Vietnamese authorities only accept a Malaysian document when the original has been legalised and it comes with a Vietnamese translation. This guide covers which documents need it, the two ways to get it done, how long it takes and the mistakes that cause rejections.
We provide certified Vietnamese translations that Vietnamese authorities accept. We legalise them through Wisma Putra and the Vietnamese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Send your document on WhatsApp for a quote.
Which Malaysian documents need a Vietnamese translation
Personal documents: birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates, NRICs and passports, driving licences, and academic records such as diplomas, degrees and transcripts. Vietnamese offices need these for marriage registration, residence permits and university admissions.
Business documents: company registration documents, licences, contracts, tax certificates and financial statements, for example when a Malaysian company sets up or trades in Vietnam.
Legal documents: court judgments, affidavits, powers of attorney, police clearance certificates, statutory declarations and wills.
A document already in English, or bilingual Malay and English, still needs a certified Vietnamese version for official submissions in Vietnam.
Two ways to get it done
Translate in Malaysia: a certified translator (for example an MTA member) translates the document into Vietnamese and certifies it. The original and the translation are then legalised together, first at Wisma Putra and then at the Vietnamese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
Translate in Vietnam: the original is legalised in Malaysia first. In Vietnam, a translator registered with a notary office translates it and signs in front of the notary, who seals the translation.
Translating in Malaysia means the whole set arrives in Vietnam ready to use, which is simpler if you are not yet there.
Step by step (translating in Malaysia)
Get the right original. Use the original issued by the authority (for example JPN for civil-status certificates) or a certified true copy. Check what the Vietnamese office receiving it asks for.
Translate and certify. The translator renders everything into Vietnamese, including notes on stamps and seals, and attaches a signed and stamped certification.
Wisma Putra. Submit the original and the translation to the Consular Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Putrajaya, which verifies the signatures and seals and adds its own stamp.
Vietnamese Embassy. Take the stamped set to the Vietnamese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur for consular legalisation, with the application form, a copy of the document and your ID.
Submit in Vietnam. Hand in the legalised original with the legalised translation, including every page and the certification. Vietnamese offices charge their own processing fees.
Why there is no apostille shortcut
An apostille replaces the embassy step only between members of the Hague Apostille Convention. Malaysia and Vietnam are not members, so Malaysian documents for Vietnam go through consular legalisation: Wisma Putra first, then the Vietnamese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Vietnam will not accept a document that is missing either stamp. Our document legalisation guide explains the chain in more detail.
How long it takes
Certified translation of a single-page certificate: one working day, or the same day for urgent orders.
Wisma Putra: usually the same day or the next working day for walk-in submissions.
Vietnamese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur: often 3 to 5 working days.
Translating and notarising in Vietnam instead: 1 to 2 days once the legalised original is there.
Allow at least two weeks from start to finish, more if you send documents by courier or the dates fall near Malaysian or Vietnamese public holidays.
Common problems to avoid
A missing stamp. Getting the Wisma Putra stamp but not the embassy one, or the other way round, means the document will be refused.
Name spellings. Malaysian names with bin or binti, or several parts, must match the passport exactly. Check the draft before it is certified, because fixing an error afterwards means legalising again.
Discrepancies in the original. If your name or details differ between documents, sort it out in Malaysia (for example with a fresh certified copy) before you legalise.
Leaving it late. Several offices are involved; start early and keep copies and receipts of everything you submit.
How we help
MYLegalTrans translators are accredited by the Malaysian Translators Association (MTA) and the Institut Terjemahan & Buku Malaysia (ITBM). We translate Malaysian documents into Vietnamese, then take the set through Wisma Putra and the Vietnamese Embassy for you, and we work with Vietnamese notaries when a translation has to be notarised in Vietnam. Send your document on WhatsApp (+60 17-227 9378) for a quote.
Thông tin bằng tiếng Việt
Giấy tờ Malaysia dùng tại Việt Nam
Chuẩn bị bản gốc hoặc bản trích lục do Cục Đăng ký Quốc gia Malaysia (JPN) cấp.
Dịch sang tiếng Việt và có chứng nhận bản dịch.
Chứng nhận tại Bộ Ngoại giao Malaysia (Wisma Putra).
Hợp pháp hóa lãnh sự tại Đại sứ quán Việt Nam ở Kuala Lumpur.
Giấy tờ Việt Nam dùng tại Malaysia
Giấy khai sinh, giấy chứng nhận kết hôn, bằng cấp và các giấy tờ khác của Việt Nam khi nộp cho Cục Đăng ký Quốc gia (JPN) hoặc Cục Xuất nhập cảnh Malaysia thường cần được Cục Lãnh sự (Bộ Ngoại giao Việt Nam) chứng nhận, sau đó được Đại sứ quán Malaysia tại Việt Nam hợp pháp hóa, kèm bản dịch có chứng nhận sang tiếng Mã Lai hoặc tiếng Anh. Malaysia không tham gia Công ước Apostille.
Yêu cầu có thể khác nhau tùy cơ quan, vui lòng hỏi trước cơ quan tiếp nhận hồ sơ. MYLegalTrans dịch thuật có chứng nhận giữa tiếng Việt, tiếng Anh và tiếng Mã Lai, và hỗ trợ thủ tục hợp pháp hóa. Liên hệ qua WhatsApp (+60 17-227 9378)
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