Vietnamese Embassy
Authentication
UK Documents
Vietnam is not a Hague Convention country, so an FCDO apostille on its own is not enough. Documents need a second authentication stamp from the Vietnamese Embassy in London. We handle both stages, and the certified translation, from our City of London office.
How the process works
The order matters. The embassy will not authenticate a document that has not already been apostilled by the FCDO, so doing these out of sequence means paying twice.
Solicitor certification
Where the document is not issued by a UK public authority, it is certified first so the FCDO will accept it.
FCDO apostille
2–3 working days as standard, or same-day submission from our Guildhall office if you are against a deadline.
Vietnamese Embassy
Authentication at the embassy in London — approximately one week standard, one working day on the express service.
Translation & return
Certified Vietnamese translation arranged in parallel, then tracked return to you or direct to Vietnam.
Pricing
Fixed, all-inclusive quotes. Government and embassy fees are included in the figures below — nothing is added at the end.
Solicitor certification, FCDO apostille (2–3 working days), then Vietnamese Embassy standard authentication (approx. 1 week).
- ✓£95 — solicitor certification + FCDO apostille
- ✓£101 — Vietnamese Embassy authentication
- ✓Personal, education and commercial documents
- ✓End-to-end, one point of contact
Same-day FCDO apostille plus same-day Vietnamese Embassy authentication. Total turnaround approximately 1 week.
- ✓Same-day FCDO submission
- ✓1-working-day embassy turnaround
- ✓For fixed deadlines — weddings, visas, job starts
Full service including a certified Vietnamese translation, arranged in parallel to keep turnaround down.
- ✓Everything in the standard service
- ✓Certified Vietnamese translation
- ✓Run in parallel, not sequentially
- ✓One quote, one contact
Return delivery: DHL International to Vietnam £60, Royal Mail international tracked £20, UK return or collection from our City of London office free of charge.
Frequently asked questions
Why does a UK document need both an apostille and Vietnamese Embassy authentication?
Vietnam has not signed the 1961 Hague Convention, which means the FCDO apostille alone is not sufficient for documents used there. A standard apostille is accepted in over 120 Hague Convention countries — but for Vietnam, an additional authentication stamp from the Vietnamese Embassy in London is required. The correct sequence is: (1) FCDO apostille, then (2) Vietnamese Embassy authentication. We manage both stages end-to-end from our City of London office.
How long does the full apostille and authentication process take for Vietnam?
The standard end-to-end service takes up to 2 weeks: 2–3 working days for the solicitor certification and FCDO apostille, followed by approximately 1 week at the Vietnamese Embassy. An express service is available that can reduce the total to around 1 week, using same-day FCDO submission and a 1-working-day embassy turnaround. Contact us early if you have a fixed deadline such as an upcoming wedding or visa appointment in Vietnam.
How much does the apostille and Vietnamese Embassy authentication service cost?
The standard service starts from £196 per document: £95 for the solicitor certification and FCDO apostille (2–3 working days) and £101 for Vietnamese Embassy standard authentication (1 week). Express and same-day options are available — contact us for pricing. A certified Vietnamese translation can also be arranged alongside the authentication, price on application.
What documents can be apostilled and authenticated for use in Vietnam?
The Vietnamese Embassy in London can authenticate a wide range of UK documents after they have been apostilled by the FCDO. This includes personal documents (birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, decree absolute, police checks, deed polls, passport copies), education documents (degree certificates, QTS, TEFL/TESOL, diplomas), and commercial documents (powers of attorney, Companies House documents, certificate of incorporation, contracts). Contact us with your specific document type to confirm requirements.
Do I need a Vietnamese translation as well as authentication?
In most cases, yes. Vietnamese authorities typically require a certified Vietnamese translation alongside the apostilled and authenticated document. A standard or machine translation is not accepted — it must be certified. We arrange certified Vietnamese translations as part of our combined service, run in parallel with the apostille and authentication to minimise overall turnaround time.
Can you handle the entire process — apostille, embassy authentication, and translation?
Yes. We provide a complete end-to-end service: solicitor certification, FCDO apostille, Vietnamese Embassy authentication, and certified Vietnamese translation — all coordinated from our City of London office with one point of contact throughout. Contact us with your documents and purpose and we will provide a single fixed quote covering everything you need.
How do I send my documents to you for Vietnamese Embassy authentication?
We accept documents by Royal Mail Special Delivery (recommended — fully tracked and insured), by same-day or next-day courier, or in person at our City of London office (Monday to Friday, 09:00–17:00). For same-day FCDO submission, documents must arrive before 10am. In some cases we can work from certified copies — contact us first and we will advise.
Can you return the completed documents to an address in Vietnam?
Yes. We offer international return delivery including DHL International (£60) direct to Vietnam, and Royal Mail international tracked delivery (£20). We can also return documents to your UK address if you prefer to arrange your own onward shipment. Collection from our City of London office is free.
Send us the document, we'll do the rest
Tell us what you have and what it's for in Vietnam. We'll confirm the exact route, a fixed price and a realistic date — before you post anything.
Post to: Blackwell House, Guildhall Yard, London EC2V 5AE