Law on Criminal Records Article 2, Clause 4
The criminal record certificate is required for your work permit application, which in turn is a prerequisite for a corporate Temporary Residence Card.
Unlike Vietnamese citizens, who can use VNeID, foreigners have to apply in person at the Criminal Records Department.1Law on Criminal RecordsArticle 44, Clause 1The Criminal Records Department of the Ministry of Public Security shall issue criminal record certificates in the following cases:a) Vietnamese citizens whose place of permanent residence or temporary residence cannot be determined;b) Foreigners who have resided in Vietnam.
The application form
Download the form and fill it out before you go:
All fields
Respectfully addressed to
Công an Thành phố Hồ Chí MinhMy name is (write in capital letters with full diacritics)
Other names (if any)
Gender
Nam (male) or Nữ (female)Date of birth (day, month, year)
Place of birth (province/centrally-administered city)
Nationality
Đức, Anh, Mỹ, Pháp, ÚcEthnicity
//Permanent place of residence
Temporary place of residence
National ID card / ID card / ID certificate / Passport
Hộ chiếu (Passport) in the blank document type fieldNumber
Issued on day ... month ... year ... at
Father's full name (write in capital letters with full diacritics)
Year of birth
Mother's full name (write in capital letters with full diacritics)
Year of birth
Spouse's full name (write in capital letters with full diacritics)
Year of birth
Phone number / email
Residence history, occupation, and place of work since the age of 14
From month/year to month/year
Permanent/temporary place of residence
Occupation and place of work
Declaration of criminal record and any prohibition from holding positions, establishing or managing enterprises or cooperatives (if applicable)
Request for criminal record certificate
Số 1 — this is the type required for a work permit. Leave Số 2 blank.Request for confirmation of prohibition from holding positions, establishing or managing enterprises or cooperatives under a bankruptcy declaration (only when requesting certificate No. 1)
Không (no)Purpose of requesting the criminal record certificate
Xin cấp giấy phép lao độngMethod and form of receiving the result
Receive the paper certificate in person at the issuing authority's office
Receive the paper certificate by postal service
Delivery address
Number of criminal record certificates requested
1Receive the electronic criminal record certificate online
I hereby declare that the above information is true and take full responsibility for my declaration.
…, day … month … year …
The declarant (Sign and write full name legibly)
Sign the form exactly as your passport signature. The officer will compare them.
What to bring
- Current residence letter (signed and stamped original + one copy)
- Passport (original + copy of the photo page)
- Temporary Residence Card (if you have one, original + copy)
- Completed and signed application form
- 200,000 VND in cash, exact amount
The police department enforces a dress code. Men must wear long trousers, no shorts. Women must wear knee-length skirts or dresses, with midriff and cleavage covered.
Where to go
When to go
| Be there at | ||
|---|---|---|
| Morning | 6:45 | Monday to Saturday |
| Afternoon | 12:45 | Monday to Friday |
Arrive on time. Sessions start promptly and fill up fast.
What to do
Register your application. From the entrance, walk into the courtyard. The registration office is in the building around the corner to your right. Take a seat and wait until an officer calls you. Hand over your documents. Make sure all originals (passport, TRC) are returned to you before you leave.
Pay and collect your receipt. You will be called to pay 200,000 VND in cash. Sign two receipts, matching your passport signature exactly. The officer signs one and returns it to you. Check that it has a red stamp. Keep it safe, you will need it to collect or track your certificate.
Optional: have the certificate delivered to you. You can arrange to have it couriered to your address instead of collecting it in person. Ask the officer when you submit your documents.
Processing time
Five working days in most cases.2Law on Criminal RecordsArticle 48, Clause 2The time limit for issuing a criminal record certificate is 05 working days from the date of receipt of a valid request; where there is conviction information or new criminal conduct requiring verification, the time limit may be extended but shall not exceed 15 days. For foreigners, the local police cross-check with the national criminal records database, which can extend the processing time. Allow up to 15 working days if you have any prior convictions to verify. The police department does not notify you when the certificate is ready, so follow up if you have not heard within four weeks.
The certificate is valid for six months from the date of issue.
Referenced laws
02/VBHN-VPQH · 28/2009/QH12Law on Criminal Records
Questions?
Dominik Mayer
Product & Operations
Dominik has lived in Vietnam since 2018 and works with international companies on product and process management. He holds a law degree but is not a practicing lawyer and does not provide legal advice.
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