Procedure to change birth certificate in Vietnam | ANT Lawyers

How to Change Name on Birth Certificate in Vietnam?

Changing family name, middle name, first name are considered changing civil status. Due to different reasons that an individual needs to change his/her name or his/her children’s name on the birth certificate. Such changes are civil status changes governed under the Law on Civil status.

However, not every case of civil status change registration is accepted by the competent authority.

Under the provisions Law on Civil status, individual can change of family name, middle name and first name of individuals in birth registration contents when there are grounds as prescribed by the civil law.

The “legitimate reasons” to change the family name is specified in the Civil Code on the right to change name include:

a) Changing the family name of a natural child from biological father’s to biological mother’s or vice versa;

b) Changing the family name of an adopted child from biological father’s or mother’s to adoptive father’s or mother’s at the request of the adoptive parents;

c) If a person ceases to be an adopted child and such person or his/her biological father or mother request to reclaim the family name which is given by the biological father or mother;

d) Changing the family name of a person whose biological parents have been identified upon the request on that father or mother or such person;

e) Changing the family name of a lost person who has discovered the origin of his/her bloodline;

f) Changing the family name of a person to his/her spouse’s in the marriage and family relations involving foreign elements in accordance with law of the country in which the foreign spouse is a citizen or retrieves his/her family name before the change;

g) Changing the family names of children upon the change of family names of their father’s or mother’s;

h) Other cases prescribed in by law on civil status affairs.

An individual has the right to request a competent authority to recognize the change of a given name in any of the following cases:

a) Where it is so requested by the person who has a given name which causes confusion or has an adverse effect on his/her feelings or on his/her honor, legitimate rights and interests;

b) Where the adoptive father or mother of the person wishes to change the given name of their adopted child; of if a person ceases to be an adopted child and such person or his/her biological father or mother request to reclaim the given name which is given by the biological father or mother;

c) Changing the given name of a person whose biological parents have been identified upon the request on that father or mother or such person;

d) Changing the given name of a lost person who has discovered the origin of his/her bloodline;

e) Change the given name of a person to his/her spouse’s in the marriage and family relations involving foreign elements in accordance with law of the country in which the foreign spouse is a citizen retrieves his/her family name before the change;

f) Changing of given name of a person whose gender identity is re-determined or a transgender person;

g) Other cases prescribed in by law on civil status affairs.

The changing of names for the person from nine years old must have the consent of that person. The changing of names of individuals does not affect and terminate the rights and civil obligations established under their old name.

Thus, if the use of one’s first name, last name and middle name cause confusion, affecting the family love, honor, rights and lawful interests, causing difficulties in the transaction, he/she may conduct the name changing.

Procedures to change name will be performed at the District People’s Committee where the person has registered the birth.

Dossier includes:

– Declaration (in the prescribed form);

– Presenting the original birth certificate of the person who need for change names and civil status;

– The relevant documents as a basis for the change or correction of civic status.

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How to Apply Birth Certificate in Vietnam? | ANT Lawyers

For children of foreigner and Vietnamese born in Vietnam, the procedure to apply for birth certificate in Vietnam is carried out at the Vietnam’s provincial Department of Justice.

In today’s globalized world, it has become more common that people from different cultural backgrounds travel, and meet their spouse. Their children were born with happiness however they would face difficulties when applying for birth certificate for the newborn in Vietnam. For the parents, the difficulties of registering birth certificate in Vietnam could range from the choice of name, nationality, or whether or not the child is born out of wedlock.

When a child between a foreigner and a Vietnamese is born in Vietnam, according to the regulation on the registration and management of civil status, the Department of Justice will be the Vietnam government agency issuing the birth certificate.

In cases where parents choose foreign nationality for the child, they must obtain the agreement of the parents about the choice of nationality. The valid agreement of the parents about the choice of nationality shall be certified by the local authority.

After receiving an application dossier for birth certificate for newborn in Vietnam, civil status officials of the Department of Justice records in the birth registration and original birth certificate. The director of the Department of Justice shall sign and issue an original birth certificate for the newborn. Copies of birth certificates are issued at the request of the applicant.

For children born out of wedlock, if the father is not identified, the information about the father in the birth registration book and birth certificate are left blank. When the father officially agrees to recognize father for a child, he has to carry out the procedure at the Vietnam’s provincial Department of Justice. The birth certificate could also be revised to reflect the father’s details into the new birth certificate. This birth certificate will be very important when the father applies foreign citizenship for the child.

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How to Legalize Birth Certificate in Vietnam? | ANT Lawyers

How to Legalize Birth Certificate in Vietnam?

Legalize birth certificate is the authentication of signature and stamp on the birth certificate issued by the foreign country or organization in order for that document to be recognized and used in Vietnam.

In principle, the Vietnam State authorities only accept considering birth certificate that has been legalized, unless the law of Vietnam and international treaties in which Vietnam has signed or participated has other provisions.

In the trend of integration and development, Vietnam has expanded exchanges with all countries in the world. Therefore, the demand for legalize birth certificate is inevitable. ANT Lawyers is honored to provide the service to legalize birth certificate, evaluating the legitimacy of the birth certificate and on behalf of institutions and individuals to perform the procedure at the state agencies with the most reasonable cost.

The process to legalize birth certificate includes:

Step 1: Receipt of birth certificate record from client and conduct the document translation;

Step 2: Get the judicial stamp for the translation of birth certificate

Step 3: Get legalized stamp for the birth certificate

Step 4: Get the stamps of embassies, consulates for birth certificate

Step 5: Return the legalized birth certificate record to customer

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Child Adoption by Foreigners | ANT Lawyers

Presently, there are many foreign people want to adopt a Vietnamese. Besides, the law of Vietnam also has strict regulations for child adoption by foreigners.

