Guide to Consular Legalization Procedures and Fees for India from A to Z

Consular legalization is an important step to have documents legally recognized in India, serving purposes such as studying abroad, employment, immigration, or business.

In the article below, No.1 Translation will provide you with a detailed guide on:

• Consular legalization of Indian documents for use in Vietnam.
• Consular legalization of Vietnamese documents for use in India.

2024 marks the 52nd anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and India (1972–2024). Today, India is not only one of Vietnam’s top eight trading partners but also the largest trade partner in the South Asia region, accounting for nearly 80% of Vietnam’s total exports to this area.

In the context of expanding cooperation, the demand for using legal documents between the two countries is increasingly rising. To meet this requirement, consular legalization has become an essential and crucial step.

What is Indian consular legalization?

India Consular Legalization is the process of authenticating the legal validity of documents between Vietnam and India to ensure that the papers are recognized as valid in both countries. This procedure is carried out by authorized diplomatic authorities, including the Consular Section at the Embassy of India or the competent diplomatic agencies of Vietnam. Specifically:

• Vietnamese Documents for Use in India: Documents issued by competent Vietnamese authorities are first authenticated by the Vietnamese diplomatic agency (verifying seals, signatures, and titles), and then further authenticated by the Indian diplomatic agency in Vietnam.
• Indian Documents for Use in Vietnam: Documents issued by competent Indian authorities are first authenticated by the Indian diplomatic agency (verifying seals, signatures, and titles), and then further authenticated by the Vietnamese diplomatic agency in India.

Documents Commonly Subject to Indian Consular Legalization

Indian consular legalization applies to a variety of documents for purposes such as study, work, business, or personal use. Common documents include:

• Academic documents: Diplomas, transcripts, Yoga certificates.
• Personal documents: Passports, birth certificates, marriage certificates, marital status certificates.
• Administrative documents: Household registration, criminal record certificates.
• Business documents: Employment contracts, appointment decisions, business registration certificates, certificates of origin, quality certificates.
• Financial documents: Tax declarations, tax reports.

Guide to consular legalization of Vietnamese documents for use in India.

Documents to be used in India must first be consularized by the Consular Department (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam) or authorized Departments of Foreign Affairs in the localities. After consularization, the documents must be submitted to the Embassy of India in Hanoi or the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City for consular legalization.

The process of consular legalization of Vietnamese documents for use in India includes 2 main steps:

Step 1: Consular Certification in Vietnam

1. Translation and notarization: If the original documents are not in English, you must translate them into English and have the translation notarized at the Department of Justice.

2. Prepare the dossier, including::

• Consular/legalization application form according to form LS/HPH-2012/TK (download at lanhsuvietnam.gov.vn).
• Original documents and 01 copy of the documents to be consularized.
• Original and 01 copy of the notarized English translation.
• Copy of passport or identification document valid in place of the passport.
• Envelope with a clear return address (if submitting and receiving results by post).

3. Submit the dossier: Depending on the place of issuance of the documents, submit the dossier to:

• Consular Department in Hanoi for the area from Da Nang northwards.
• Ho Chi Minh City Department of Foreign Affairs for the area from Quang Ngai southwards.

Step 2: Consular Legalization at the Embassy/Consulate General of India in Vietnam

After the documents are consularized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, you proceed with consular legalization at the Indian diplomatic mission.

1. Make an appointment: Visit the website to schedule an online appointment.

• Embassy of India in Hanoi
• Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City

2. Prepare the dossier, including::

• Consular legalization application form (download from the Embassy/Consulate General website).
• Original documents and 01 copy of the documents already consularized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam.
• Original and 01 copy of the notarized English translation certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (if required).
• Original and 01 copy of the passport (personal information page and pages with valid visas or residence permits).

3. Submit the dossier according to the appointment at the following addresses::

• Đại sứ quán Ấn Độ tại Hà Nội:
  • Địa chỉ: 58-60 Trần Hưng Đạo, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội
  • Điện thoại: +84-24-38244989/90
• Tổng lãnh sự quán Ấn Độ tại TP.HCM:
  • Địa chỉ: Villa Orchid 14, An Phú Superior Villa Compound, 36 Thảo Điền, Quận 2, TP.HCM
  • Điện thoại: +84-28-37442400

Consular Legalization of Indian Documents for Use in Vietnam

To use Indian documents in Vietnam, you need to go through the consular legalization process, which includes notarization in India and legalization at the Vietnamese diplomatic mission in India.

