US licensed notary in Saigon

I know its a long shot but is anyone at all aware of a US registered notary living in Saigon. Im selling my home in the US. I know the US embassy is an option but I have closing documents that require a wet seal and notarization from both myself and my wife and from my understanding they will not allow both of us in at the same time so it requires 2 entirely separate appointments which are a week apart and closing is this week. - @jrharvey

I'd like to be encouraging, because I seem to recall (after visiting the embassy in Hanoi In September, 2022, to notarize our marriage certificate from Quảng Ngãi) that I could have had my wife accompany me, IF I had listed her on the online appointment request before going to the embassy.

That's just a fuzzy memory, not a statement of fact.

But I think that's moot, because the US State Department recently put out a new directive stopping embassies around the world from notarizing documents from the United States.

They're still allowed to provide notary services, but only for documents originating from within the host nation.

The only other alternative is to submit US generated documents directly to the US State Department.

So if you have a document that originates in Vietnam that needs to be used in the United States, the embassy or consulate will notarize that.

But it appears that they will not notarize something from the United States to be used in the United States.

Apologies for being the bearer of bad news...

https://vn.usembassy.gov/changes-to-notarial-services/

@OceanBeach92107

I appreciate the news good or bad. Thank you.

I know its a long shot but is anyone at all aware of a US registered notary living in Saigon. Im selling my home in the US. I know the US embassy is an option but I have closing documents that require a wet seal and notarization from both myself and my wife and from my understanding they will not allow both of us in at the same time so it requires 2 entirely separate appointments which are a week apart and closing is this week. - @jrharvey

I think the embassy is in Hanoi. The consulate is in HCMC.

And they won't let you in *together* to notarize a document? This has not been my experience, but my experience is about 10 years old. Are you and your wife both American citizens? If so, I have only one word:

Wow!

Hello, I know the appointments are requested individually, but the same website says you can list your withness and partners once the appointment is submitted and confirmed. You have also the alternative to check their calendar and request the appointments to the same day. Anyway I'm surprised you mention that your wife is scheduled 1 week after you. 

As @Lennerd commented, we cannot asume your wife is also United Statian or Vietnamese or your property is attached to your marital partnership or your documents to stamp are originated In VN that you need to translate and legalize prior to put them in front your Consul (that could take at least 8 days easily).

So, I'm ignoring the nature and source of your papers,  but just in case how about to make a Power of Attorney to someone you trust in USA to get all your papers and do the paperwork in your behalf? That could be faster and cheaper.

Sorry if I'm asking for your personal business , I'm also fascinated about what everyone else can collaborate with their experiences and make this post as a reference for future similar situations

Good luck

Hi all, so just an update here for anyone in the future. A couple of important things.

1. The consulate did allow my wife to come in. They finally emailed me back really last minute and said she was ok to come in since she was required on the documents. From my understanding you need written approval to have more than one person at the same time so for anyone in the future allow yourself several days to email a request for your spouse and give them time to respond.
2. The cost is 50 USD per signature. Anyone that has sold a home knows there is a pack of about 50 pages that need signing. I trimmed the package down to the 10 pages that required a notary but it still cost $500 USD. They wanted to charge $1000 because it was 2 people but after talking back and forth a while they settled on the $500.

@Lennerd

Yes consulate, not embassy. Sorry.

@ajairon

There were no appointments left for same day. The next available was a week later. I was able to get my wife in though after emailing the consulate and requesting her to be allowed in. My wife is a US citizen but born in Vietnam and a VN citizen as well.

No translation required. These are US documents in english for a home being sold in the US that I needed to mail back to the US. The consulate just notarizes, they dont read the document.

Hope that helps.