First is the adoption of specific child by foreigners. The Adoption Act 2010 defined that the Vietnamese residing abroad and foreigners permanently residing overseas are allowed to adopt specific child in the following cases:

As stepfather or stepmother of the adopted person;

As uncle or aunt of the adopted person;

Has adopted children who are siblings of the children that are adopting;

Adopt children with disabilities, HIV / AIDS or other fatal diseases;

As foreigners who are working and studying in Vietnam for at least 01 years.

In which the 4th case is a special case that are encouraged by the State with simpler procedures than other cases.

The order and procedures for adoption of child will be conducted as follows:

The profile of child adopting people includes:

+ Application for adoption by name;

+ A copy of the passport or replacing document that have the same value;

+ The written permission for child adoption in Vietnam;

+ The psychological and family investigation;

+ Documents certifying health status;

+ Documents certifying income and assets;

+ Judicial record;

+ Documents certifying marital status;

+ Documents evidencing eligible for child adoption by name.

+ In case of specific child adoption for children over 5 years old and two or more siblings, the record must clearly state the psychological preparation plan for children, preparing conditions for children to integrate into the new family, culture and society environments.

The above documents are issued and certified by the competent authority where the child adopting people permanently reside. To be certified by the State of Vietnam, it should be certified through the procedure of consular legalization.

The profile of children to be adopted includes:

+ Birth certificate

+ Certification of health issued by the district or higher health authorities;

+ Two full body and looking straight images, which was taken within 06 months

+ Documents about the noteworthy characteristics, preferences and habits of children.

These papers are issued by nurturing organizations or natural parents / guardians of children.

Profiles of the child adopting person and the child being adopted are submitted directly at the Bureau for adoption. The case that cannot submit the profile directly at the Bureau for adoption, the child adopting person have to authorize by written document their relatives residing in Vietnam to submit the profile at the Bureau for adoption or send the profile through post office in the form of guarantees.

In the procedure of adoption of specific children with disabilities, HIV / AIDS or suffering from serious diseases, Vietnam law allows the free implementation of procedures to find alternative families and introduce children for adoption. The meaning of this is to shorten the procedure, creating condition for these children to be adopted and nurtured in an enabling environment.

After receipt of the application for adoption, Bureau of adoption will check and appraisal the profile to determine that the child adopting people was certified by the competent authorities of the country where he or she resides that he or she satisfy the eligibility for child adoption under the laws of that country and under the laws of Vietnam.

Towards the child to be adopted, after receiving profile from natural parents or guardians of the child, Bureau for adoption has the responsibility to inspect children’s record, conduct consultation with the natural father / mother or the guardians of child about the child adoption for foreigner during 07 working days.

Within 07 working days from the expiration date of changing opinion about the child adoption for foreigner of the natural parents or guardians of children, if children are eligible to be adopted by foreigner, who are entitled to adoption by name, Bureau for adoption will report the Department of Justice, Department of Justice will certify by document that the children eligible for adoption by foreigner. Finally, Department of Justice submits to the Provincial People’s Committee decided to allow the foreigner to adopt the children.

Second is the adoption of child not by name with foreign element. The adoption of child not by name with foreign element is the cases when Vietnamese residing abroad, foreigners reside in the country in which that country is a member of international treaties on child adoption with Vietnam and adopt Vietnamese children; Vietnam citizens residing in Vietnam adopt foreign children; foreigners permanently residing in Vietnam adopt Vietnamese children.

For the adoption case that not by name, the order and procedures will include:

+ The profile of people that want to adopt children should be submitting to the Bureau for adoption through the adoption agencies of that country that are licensed to operate in Vietnam. If that country does not have adoption agencies licensed to operate in Vietnam, the adoption profile should be submitting to the Bureau for adoption through diplomatic representative offices or consular office of that country in Vietnam.

+ The profile of children being adopted will be submitted by natural parents or guardians of the children at the Bureau for adoption.

+ The Bureau for adoption receives, inspect and evaluate profile of the child adopting people and children being adopted.

Compared to the case of adoption by name with children with disabilities, HIV / AIDS or other serious diseases, the case of adoption not by name, the Department of Justice has to implement the procedure to find alternative family and introduce children for adoption. The meaning of these two procedures is to encourage local Vietnamese permanent residing in Vietnam to adopt Vietnamese children, enabling Vietnamese children to live, learn and develop in their own homeland. Only when the above procedure to find alternative family and introduce children for adoption have finished without any local people want to adopt that children, the Department of Justice will consider deciding for the children to be adopted by foreigner.

The notice period to find alternative family is regulated as 60 days, during this period, if any Vietnamese wants to adopt children, they should contact the Commune People’s Committee where children resides to consider and settle the adoption. If time runs out 60 days, the Department of Justice has to prepare a list of children who need to find alternative families and submit to the Ministry of Justice.

On the other hand, within 30 days after receiving profile from foreigner that want to adopt Vietnamese children, the Department of Justice has to review and introduce children to be adopted on the basis of children with no domestic adoption. After introducing children to be adopted, the Department of Justice reported the Provincial People’s Committee for comments.

The case that the Provincial People’s Committee disagrees, they have to send a written document stating the reasons and submit to the Department of Justice. On the other hand, the case that the Provincial People’s Committee agrees, within 07 working days, the Provincial People’s Committee decided for children for abroad adoption.

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