A Vietnam police check, officially known as a Criminal Record Certificate or Judicial Record Certificate (Phieu ly lich tu phap), is an official document showing an individual's criminal record status in Vietnam. This article will explain everything you need to know about this type of document.
What is a Vietnam police check?
A Vietnam police check, or Criminal Record Certificate, is an official statement of an individual's criminal-record status issued by a competent Vietnamese authority.
Under Vietnam's Law on Criminal Records, there are two types of Criminal Record Certificates: Form No. 1 and Form No. 2. Both can provide information about an individual's criminal record, but they serve different purposes and contain different levels of detail.
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There are 2 types of police check (Source: collected)
Criminal record Form No. 1
Form No. 1 is generally used for personal and administrative purposes. It records criminal convictions that have not been expunged. Where a conviction has been expunged and the information has been updated, the certificate states that the person has no criminal record.
Form No. 1 is commonly requested as part of a Vietnam work permit application for foreign employees.
Criminal record Form No. 2
Form No. 2 provides more comprehensive information about an individual's criminal record history, including previous convictions where applicable.
It may be requested by judicial authorities or by individuals who need to obtain detailed information about their own judicial record. Unlike Form No. 1, an individual generally needs to make the application for Form No. 2 personally rather than through an authorized person.
The appropriate form depends on the purpose for which the Vietnam police check will be used.
Who can apply for a Vietnam police check?
Foreigners who have lived or are currently living in Vietnam can request a Criminal Record Certificate for themselves. Vietnamese citizens and overseas Vietnamese may also apply for their own criminal record certificates.
For foreigners, the application generally requires identification documents and information proving their residence or previous residence in Vietnam.
If the applicant is unable to submit the application personally, authorization may be possible in certain cases, particularly for Form No. 1.
However, requirements differ depending on the type of certificate and the applicant's circumstances. For Form No. 2, the applicant generally needs to complete the procedure personally.
What documents are required to request a Vietnam police check?
Depending on the application method and individual circumstances, applicants should prepare:
- Passport, including the personal information page
- Copies of Vietnam visa and entry/exit stamps
- Residence permit or other proof of residence in Vietnam, where applicable
- Criminal Record Certificate application form
- Letter of authorization, if an authorized person is permitted to submit the application
- Identification document of the authorized person
For applications submitted remotely, the authorization documents should be prepared according to the requirements of the receiving authority.
How to apply for a Vietnam police check
There are generally two ways to apply for a Vietnam police check: submitting the application directly or completing the initial declaration online.
Method 1: Apply directly
Step 1: Prepare the required documents
Prepare the Criminal Record Certificate application form, passport copies, residence documents where applicable, and authorization documents if someone is submitting the application on the applicant's behalf.
Applicants should check the latest application form and document requirements before submission, as administrative procedures may change.
Step 2: Submit the application and pay the fee
Foreigners currently residing in Vietnam can submit their application to the competent judicial authority in the locality where they reside.
For foreigners who previously lived in Vietnam but are no longer residing there, an authorized person may submit the application to the National Center for Judicial Records, subject to the applicable authorization and submission requirements.
The statutory fee is generally 200,000 VND per applicant per application (~$8) for standard cases.
Step 3: Receive the certificate
After the application is accepted and processed, the Criminal Record Certificate is issued to the applicant or delivered according to the selected method.
The procedure may take longer if the authority needs to verify information from multiple locations or if the application is incomplete.
Method 2: Apply online
Applicants can also begin the procedure through Vietnam's online judicial-record application system.
The general process includes:
Step 1: Access the online Criminal Record application portal.
Step 2: Select the appropriate applicant category, such as a foreigner currently residing in Vietnam or a foreigner who previously resided in Vietnam.
Step 3: Select “Fill the form” (Nhap to khai) and complete the Criminal Record Certificate application form.
Required fields are marked on the online form. Applicants may also need to upload a scanned copy or photograph of their passport.
Step 4: Review the information and print the completed declaration.
Step 5: Sign the printed declaration as required.
Step 6: Confirm the submitted information and save the online registration number.
Step 7: Submit the required documents to the competent authority or arrange postal submission within the applicable timeframe.
