When a foreigner
marrying a Vietnamese, this is cross cultural marriage with challenges and
complexity in relationships which could be legally difficult. The Vietnam laws
on Marriage and Family on marriage and family relations involving foreign
elements provide legal grounds to avoid false marriages to gain citizenship or
conduct human trafficking.
Marriage and
divorce dispute law firm in Vietnam
The following should be
taken into consideration when a foreigner marrying a Vietnamese. However due to
the complexity, it is suggested family lawyers in Vietnam to be consulted to ensure the
correct processes and procedures are carried out in timely manner:
Marriage consultation:
If marriage registration
between a foreigner and a Vietnamese belongs one of the following cases,
Vietnamese citizen must be consulted by the provincial Marriage Consultancy
Center: i) the age gap between two partners is 20 years or more; ii) this is
the third marriage of the foreign partner, or the foreign partner has gone
through a divorce with a Vietnamese citizen; iii) the partners do not
completely understand about the families and backgrounds of each other; about
the languages, traditions, customs, cultures, and laws on marriage and families
of each other’s country.
After being advised on
marriage consultation, Vietnamese citizen will be issued a certificate by
Marriage Consultancy Center (hereafter referred to as Certificate) which is
part of the application dossier.
When the Vietnamese
citizens is fluent in a foreign language or foreigner is fluent in Vietnamese,
and the interviews at the Justice Department show that both sides have an
good understanding of family circumstances, personal situation, and the
understanding of language, customs, traditions, culture, laws on marriage and
family in each country, the Certificate will not be needed.
Submission for marriage
registration
One of two parties would
submit directly to provincial Department of Justice of province where the
Vietnamese citizen applicant resides. A dossier of marriage registration
is prepared including the following papers of each party:
a) The marriage
registration declaration (standard form);
b) The papers of
marriage status of each party:
Vietnamese shall provide
the written certification of marital status issued by the People’s Committee
where he/she resides.
Foreigner shall provide
the documentary evidence on marital status of foreigners issued by a competent
agency of the country of which the applicant is a citizen. In cases where
foreign laws do not prescribe the certification of marriage status, it can be
replaced by the certification of oath taken by the applicant that he or she
concurrently has no wife or husband, in accordance with the laws of those
countries; the written certificate of marriage eligibility issued by a
competent agency of the country of which the applicant is a citizen (unless
laws of this country do not regulate about this document); for foreigners
who have already been divorced with Vietnamese citizens at foreign competent
agencies, they must submit the written confirmation that the divorce which
carried out abroad have been recorded in civil status book as prescribed by law
of Vietnam.
c) The medical
examination from a Vietnamese or foreign competent health organization,
certifying that such person does not suffer from mental diseases or other
diseases which make a person incapable to aware or control his/her acts;
d) Copies of personal
papers, such as identity card or passport, passport or papers of substitute
value such as travel document or residence card;
e) Copies of the
household registration book, the temporary residence book (for Vietnamese
citizens living in the country); permanent residence card, temporary residence
card or temporary residence certificate (for foreigners residing temporarily or
permanently in Vietnam).
f) Certificate of
Marriage Consultancy Center on marriage to a foreigner that Vietnamese citizens
have been given advice for marriage in compulsory cases mentioned above.
All documents provide by
parties have to have valuation within 6 months to the date when the dossier is
received.
Interviews for marriage registration to a foreigner in Vietnam
Within 15 days as from
the date of receiving the complete and valid dossiers as well as fees, the
provincial Department of Justice shall have the responsibilities to implement
the direct interview at head office for both marriage partners in order to
check, clarify personal matter, voluntary marriage and extent of understanding
each other of both marriage partners.
If the interview result
shows that two parties fail to understand status of each other, the provincial
Department of Justice shall make an appointment for re-interview; the next
interview shall be performed 30 days after the preceding interview.
In cases there are
issues which need to be verified, the provincial Department of Justice
dshall carry out necessary procedures to verify.
Certificate of marriage
registration in Vietnam
After interviewing both
marriage partners, studying and verifying the marriage registration dossiers,
opinions of police agencies (if any), the provincial Department of Justice
shall report result and propose settlement of marriage registration to submit
to provincial People’s Committees for decision, enclosed with 01 set of
marriage registration dossier.
Within 05 working days,
after receiving the written submission of the provincial justice department
together with the marriage registration dossier, the chairman of the provincial
People’s Committee shall sign in the certificate of marriage and return dossier
to the provincial Department of Justice for holding the ceremony for marriage
registration.
In case refusal for
marriage registration, provincial People’s Committees shall have a document
clearly stating reasons thereof and send it to the provincial Department of
Justice in order to notify both marriage partners.
Ceremonies for marriage
registration in Vietnam
Within 05 working days,
after the Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee signs the marriage
certificate, the provincial Department of Justice shall hold ceremony for
marriage registration.
The marriage
registration ceremony shall be solemnly organized at the office of the
provincial Department of Justice. When the marriage registration ceremony is
held, both marriage partners must be present. The representative of the
provincial Department of Justice shall preside over the ceremony, requesting
both parties to state their final intention on voluntary marriage. If they
agree to marry each other, the representative of the Department of Justice
shall record the marriage in the marriage registers, requesting each party to
sign on the marriage certificate, the marriage register and hand over the
original marriage certificate to the husbands and wives, each with one
certificate.
The marriage certificate
shall be valid from the date the marriage registration ceremony is organized as
provided. The grant of copies of the marriage certificate from the original
registers shall be implemented by the provincial Department of Justice at the
requests of the wives or husbands.
Lawyers at
ANT Lawyers – Marriage and divorce dispute law firm in
Vietnam have experience with registration of marriage, divorce
procedures or dispute matters of assets, properties in Vietnam. For advice or service request, please
contact us via email ant@antlawyers.vn, or call us +84 24 730 86 529.
Source ANTLawyers: https://antlawyers.vn/library/procedures-of-foreign-related-marriage-registration.html