Degree Certificate Apostille for Vietnam: What Changed on 11 September 2026
For years an Indian degree for Vietnam took the long road: state or SDM authentication, MEA attestation and then the Vietnam Embassy in New Delhi. On 11 September 2026 that procedure ended for degrees. This post sets the old and new procedures side by side and answers the questions people now ask about degrees caught between the two.
Degrees for Vietnam after the change: quick answer
Degree certificate apostille for Vietnam is the procedure that replaced Vietnam Embassy attestation of Indian degrees. Vietnam deposited its accession to the Apostille Convention on 31 December 2025, and the Convention entered into force for Vietnam on 11 September 2026. The Embassy of Vietnam in New Delhi stopped legalising Indian public documents covered by the Convention from that date.
For a degree this means the MEA apostille is now the last stamp, and the embassy adds nothing. Degrees the embassy legalised before 11 September 2026 stay valid in Vietnam. INFINITYGRO arranges the notary, SDM and MEA apostille in Delhi for Rs 1,000–1,500 per degree, usually in 2–3 working days after the degree reaches us.
The degree procedure before and after 11 September 2026
| Legal basis | Before: consular legalisation, because Vietnam was outside the Apostille Convention. After: the Apostille Convention. |
|---|---|
| Indian stages | Before: notary and state or SDM authentication, then MEA attestation. After: notary and SDM, then MEA apostille. |
| Vietnam Embassy, New Delhi | Before: legalised the degree after the MEA. After: no longer legalises Indian public documents covered by the Convention. |
| Embassy fee | Before: payable on top of the MEA stage. After: none. |
| Final stamp checked in Vietnam | Before: the embassy’s legalisation. After: the MEA apostille. |
| Vietnamese translation | Required for documents not in Vietnamese, notarised or certified under Vietnamese law, according to the embassy’s notice. |
The apostille confirms the signature, the capacity of the person who signed and the seal or stamp on the document. It does not certify what the degree says, as the embassy’s notice points out.
What the change means in four common situations
Already legalised by the embassy
Keep using it. The embassy’s notice says documents legalised through consular channels before 11 September 2026 remain valid in Vietnam.
MEA attestation done, embassy stamp missing
MEA attestation and the apostille are different stamps. Vietnam now expects the apostille. Send us a photo of both sides of the degree and we confirm what is still needed.
Starting from scratch
Notary, SDM and MEA apostille in Delhi, with no embassy stage. Our degree process guide for Vietnam covers each step.
Checklist still says embassy attestation
Many checklists were written before September 2026. Share the embassy’s notice with the employer or university; the apostille is what Vietnam now uses.
Degree certificate apostille for Vietnam in three Delhi stages
- 1NotaryA notary in Delhi attests a true copy of the degree and checks the name against your passport.
- 2SDMThe Sub-Divisional Magistrate authenticates the notary’s seal and signature.
- 3MEA apostilleThe Ministry of External Affairs fixes an apostille with a unique number.
You send the original degree to our New Ashok Nagar office by courier, or hand it in if you are in Delhi; there is no home pickup. It comes back by Blue Dart or another secure courier. INFINITYGRO does not obtain, verify or correct degrees. We start from the degree you hold.
Marksheets, transcripts and other education papers
The change applies to every Indian educational document covered by the Convention, not only the degree. If an employer or university in Vietnam wants marksheets or a transcript as well, each is apostilled on the same route and priced per document.
For a work permit, the degree goes in with an experience letter and a criminal record certificate. Our Vietnam work permit papers guide has the full list.
Translating the degree into Vietnamese
Vietnamese offices work in Vietnamese, and the embassy’s notice asks for a Vietnamese translation, notarised or certified under Vietnamese law, of any document not in Vietnamese. INFINITYGRO translates degrees into Vietnamese after the apostille. Ask your employer or university first whether they want the translation certified in Vietnam.
Degree certificate apostille for Vietnam: fees and time
| MEA apostille, personal or educational document | Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document, all-inclusive: notary, SDM attestation, the Rs 50 MEA fee and our service |
|---|---|
| Usual time | 2–3 working days in Delhi after the document reaches us |
| Courier | Extra, both ways |
| Translation | Quoted by language and page |
The Vietnam Embassy fee that used to be added for degrees no longer applies, because the apostille replaces embassy legalisation.
FAQs: Degree Certificate Apostille for Vietnam: What Changed on 11 September 2026
When did the Vietnam Embassy stop attesting Indian degrees?
From 11 September 2026, the date the Apostille Convention entered into force for Vietnam. The embassy’s notice says it no longer accepts consular legalisation of Indian public documents covered by the Convention. A degree now needs only the MEA apostille.
Is my degree legalised by the embassy in 2025 still valid?
Yes. The notice says documents legalised through consular channels before 11 September 2026 remain valid for use in Vietnam, and there is no need to redo them as apostilles. Keep the legalised original safe and send copies where they are accepted.
My degree has MEA attestation but no embassy stamp. What now?
Vietnam now expects an apostille for Indian public documents. MEA attestation is a different stamp, so in most cases the degree needs the MEA apostille. Send us a photo of both sides and we tell you what is needed before you courier it.
I got an MEA apostille before September 2026 for another country. Will Vietnam accept it?
The embassy’s notice says apostilles issued by foreign competent authorities before 11 September 2026 are also accepted for use in Vietnam. Check that the receiving office is satisfied with the age of the apostilled copy and has its translation.
Does the new procedure involve state HRD verification?
Our route for Vietnam is notary and SDM attestation in Delhi, then the MEA apostille. State HRD verification is not part of it unless an authority specifically asks for it. INFINITYGRO does not carry out state HRD attestation itself.
Is it cheaper now?
Yes, because the embassy fee has gone. The total is Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per degree, covering the notary, the SDM, the Rs 50 MEA fee and our service. Courier and any Vietnamese translation are charged separately.
Is it faster?
There is one stage fewer. The apostille usually takes 2 to 3 working days in Delhi once the degree reaches us. Add courier time from your city and back, and the time your employer needs for translation.
Will Vietnam accept the apostille without question?
Under the Convention Vietnam accepts a valid apostille in place of legalisation for the documents it covers. The office receiving your degree can still set other requirements, such as a certified Vietnamese translation, a transcript or a final rather than provisional degree.
Official sources
Start your degree certificate apostille for Vietnam
WhatsApp a photo of your document and the country it is for. We confirm the route, time and total in writing before you send anything.
Office: C – 5 A/2 New Ashok Nagar, Delhi – 110096 · Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM · office drop-off or courier, no home pickup
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Disclaimer: INFINITYGRO is a private document facilitation service, not a government office or embassy. Apostilles and attestations are issued only by the Ministry of External Affairs and the embassies concerned; we do not issue, correct or verify certificates. Rules and fees can change, so check the requirements of the authority that will receive your document.
Last reviewed: October 2026