Baby Born in Da Nang? How to Register the Birth as a Foreign Parent

💡 If your baby was born in Da Nang and at least one parent is a foreign national, go to the ward People's Committee (UBND phường) where you reside within 60 days. Bring the hospital birth certificate, both parents' passports, proof of local residence, and a signed nationality declaration. If you are legally married, the office processes the registration the same day.

Which office handles birth registration in Da Nang?

Since 1 July 2025, Vietnam runs a two-tier local government: provinces and communes, with the district tier abolished. Under Decree 120/2025/NĐ-CP, birth registration involving a foreign element now belongs to the commune-level People's Committee (UBND phường/xã). In Da Nang, that is the ward office covering your residential address.

Every UBND phường in Da Nang has a civil status officer (cán bộ hộ tịch) who handles birth registration. Typical hours are Monday to Friday, 08:00-11:30 and 13:30-17:00, with a Saturday morning session. Call your ward office to confirm before you visit.

The Da Nang Visitor Center at 108 Bach Dang Street, (0236) 3 550 111, can help you identify which ward office covers your address. Confirm the number is current before relying on it.

What documents do you need?

Gather these before going to the ward office. A missing document means a second trip.

• Hospital birth certificate (giấy chứng sinh): issued by the maternity ward, clinic, or midwife at the time of birth. This is the core required document.
• Both parents' passports (or national identity cards). Bring originals and one photocopy each.
• Proof of temporary residence: your TRC (temporary residence card) or the accommodation registration slip from your hotel or landlord.
• Marriage certificate (if applicable). A foreign-issued certificate must carry an apostille (if your country is an Apostille Convention member) or full consular legalization, plus a certified Vietnamese translation notarized by a licensed translator.
• Written nationality declaration: a signed form stating which nationality your child will hold. The ward office provides this form, or you can download it from the Vietnam national public services portal at dichvucong.gov.vn.
• Birth registration form (tờ khai đăng ký khai sinh): available at the ward office or on dichvucong.gov.vn.

Since 11 September 2026, Vietnam is part of the Hague Apostille Convention. A foreign document issued in another member state (such as Australia, the US, France, or South Korea) now takes a single apostille instead of the old consular legalization chain. For countries not yet in the Convention, the older legalization process still applies. Check the current member list at hcch.net (link in Official sources).

How long do you have, and how long does processing take?

You have 60 days from the date of birth. Registering late is still possible, but you must provide a written explanation of the delay. A late registration can also slow down embassy applications for your child's foreign passport, so act as early as you can.

• Married parents, registering birth only: processed the same day you submit a complete dossier. If you arrive after 15:00, the result is ready the next business day.
• Unmarried parents registering birth and paternity simultaneously: 10 working days, which includes a 5-day public notice posted at the ward office.

Processing is generally free for the birth registration itself. There may be a small fee for certified copies of the birth certificate (giấy khai sinh). Confirm the exact amount at your ward office before visiting.

What nationality will my child have?

Vietnam's civil status law requires parents to sign a written nationality declaration at registration. The result depends on each parent's nationality:

• One parent Vietnamese, one parent foreign: both parents agree in writing. If they choose Vietnamese nationality, the child is registered as Vietnamese. If no agreement is reached, Vietnamese nationality applies by default.
• Both parents foreign: the child does not automatically receive Vietnamese nationality. The child's nationality follows the applicable law of the parents' home country or countries. Your embassy will advise on the specific rules for your nationality.

This choice is entered permanently into the civil register. Consult your embassy before signing if you have any doubt about the implications under your home country's law.

After Vietnamese registration: do I also notify my home country's embassy?

Yes. The Vietnamese birth certificate (giấy khai sinh) proves the birth to Vietnamese authorities only. To get your child's foreign passport, citizenship record, or consular birth registration, you need a separate step with your own government.

• US citizens: apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) at the US Embassy in Hanoi or the Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. HCMC covers Da Nang for consular matters.
• UK citizens: UK Overseas Registration is optional and costs £150. Your Vietnamese birth certificate is accepted for a UK child passport application without it.
• Australian citizens: apply for citizenship by descent and a child passport at the Australian Embassy Hanoi or the Consulate General in HCMC.
• Other nationalities: check your embassy's consular services page for a birth registration or citizenship registration service for children born abroad.

If you need a certified Vietnamese translation of the giấy khai sinh for your embassy file, the Da Nang Help documents service can prepare it. For questions about your own immigration status after the birth, see the visa and stay guide or go to the Da Nang Help hub.

FAQ

Can I pre-register the birth online through the Vietnam public services portal?

Vietnam's national public services portal (dichvucong.gov.vn) lists the birth registration procedure, and some ward offices accept an online pre-application to reduce in-person time. You will still need to bring originals to the ward office for final verification. Call your UBND phường before visiting to confirm whether they accept online pre-registration.

What if I am in Da Nang on a tourist visa when the baby is born?

Your visa status does not block birth registration. Bring your e-visa and accommodation registration slip to show your current address. If you need to stay longer for the baby's registration or passport process, contact the Da Nang Immigration Office at 78 Le Loi about extending your stay, or check the visa extension guide for your options.

The baby was born at home with a midwife and there is no hospital birth certificate. What now?

Vietnamese law accepts a substitute for the hospital birth certificate: a written declaration from the attending midwife, or witness testimony if no midwife was present. The civil status officer at your UBND phường will advise on the exact format required for your situation.

What happens if we miss the 60-day window?

You can still register after 60 days, but you must provide a written explanation of the delay. Ward officers handle late registrations routinely, and a birth certificate is never denied. However, a late registration delays embassy document applications, so complete this step as soon as possible.

Official sources

• UK Government, Register a birth abroad: confirms local Vietnamese registration is required first, and that UK overseas registration is optional. Verified October 2026.
• HCCH, Apostille Convention status table: confirms Vietnam's accession effective 11 September 2026. Verified October 2026.
• Vietnam National Public Service Portal (dichvucong.gov.vn): official listing of the birth registration with foreign elements procedure at commune level. Verified October 2026.