Vietnam police cheAck cost & processing time
A Vietnam police check typically takes 10 working days to be issued.
|
Service |
Government fee |
|
Standard application |
200,000 VND ~$8 |
|
Student / eligible priority applicant |
100,000 VND ~$4 |
|
Each certificate from the 3rd onward |
+5,000 VND ~$0.4 |
Standard processing may take several working days, depending on the authority and whether additional record verification is required.
For urgent cases, our Vietnam police check service can help review the documents, coordinate the application, and request expedited processing where available.
|
Processing option |
Estimated processing time |
|
Standard |
Around 10 working days |
|
Express |
Around 2 working days |
To get the exact quote for your case, contact us via: +84.904.879.729
Form no. 1 vs. Form no. 2: Which Vietnam police check do you need?
The main difference is the purpose and level of criminal-record information provided.
|
Criteria |
Form No. 1 |
Form No. 2 |
|
Typical purpose |
Personal and administrative purposes |
Detailed criminal-record information |
|
Who can request it? |
Individuals, organizations and competent authorities in accordance with the law |
Judicial authorities or individuals requesting their own detailed record |
|
Criminal record information |
Shows the applicable current criminal-record status |
Provides more comprehensive information about previous convictions |
|
Common use |
Work permit and other administrative procedures |
Cases requiring detailed judicial-record information |
|
Authorization |
Authorization may be possible in certain circumstances |
Individual generally needs to apply personally |
Form No. 1 records the applicable criminal-record status and information concerning restrictions on holding positions or establishing and managing enterprises or cooperatives where relevant.
Form No. 2 contains more detailed information, including previous convictions, sentencing information, applicable legal provisions, penalties, civil obligations and enforcement status where applicable.
Police check form number 2 features more detailed information (Source: collected)
When do foreigners need a Vietnam police check?
A Vietnam police check may be required in several situations involving foreign nationals who have lived in Vietnam.
- Vietnam work permit: Employers and authorities may require a police check to verify the foreign worker’s criminal record before granting work authorization.
- Marriage registration: Authorities may require a police check to verify the foreign applicant’s criminal record during marriage registration procedures.
- Vietnamese citizenship application: Authorities may require a police check to assess the applicant’s criminal record for citizenship-related procedures.
- Long-term residence: Immigration authorities may require a police check to verify the applicant’s criminal record for permanent or long-term residence applications.
- Other legal procedures: Government authorities or organizations may require a police check to verify criminal-record status for visa, migration, employment, adoption, study, or other legal procedures.
The exact type of certificate and validity period should always be checked with the authority or organization requesting the document.
Many foreigners are going to Vietnam to work (Source: VnEconomy)
Legalization & translation for overseas use
If a Vietnam police check is intended for use outside Vietnam, obtaining the certificate may be only the first step.
The receiving country or organization may require:
-
- Certified translation into the required language
- Authentication or certification
- Further legalization or authentication by the destination country, where applicable
Consular legalization confirms the authenticity of the signature, position and seal appearing on a Vietnamese-issued document for use abroad.
Our team with specialists in Vietnam emergency visa and other documents can help coordinate the process from police check application to translation and legalization, depending on the requirements of the destination country.
Related blog post: Vietnam Visa Types: Tourist, Business, Work, e-Visa & Full List
Why trust UrgentVisaToVietnam for your police check?
Obtaining a Vietnam police check can involve document preparation, different government authorities, residence-history verification, and additional translation or legalization requirements for overseas use.
Working with a professional service can help reduce unnecessary trips and avoid common document errors.
Benefits of using UrgentVisaToVietnam
- Quick processing: We help coordinate urgent police check applications and expedited options where available.
- 24/7 support: Get assistance through our hotline or live chat whenever help is needed.
- Transparent pricing: We explain the required documents, process, and service costs before proceeding.
- Experienced team: With more than 16 years of experience, UrgentVisaToVietnam has handled over 56,000 cases with a reported 99.68% success rate.
- End-to-end support: From document review and application preparation to submission, translation, legalization, and return delivery, we can help coordinate the process.
Get your Vietnam police check without the hassle
Applying for a Vietnam police check does not have to be complicated. Whether the certificate is needed for a work permit, immigration procedure, marriage registration, or use overseas, the key is to prepare the correct documents and choose the appropriate certificate form.
With professional support, applicants can save time on document preparation and avoid unnecessary trips to government offices.
Contact UrgentVisaToVietnam to have your documents reviewed and receive a clear quote for your Vietnam police check service.
Tel: +84.904.879.729
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