VIETNAM POLICE CHECK FOR FOREIGNER LIVING IN VIETNAM

Thursday, 29/02/24

The Vietnam police check or criminal record certificates (also called “Phieu Ly Lich Tu Phap”, “judicial record cards”, “police clearance certificates” or “police check”) means that the certificates issued by an agency managing the judicial record database and valid to prove whether or not an individual has a previous criminal conviction, is banned from holding certain posts, establishing or managing enterprises or cooperatives in case enterprises or cooperatives have been declared bankrupt by court. Vietnam police check/ criminal record is valid for 6 months the date is was issued and it takes from 15 to 20 days to get the certificate. In the new regulation, foreigner who lives in Vietnam less than 06 months could apply for criminal record in Vietnam, the competent authority that grants the criminal record for a foreigner is the Department of Justice of the province or city where foreigner is residing or the National Center for Vietnam Criminal Records.

OVERVIEW OF VIETNAMESE POLICE CHECK CERTIFICATE

Criminal record for foreigners is aimed at legalization, document supplement to apply for Work Permit, and the procedures of marriage registration, adoption or other matters must be done at the demand of relevant agencies. Conditions to apply for Vietnamese criminal record for foreigners are that they must stay in Vietnam for more than 1 month and obtain a passport and temporary residence book/orders at the locality, certificated by public security of the commune where they are residing.

Criminal record is issued by the agency of database management of criminal record worthing to prove that the individuals have or have not criminal record, ban or not banned from holding position, establishment, business management, cooperation in case of the businesses, cooperatives were declared bankrupt by Court.

In the new regulation, foreigner who lives in Vietnam less than 06 months could apply for criminal record in Vietnam, the competent authority that granting the criminal record for foreigner is the Department of Justice of the province or city where foreigner is residing. Also please note that the criminal record which is issued by another country, when using in Vietnam to apply for work permit, it must be translated, legalized and notarized in accordance with the law of Vietnam.

TWO MAIN TYPES OF VIETNAMESE CRIMINAL RECORD/ POLICE CHECK CERTIFICATE

Criminal record card No. 1, which shall be issued to Vietnamese citizens and foreigners who resided or are currently Criminal record card No. 1,residing in Vietnam, state agencies, political organizations and socio-political organizations may request the issuance of judicial record cards to serve the personnel management, business registration, establishment and management of enterprises or cooperatives;
Criminal record card No. 2, which shall be issued to Procedure-conducting agencies may request the issuance of judicial record cards to serve the investigation, prosecution and adjudication work and at the request of individuals who want to know their judicial records.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR VIETNAMESE CRIMINAL RECORD/ POLICE CHECK CERTIFICATE

	FOREIGNERS CURRENTLY STAYING IN VIETNAM	FOREIGNERS USED TO BE IN VIETNAM & NOW BE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES
LIST OF REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR VIETNAM CRIMINAL RECORD	A Vietnamese criminal record application form; Original passport of the person requested to be issued a Vietnamese criminal record; Copy of a valid Vietnam visa or Temporary Residence Card; An original copy of a residential registration certificate certified by a local police where the foreigner is staying in Vietnam, or a copy of the household registration book or certificate of permanent or temporary residence of the person requested to be issued a criminal record card.	A Vietnamese criminal record application form; Certified copy/authentication of a foreigner's valid passport Legalization of notarized true copy of Vietnam Visa/ TRC (If it is still valid); Power of Attorney or Authorization Letter are notarized or authenticated in accordance with the law A notarized copy of the ID card/Passport of the authorized person.
PLACE OF SUBMISSION FOR VIETNAM CRIMINAL RECORD	Justice Department where the foreigners are living. Ho Chi Minh City Department of Justice at 143 Pasteur, Ward 6, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City Hanoi Department of Justice at 1B Tran Phu, Mo Lao Ward, Ha Dong, Hanoi Da Nang City Department of Justice at 16 Bach Dang, Thach Thang, Hai Chau, Da Nang	National Center for Vietnam Criminal Records Address: 6th Floor, Administration - Library Building, No. 09 Tran Vi Street, Mai Dich Ward, Cau Giay District, Hanoi City Phone number: (024)3203.1313
PROCESSING TIME	The processing time for issuance of a Vietnamese criminal record card is 15-20 days after the date of document submission.
VALIDITY OF A VIETNAM CRIMINAL RECORD	Currently, regulation on Vietnam Criminal record does not specifically stipulate how long a judicial record is valid. But it will depend on the requirement of the relevant authority which you use Vietnam Criminal record for. For example: For Work permit application, Vietnam criminal record card/ Police Check Certificate is valid for 6 months from the date it was issued.

The detailed steps to obtain a Vietnamese Police Check Certificate/ Criminal Record Card by presenting at the place of submission and by sending the application via postal service, you can, you can FIND HERE.

HOW TO USE A VIETNAMESE POLICE CHECK CERTIFICATE IN FOREIGN COUNTRY?

The Vietnamese Police Check Certificate is issued by Vietnam government, when being used in foreign country to apply for work permit or other purposes, it must be translated, notarized and legalized by competent authorities of the country where the documents were issued in accordance with the law of Vietnam and foreign laws. The Vietnamese Police Check Certificate/ Vietnamese criminal record can be completed through 3 steps in Vietnam to use legally in overseas.

Step 1: The Vietnamese Police Check Certificate must be translated into English or another language by competent translation offices to meet the purpose of use
Step 2: The Vietnamese Police Check Certificate must be authenticated at a competent notary of the country where the documents were issued.
Step 3: The translated and notarized documents must be certified by Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs where the documents were issued.

RELATED ARTICLES TO VIETNAM'S WORK PERMIT, VISAS AND TEMPORARY RESIDENCE CARD

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VIETNAM POLICE CHECK FOR FOREIGNER LIVING IN VIETNAM

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