How to legalize a Vietnamese police clearance certificate (criminal record certificate) for use abroad, e.g. in Spain?

Compared to other countries where officials scrutinize documents down to the smallest detail, Vietnam's bureaucracy is noticeably more relaxed about formalities — many expats see this as a perk.

Step 1: Get the original certificate (e.g. Form No. 2, criminal record clearance) from Vietnam's Department of Justice (Sở Tư pháp) in the city where you were registered — Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. It's issued in Vietnamese with a blue official stamp.

Step 2: Have the certificate authenticated at Vietnam's Consular Department (Cục Lãnh sự) to confirm the seal is genuine. In Hanoi: 40 Trần Phú, Ba Đình. In Ho Chi Minh City: Sở Ngoại vụ at 184 bis Pasteur, District 1.

Step 3: Get consular legalization at the destination country's embassy in Vietnam — e.g. the Spanish Embassy in Hanoi (4 Lê Hồng Phong, Ba Đình). Book an appointment by email; documents can be submitted in person or by courier, with the consular fee paid via bank transfer.

Step 4: Get a sworn/certified translation of the document into the destination country's language (e.g. Spanish) from an officially registered sworn translator, found via that country's Ministry of Justice registry. This can be done online in advance or after arrival.