On March 16, 2026, the Minister of Foreign Affairs officially signed and issued Decision No. 629/QD-BNG approving the Project “Decentralization of authority to perform administrative procedures for consular certification and legalization”. This is considered an important step that not only realizes the Government's policy of “local decision – local action – local responsibility” but also represents proactive preparation for Vietnam’s accession to the Apostille Convention in Q3/2026.
Practical Necessity and Reform Pressure
In recent years, consular certification and legalization in Vietnam have been primarily concentrated at two focal points: the Consular Department (Hanoi) and the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Foreign Affairs. With a massive volume estimated at 500,000 to 600,000 files per year, overload at these central agencies has been inevitable.
For citizens and businesses in remote provinces, traveling multiple times to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City to resolve procedures results in a significant waste of time and money. In the context of Vietnam's push for digital transformation, maintaining a centralized authority mechanism is no longer suitable for practical requirements. Specifically, once the Apostille Convention takes effect for Vietnam, local authorities need the power to issue Apostille stamps so that citizens' documents can be used directly in member countries without passing through intermediate stages.
Decentralization Model: Clear Authority and Responsibility
Based on the latest provisions of the Law on Government Organization and the 2025 Law on Local Government Organization, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established a transparent decentralization model. Accordingly, the Minister of Foreign Affairs decentralizes authority to Provincial People's Committees (PPCs); on that basis, the PPCs authorize the Head of the Department of Foreign Affairs to organize implementation.
The Project establishes two specific levels of decentralization to suit the capacity of each locality:
- Type 1 (Receiving Applications and Returning Results): This is a transitional step to replace the previous authorization mechanism. Localities will provide guidance, perform preliminary file inspections, collect fees, and return results to citizens, while the signing and approval stage is still performed by central agencies. Phase 1 (2026–2027) will focus on 09 localities with specialized Departments of Foreign Affairs and high practical demand, such as Ha Tinh, Lao Cai, Quang Ninh, and Dong Nai.
- Type 2 (Full Decentralization of Authority): This is the most complete form of decentralization. PPCs will be granted full authority to appraise the authenticity of seals and signatures and directly sign consular certifications and legalizations locally.
Pilot Program in Three Key Regions: Hai Phong, Da Nang, and Can Tho
The three centrally-governed cities of Hai Phong, Da Nang, and Can Tho were selected for the pilot of full decentralization (Type 2). These locations have a very high demand for processing files, rapid growth rates, and ready infrastructure and technical foundations.
- In Hai Phong: The city is ready in terms of infrastructure and has a team of staff knowledgeable in foreign affairs. However, the biggest challenge currently is human resources, as the Hai Phong Department of Foreign Affairs does not have enough civil servants to meet the staffing quota, nor enough to operate an independent consular process. In the future, the city will supplement resources for the Department of Foreign Affairs to carry out its tasks.
- In Da Nang: With experience operating a modern Public Administration Center, Da Nang is proactive in receiving decentralization. Nevertheless, the locality needs to consolidate its staff because most personnel at the Foreign Service Center are currently public employees, while regulations mandate that signing officers must be civil servants.
- In Can Tho: As the center of the Mekong Delta region, Can Tho has recorded an increased demand for file processing. To support Can Tho in the initial stage, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Foreign Affairs is ready to send staff directly for training and professional support during the first 1–2 months.
Technology and Security: A "Shield" to Prevent Risks
Bringing signing authority to the local level inevitably involves risks regarding the legal validity of documents or technical errors due to a lack of experience compared to central agencies. To control this, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established a synchronized technical "ecosystem":
- Common Professional Software: All decentralized localities will use a shared software system managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, allowing for real-time online monitoring of the entire process from reception to result return.
- QR Code Authentication and Digital Identity: Consular certifications will integrate QR codes, allowing foreign agencies to look up and verify them online. This enhances trust and transparency for Vietnamese documents internationally.
- Centralized Data Management: Data regarding sample seals and signatures of authorized persons will be updated daily to ensure the criteria of “correct, sufficient, clean, live, unified, and shared” across the entire system.
Resources and Implementation Roadmap
To implement the Project, localities with full decentralization will allocate funding for their Departments of Foreign Affairs to invest in specialized stamp printers, high-end scanners, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), and security equipment such as safes and cameras for monitoring stamp embryos.
Regarding personnel, the Project sets very strict standards: 100% of signing officers must be civil servants and must undergo intensive training at the Consular Department. Medium-sized localities need to arrange at least 7 to 8 staff members to independently operate the stages of Reception – Processing – Signing/Approval – Returning Results.
Specific Implementation Roadmap:
- Q2/2026: Complete the transition of the authorization mechanism to Type 1 decentralization and begin the Type 2 pilot in the three designated cities.
- 2026–2027: The Consular Department will provide direct professional guidance to Hai Phong and Da Nang; the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Foreign Affairs will support Can Tho.
- 2028: Summarize, evaluate, and gradually expand the decentralization model to other provinces and cities nationwide.
The decentralization of consular certification and legalization is a substantive reform centered on serving citizens and businesses. Once geographical and procedural "bottlenecks" are removed, the time and cost for processing files are expected to decrease by at least 50%. With careful institutional and technical preparation, Hai Phong and the pilot localities have a great opportunity to enhance their foreign management capacity and affirm Vietnam's prestige in the digital age.