Vietnam's criminal record certificate transferred to the Ministry of Public Security in March 2025 — apply at the provincial police division, not the Justice Department.
Overview
Vietnam's police clearance certificate — the Phiếu Lý Lịch Tư Pháp (Judicial Record Certificate) — is required as part of the work permit application dossier for foreign nationals under Decree 152/2020 as amended. From 1 March 2025, the authority to issue this certificate transferred from the Ministry of Justice (which previously managed the National Centre for Judicial Records) to the Ministry of Public Security. Applications are now lodged at the Division of Records Management and Administrative Records (Phòng Cảnh Sát Quản Lý Hành Chính về Trật Tự Xã Hội, often abbreviated C06) under the relevant provincial or municipal police department. There are two certificate types: Certificate No. 1 (excludes judicially expunged convictions — used for most immigration and employment purposes) and Certificate No. 2 (includes all convictions regardless of expungement — required in specific legal contexts). The fee is VND 200,000 per certificate and the validity period is 6 months from the date of issue. Foreign nationals residing in Vietnam apply in person at the local provincial police; those who need a certificate covering their residence abroad must obtain it from the relevant foreign authority and have it apostilled or legalised. Verified against xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn and official information on the 2025 institutional transfer as of June 2026.
Certificate Types and Uses
| Certificate type | Conviction disclosure | Common use |
|---|---|---|
| No. 1 — Phiếu Lý Lịch Tư Pháp số 1 | Excludes convictions that have been judicially expunged (xóa án tích) | Standard work permit application; TRC; employment vetting |
| No. 2 — Phiếu Lý Lịch Tư Pháp số 2 | Includes ALL convictions regardless of expungement | Specific legal proceedings; some professional licence applications; courts |
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See Paid Plans →Frequently Asked Questions
The Vietnam police clearance certificate used to be issued by the Ministry of Justice — where do I go now?
From 1 March 2025, issuance of the Phiếu Lý Lịch Tư Pháp transferred from the Ministry of Justice (and its National Centre for Judicial Records) to the Ministry of Public Security. Applications are now lodged in person at the C06 division (Division of Records Management and Administrative Records) of the provincial or municipal Police Department where you are registered. Do not present applications to the Justice Department or its provincial offices — they no longer process these requests.
How long is the Vietnamese police clearance certificate valid for a work permit application?
The Phiếu Lý Lịch Tư Pháp is valid for 6 months from the date of issue. Ensure the certificate is within this validity window when the final work permit dossier is submitted to the Provincial People's Committee. If processing delays cause the certificate to expire, a new one must be obtained from the C06 division — at VND 200,000 and 15 working days processing time, factor this into your application timeline.
Which certificate type — No. 1 or No. 2 — does the Vietnam work permit dossier require?
The standard work permit dossier under Decree 152/2020 as amended requires Certificate No. 1 — the version that excludes judicially expunged convictions. Certificate No. 2 (which includes all convictions) is used in court proceedings and specific professional licensing contexts, not standard work permit applications. If in doubt, confirm with the Provincial People's Committee office processing your work permit dossier, as local practice can vary.
I have lived in multiple countries — do I need police clearance certificates from all of them?
Decree 152/2020 (as amended) requires criminal record certificates for any country where the applicant has resided for 6 months or more within the past 3 years, in addition to Vietnam's own Phiếu Lý Lịch Tư Pháp. If you have lived in two countries in that window, you need certificates from both. Each foreign certificate must be apostilled (Hague country) or consular-legalised (non-Hague country) and accompanied by a notarised Vietnamese-language translation. Coordinate timelines carefully — each country's process has different lead times.
Can I apply for the Vietnamese judicial record certificate online?
The Ministry of Public Security has been extending online pre-registration through the National Public Service Portal at dichvucong.gov.vn, but physical in-person collection is still required. Check whether your specific provincial C06 division has enabled online pre-registration — larger cities (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City) are more likely to have this facility. Submit the online form if available to reduce waiting time, but plan to attend in person with your passport and residence documents for biometric verification and certificate collection.
My foreign criminal record certificate is in English — does it need to be translated into Vietnamese?
Yes. All foreign-language documents in the work permit dossier must be accompanied by a Vietnamese-language translation certified by a Vietnamese notary office (Phòng Công Chứng). The authenticated English-language original plus the notarised Vietnamese translation are both submitted together. The translation requirement is separate from the apostille requirement — the apostille certifies the signature on the original document; the notarised translation makes the content accessible to the Provincial People's Committee officers processing the dossier.