💡 For an Australian visa, your Vietnamese Judicial Record Certificate No. 2 needs a certified English translation - that is the DoHA's core requirement. From 11 September 2026, an apostille from Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also available and adds authentication to the original, but the certified translation is the essential step and cannot be skipped.
- The Department of Home Affairs (DoHA) requires Judicial Record Certificate No. 2 (not No. 1) for Australian visa and PR applications.
- A certified English translation is mandatory: translators in Australia must be NAATI-accredited.
- From 11 September 2026, an apostille from Vietnam's MOFA authenticates the original certificate - recommended but not required by DoHA.
- The apostille does not replace the translation: submit both the Vietnamese original and the English translation together.
- The certificate is valid for 12 months: get it late in your document preparation to avoid expiry before lodgement.
| Apostille | Certified English Translation | |
|---|---|---|
| What it authenticates | The official's signature and seal on the Vietnamese original | The accuracy of the English text against the Vietnamese source |
| Who issues or signs it | Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) or HCMC Department of Foreign Affairs | A NAATI-accredited translator (in Australia) or certified translator (in Vietnam) |
| Required by DoHA? | No - recommended but not mandatory for visa | Yes - mandatory: submit original plus translation |
| Replaces the translation? | No | Not applicable |
| Available for Vietnam? | Yes, from 11 September 2026 | Always |
| Approximate cost | 30,000 VND per copy | Varies by provider |
Which Certificate Is Required: No. 1 or No. 2?
The Department of Home Affairs requires Judicial Record Certificate No. 2 from Vietnamese applicants. Certificate No. 1 covers only unspent (active) convictions, while Certificate No. 2 (in Vietnamese: Phiếu lý lịch tư pháp số 2) shows the complete history, including spent and expunged convictions. Submitting No. 1 leads to delays and a resubmission request. Confirm the exact wording on your specific visa page, but No. 2 is the standard for Australian immigration.
You apply at the provincial or municipal Justice Department where you are registered as a resident. Processing typically takes five to ten business days. Applicants living abroad can apply through a Vietnamese embassy or via an authorised representative in Vietnam. If you have no convictions, both certificates will show no criminal record - but only No. 2 is accepted by DoHA.
What the Australian Visa Requires for Your Vietnamese Criminal Record
Under Australia's Migration Act, every applicant who has lived outside Australia for 12 or more months cumulatively since turning 16 must provide an overseas police clearance certificate. For Vietnam, that document is the Vietnamese criminal record certificate, specifically No. 2.
DoHA's document guidance is clear: if the document is not in English, provide an English translation. Translators in Australia must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI). You submit both the Vietnamese original and the English translation together. The translation alone is not accepted.
If your translation is prepared by a certified translator in Vietnam rather than in Australia, include the translator's full name, their statement of accuracy, and their signature and date. That is the standard for a certified Vietnamese criminal record translation that meets the DoHA requirement. I provide this service: I do not notarize documents and I do not issue certified true copies - those are notarial and government acts - but the signed translation certificate I supply satisfies the DoHA translation standard.
Does Your Vietnamese Criminal Record Need an Apostille?
From 11 September 2026, Vietnam is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. Australia's Department of Home Affairs is also within a member state (Australia joined in 1995). Vietnamese official documents, including the Judicial Record Certificate, can now receive a single apostille stamp from Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and that stamp is recognised in Australia without further consular legalisation steps.
However, DoHA does not specifically require an apostille on overseas police certificates for visa purposes. The core requirement is the certified English translation. Getting an apostille is optional but adds authentication to the original. If your DoHA request or specific visa type mentions legalisation, an apostille now satisfies that requirement for Vietnamese documents. Before 11 September 2026, documents required multi-step consular legalisation instead.
Remember: the apostille authenticates the official's signature and seal on the original Vietnamese certificate. It does not translate anything, and it does not replace the certified translation.
Who Can Translate Your Vietnamese Judicial Record into English?
If the translation is done in Australia, the translator must hold NAATI accreditation in Vietnamese to English. This is specified in DoHA's guidance, not just a preference. If you use a certified translator based in Vietnam, the standard is a full certification statement with the translator's name, qualifications, declaration of accuracy, signature, and date attached to the translation.
The key point: submit both the original Vietnamese document and the English translation. Never submit only the translation without the original. If you need help with this step, see my certified Vietnamese legal document translation page for details on what is included in the certificate of accuracy.
The Right Order: Get the Certificate, Then Apostille, Then Translate
The practical sequence is: (1) apply for and receive Judicial Record Certificate No. 2 from your provincial Justice Department; (2) if you want or need an apostille, take the original to Vietnam's MOFA in Hanoi or the HCMC Department of Foreign Affairs; (3) send the final original to your certified translator for the English translation.
Translate the final version - the apostilled copy, if you got one - so the translator's statement describes exactly what appears on the submitted document. Keep the 12-month validity window in mind: start this process no more than ten months before your expected lodgement date to stay within the validity period.
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FAQ
Does DoHA require an apostille on my Vietnamese criminal record for an Australian visa?
No. DoHA requires a certified English translation, not an apostille. An apostille from Vietnam's MOFA (available from 11 September 2026) authenticates the original document and is recommended, but it is not mandatory for visa purposes.
Can I submit Judicial Record Certificate No. 1 for an Australian visa?
No. DoHA requires Certificate No. 2 for Australian immigration. No. 2 shows the complete criminal history including spent and expunged convictions. No. 1 covers only unspent convictions and is not accepted.
Who can translate my Vietnamese criminal record into English for an Australian visa?
In Australia, the translator must be NAATI-accredited in Vietnamese. If translated in Vietnam, provide a certified translation with the translator's full name, qualifications, statement of accuracy, signature, and date. Submit both the Vietnamese original and the English translation.
How long is a Vietnamese Judicial Record Certificate valid for Australian immigration?
The certificate is valid for 12 months from the date of issue. Time your application so the certificate remains valid through your lodgement date. Getting it too early risks expiry before you submit.
How much does the apostille cost and how long does it take in Vietnam?
An apostille from Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs costs 30,000 VND per copy and takes 1 to 4 business days. Apply at MOFA in Hanoi or the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Foreign Affairs.
Written by Dao Huy (Lucas), Vietnamese translator and localization specialist (English, Chinese and French into Vietnamese). See translation services → · Certified Documents →