilled documents, eliminating intermediate steps that have historically caused delays and administrative issues.

What will be the impact after the Convention came into force in Vietnam?

A notable impact of Vietnam’s accession is that the need for embassy legalisation of documents destined for Vietnam has been eliminated. Until now, public documents issued in South Africa that were required to take effect in Vietnam — and vice versa — had to undergo a complex legalisation process involving the embassy. This involved multiple authorities, higher costs, and significantly longer processing times. Now, however, apostille recognition will suffice, streamlining the often complex process of document verification.

Official documents that require apostille authentication in South Africa will only undergo a single authentication process, either through DIRCO or the High Courts. These documents can then be presented and used in Vietnam, unlike the traditional embassy legalisation procedure, which required multiple steps: notarisation, authentication by DIRCO, and authentication by the Vietnamese embassy or consulate in South Africa.

This represents a clear improvement in legal certainty and administrative efficiency, as well as a reduction in bureaucratic barriers to cross-border procedures.

Apostille Service by Global Apostille

Global Apostille is a Pretoria-based legalisation agency that assists corporations and individuals  in getting apostilles and embassy legalization services in South Africa for documents to be used abroad. We make the legalization and apostille of South African documents simple for our clients.

Understanding that document authentication can be challenging and time-consuming, our main aim is to ensure our clients feel at ease. Our goal is to lessen this load by offering top-notch apostilling services at reasonable rates, without any hidden charges.

Global Apostille can handle various types of documents on your behalf from Birth Certificate to Power of Attorney. Our service offers a comprehensive solution, ensuring both official translation and legalization processes are straightforward. If you want to know more about our services, feel free to get in touch with us.

Tel: 012 348 3134 | 081 347 6060
Email: info@apostillelegalisation.co.za