There are two main methods to carry this out: the traditional method and the E-Sanad method.

I. Traditional Method

Step 1: Notarization in India

Before consular legalization in Vietnam, all documents must be notarized by the competent authorities in India. Depending on the type of document, the notarizing authority may vary:

• Personal documents: Department of Home Affairs or the relevant State/Union Territory administrative authority.
• Educational documents: Department of Education of the relevant State/Union Territory.
• Commercial documents: State Chamber of Commerce.
• Yoga-related documents: Quality Council of India (QCI).

The list of Regional Authentication Centres (RAC) can be found on the website of the Ministry of External Affairs of India.

Step 2: Consular Certification at the Ministry of External Affairs of India

The Ministry of External Affairs of India does not accept applications directly and requires submission through authorized service providers. The dossier to be prepared includes:

• Original notarized documents and 01 copy.
• Original and 01 copy of the passport.
• For commercial documents, an additional company letter is required.

The list of authorized service providers can be found on the website of the Ministry of External Affairs of India.

Step 3: Receive Documents from the Service Provider

After the Ministry of External Affairs of India certifies the documents, the service provider will return the notarized documents to you.

Step 4: Translation and Consular Legalization at the Embassy/Consulate General of Vietnam in India

After receiving the consularly certified documents from the Ministry of External Affairs of India, you need to proceed with the following steps:

1. Translation: Translate the documents into Vietnamese and notarize the translation.
2. Required documents::
   • Consular/legalization application form according to form LS/HPH-2012/TK.
   • Bản gốc và 01 bản sao giấy tờ đã chứng nhận lãnh sự từ Bộ Ngoại giao Ấn Độ.
   • Bản gốc và 01 bản sao bản dịch tiếng Việt đã được công chứng.
   • Bản sao hộ chiếu hoặc giấy tờ tùy thân.
   • Phong bì có địa chỉ và số điện thoại người nhận (nếu gửi qua bưu điện).
3. Submit the dossier: Submit the dossier at the Embassy of Vietnam in New Delhi or the Consulate General of Vietnam in Mumbai.

Contact Information:

• Embassy of Vietnam in New Delhi: 20 Kautilya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi – 110 021 – Tel: (91-11) 2687.9852
• Consulate General of Vietnam in Mumbai: B-306 Oberoi Chamber, New Link Road, Andheri (W), Mumbai 400 053, India – Tel: (91-22) 26736688 | 6732339

II. E-Sanad Method

The E-Sanad method applies to certain types of documents that can be certified through the Indian E-Sanad electronic system.

• Step 1: Online Registration

To use the E-Sanad method, you need to register your consular certification request on the official E-Sanad system website: https://esanad.nic.in/

• Step 2: Automatic consular certification

After registration, the E-Sanad system will automatically process and certify your documents.

• Step 3: Consular Legalization and Translation at the Embassy/Consulate General of Vietnam in India

After the documents are certified through E-Sanad, you still need to perform consular legalization and translation at the Embassy or Consulate General of Vietnam in India, following the same steps as in the traditional method.

Full-package consular legalization services at No.1 Translation

No.1 Translation provides fast and efficient consular legalization services, committed to:

• Procedures and dossiers are approved quickly.
• Short waiting time (Documents can be obtained the same day).
• Maximum cost savings for customers.

The consular legalization process is extremely simple; customers only need to provide::

1. Original documents to be legalized.
2. Notarized translated documents in the required language. (If you have not had the documents translated and notarized, No.1 Translation will perform the notarized translation for you).
3. Original passport of the foreign individual named in the documents (if certification at the Embassy or Consulate is required).

Contact us immediately to consult with our specialists: 024 3 784.2264 – 028 62 60 8686 – 0934.888.768 024 3 784.2264 – 028 62 60 8686- 0934.888.768

Consular Legalization Fees for India

Fee and processing time table for consular legalization of Vietnamese documents for use in India by No.1 Translation:

Fee and Processing Time Table for Consular Legalization of Indian Documents by No.1 Translation:

The process of consular legalization in India can be challenging if you are not familiar with the necessary procedures and requirements. However, with the support of professional consular legalization services at No.1 Translation, you will save time and costs, while ensuring that all steps are carried out correctly and efficiently. Do not hesitate to contact us for attentive consultation and assistance from our team of experts.