Ms. Tran Thi Hong (name of the character changed) was issued a Judicial Record Certificate in electronic form, not issued a paper copy even when receiving it directly.
However, foreign labor export dossiers require a paper criminal record certificate to be legalized at the Consular Department.
Therefore, she requested guidance on procedures for applying for a paper copy or a plan to use an electronic copy for consular legalization.
The Ministry of Public Security has responded at the Electronic Information Portal.
Recently, the Ministry of Public Security's Electronic Information Portal has received many reflections and questions from people about the procedures for applying for paper Criminal Record Certificates according to the provisions of the Law on Criminal Record (amended and supplemented in 2025) effective from July 1, 2026, regarding this issue, the Department of Professional Records of the Ministry of Public Security has issued document No. 1799/V06-P9 dated July 21, 2026 to answer.
Law No. 107/2025/QH15 amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Criminal Record No. 28/2009/QH12 takes effect from July 1, 2026; accordingly, dossiers requesting the issuance of Criminal Record Certificates can be submitted in 3 forms specified in Article 45, including: Online; Direct and Through postal services.
Corresponding to the 3 forms of application submission, there will be 2 forms of Certificate issuance specified in Clause 1, Article 48: (1) Electronic judicial record certificate for online submission; (2) Paper judicial record certificate for direct or postal service submission and these 2 types of judicial record certificates are of equal value (based on Clause 2, Article 41).
Thus, the Consular Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for legalizing consular records of judicial records, including both paper copies issued directly/through postal services or electronic copies issued online.
Citizens who have level 2 identification are not allowed to submit dossiers requesting a Judicial Record Certificate in the form of direct or postal services; these 2 forms are only applied in cases where citizens do not have level 2 identification or authorize others or request their father, mother, wife, husband, children or guardians to carry out procedures requesting a Judicial Record Certificate.
According to the provisions of Article 7, agencies, organizations, and individuals are not allowed to request individuals to provide criminal record information or Criminal Record Certificates, except in cases where laws, resolutions of the National Assembly, ordinances, resolutions of the National Assembly Standing Committee or decrees, resolutions of the Government stipulate that criminal record information is needed to serve the purpose of recruitment, issuance of licenses, practicing certificates for industries and job positions related to national defense, national security, social order and safety, community health, or to protect the interests of the State, the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of individuals when participating in civil and commercial transactions directly related to vulnerable subjects in society.
Thus, for citizens who have level 2 identification, if they need to be issued a paper Criminal Record Certificate, they can authorize others or request their parents, spouses, children or guardians to carry out procedures to request the issuance of a Criminal Record Certificate in the form of direct or through postal services.
