Single paperwork for marriage in VN

Follow this link:  http://vietnamembassy-usa.org/consular/ … gistration

The document you seek is number 2.  Despite what the page says you really don't need to certify all these documents before going to Vietnam but if not you would need to notarize them in the US consulate in HCMC or in the embassy in Hanoi.  As you are going to Da Nang, maybe best to certify in Washington.

The paperwork she is talking about is the "certificate of non-impediment",the VN authorities will want this to prove that you are able to marry. All documents are valid here for 6 months, if you are going to get stuff done there make sure it's very close to when you are leaving, and start the marriage process  as soon as you arrive. All provinces have different rules, I had to do a mental check, which lasted all of 7 minutes and no actual physical test.

I went through this very thing last year. It's easy now that I understand what is actually needed. I'd be happy to advise you of all the steps I had to take.

I was married on 9 August 2015 and due a comedy of errors didn't get the marriage registration untl 1 February 2016.

I can help you get everthing I  order and completed before you leave the States. You didn't say how long you will stay in Vietnam but be prepared to stay at least 22 days.

What are your plans after marriage? Are you staying in Vietnam or do you plan to bring her to the States?

Gary

which docs would I need to get prior to moving over there?  I will do whatever to make this happen
Just don't know which docs to get in the US prior to moving

I plan to teach ESL in Day Nang for at least a year and marry within the year. We don't care whether we live in VN or the states.  Eventually we plan to move to the US together,  when it is right for my new family.  But I do want to experience VN culture for a few years

GaryFunk wrote:

You didn't say how long you will stay in Vietnam but be prepared to stay at least 22 days.

What are your plans after marriage? Are you staying in Vietnam or do you plan to bring her to the States?

Gary

Although the OP has since said that he plans to remain in Vietnam, I need to take issue with the minimum of 22 days.  Remember that after you have managed to get all the paperwork in successfully, the bride and groom must return to the appropriate office after a 30 day period and sign the actual license.  You are not married until you go back the second time, sign and receive the papers.  As such, I would say a minimum 60 days (with a ticket with no penalty for changes) might be more appropriate. 

If the OP does stay for a few years as I did, it makes application for emigration to the US a little easier as the validity of the marriage is less suspect.  The consulate still managed to ask my wife unnecessarily invasive questions at her interview including details about my adult children.  I think the questions were a a bluff.  The interviewer could not have known the answers to the questions as they were not in any of the applications, unless they had done a background check on me.  People on this forum constantly complain about Vietnamese immigration and visa difficulties but they sometimes need to step back and look at it from the other direction.

The new laws that took effect on January 1, 2016 have changed that to within 15 days. 

If you arrive in Vietnam with all the proper papers stamped from the Embassy or Consultant in tbe US,  it can now be done quickly.

Let me state this again.  I just went through a marriage in January and it took less than 15 days.  I know everything was different in the past. Starting this year,  if you have all the proper papers, it is within 15 days.

So what actually do I need to do to accomplish this?  Contact the embassy?

Did you even open my link?

If you plan t get married soon after you arrive, get the documents notarized and certified by the embassy in DC.

If you are going to wait a while, you may be able to get the same certified in Da Nang.  Even if you don't go the embassy route, you at least will know what you need.

As THIGV pointed out, go to this link and read the entire page:

http://vietnamembassy-usa.org/consular/ … gistration

Then download all to documents and complete each document for steps 1 to 7.

If you do this and have the Embassy or Consulate closest to you approve it,  your marriage in Vietnam will go fast and smooth.

Once you get the package returned to you, you are on your way to getting married.

Even though I had completed the Affidavit of Single Status, I was still required to go to the US Consulate in Saigon and get a form from them.

One exception may be #7 the Power of Attorney.  I think this is only for marriage in absentia. For #2, you fill out and notarize the Affidavit of Single Status yourself.  For #3 tell whoever records marriages in Michigan that you need to certify that no marriage records exist.  Perhaps you did not properly explain what you need.  I know that Hawaii provides it at a matter of course. 

Remember that these documents are only good for 6 months from the date you originate them.

As for the Power of Attorney, I did the form just so I would have it.  It doesn't cost any extra to do it. Once in Vietnam, we actually found the form useful.  So you may well complete it.

As for the Affidavit of Single Status, don't call,  go directly to the Clerk Recorders office and ask for it. It's so seldom asked for some won't know what it is.  Have them go back as far as they can or at least to your 18th birthday.

The documents are good for 6 months from the date the Embassy stamps them. They will stamp it the day before it is returned to you.  So if it takes the Embassy there weeks to process the packet you won't lose those three weeks.

On the certificate of registration makes sure you put the actual date you will be married.  That's the date the Embassy will tell the local office to register the marriage certificate.

Is it easier to get married in a 3rd country that does not require all of this paperwork?  What countries marriages are accepted by Vietnam?

I doubt that would  be any easier.

GaryFunk wrote:

I doubt that would  be any easier.

Actually Thailand used to be the place to go and get this done, it took just 4-7 days to complete. The VN government has now informed it's Bangkok embassy not to issue affidavits for its citizens. So that basically clobbered that on the head.

When we did our paperwork, it took nearly four months to complete. The girl at the office(Uy Ban Nhan Dan) had no idea about the procedures and had us running around in circles. Once we got hold of the official who issues the actual certificate, we were able to complete the lengthy task.

We had to deal with a small town office, although very friendly, they aren't too forthcoming with useful information. You get there in the long run, but as with most laws in VN it's up to the official you are dealing with as to how he/she interprets the law. Try and find someone who has actually done the license in Da Nang, it may be a lot more helpful. Good luck.

Most Vietnamese prefer coming to the US and not the other way around, hence the strict regulation. Do you think Bill Clinton would want to settle in Vietnam given a chance? I can tell you that the prime minister would want to retire in the US if he was allowed.