Can I Legally get Married in Vietnam?
The mountains of paperwork dictate that, unless you or your partner is a Vietnamese national, we would not recommend trying to formally wed in Vietnam. The process is lengthy, tedious and difficult. A better solution would be to formally wed in your home country, and then have a post-marriage wedding celebration in beautiful Vietnam. However, if you are still completely set on the idea of marrying in Vietnam, this is the lengthy list of what you need to do:- Firstly, contact your relevant embassy or consulate in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh for the most recent wedding advice, as well as what documentation will be necessary.
- In order to wed in Vietnam, either you or your partner need to be a resident there and have to have spent at least 21 days in Vietnam prior to your marriage application being sent in.
- An affirmation or affidavit document will be necessary in order to prove that you can your partner can legally wed in Vietnam. This costs £50. You will have to organise and sign these forms at your respective embassy in Hanoi or consulate in Ho Chi Minh.
- This affirmation or affidavit will then have to be translated into Vietnamese and legalised by the local authorities or government.
- After getting your affidavit translated and approved, you will need to take it to Vietnamese local registrar where you plan to wed (with all your other paperwork), who will register the marriage and organise a marriage certificate for you. Be warned! This can be a time-consuming and laborious process.
- The Department of Justice will then sort through all the paperwork and check that it is all correct and in order. You should receive a response from the the department within 25 working days.
- Once you’ve managed to get the marriage certificate signed by the Head of the Provincial People’s Committee, a civil marriage will be possible within 5 working days.
Necessary documents
- Passport
- Birth certificate
- Sworn affidavit stating that you are free to marry (and translated)
- Passports of two witnesses
- Fee (£50)
- Divorce certificate (if necessary from a previous marriage)
- Death certificate (if widowed)
Same-Sex Marriage
Vietnam allows same-sex marriages, however, it will not offer legal recognition or protection to unions between people of the same sex.Sources
- http://www.marryabroad.co.uk/how-to-marry-in-vietnam.shtml
- https://www.gov.uk/marriage-abroad/y/vietnam/uk/partner_british/opposite_sex
- https://www.angloinfo.com/how-to/vietnam/family/marriage-partnerships/marriage-requirements
- http://www.expatwoman.com/vietnam/monthly_vietnam_families_marriage_13005.aspx
This information is appropriate for UK nationals getting married overseas. We always advise that you contact the relevant embassy for information before booking any trips. This information is up to date to the best of our knowledge.