British residents in Vietnam should check updated rules for passport-transfer documents

Ask which passport evidence the immigration office needs

British residents transferring a Vietnamese visa to a new UK passport should check the document route before paying for an embassy stamp. The UK country guide says Immigration may request passport-detail confirmation, which British missions cannot issue because HM Passport Office issues passports.

The guide offers two alternatives: certified passport copies, listed at GBP25 each, or confirmation requested from HM Passport Office. However, its September 2025 wording says the latter letter needs both UK legalisation and Vietnamese embassy legalisation. That instruction predates Vietnam's September 2026 apostille change. Ask the receiving immigration office which evidence it needs for the transfer, then use the current authentication rules for that particular document.

Use the newer Vietnamese notice for covered UK public documents

Vietnam's embassy in London says that, from 11 September 2026, it stopped accepting consular legalisation applications for UK public documents covered by the Apostille Convention. Those documents need a valid UK apostille instead of another embassy certification. The notice specifically identifies the FCDO Legalisation Office as the UK authority.

The embassy also says a document not written in Vietnamese needs a Vietnamese translation notarised or certified according to Vietnamese law. An apostille authenticates the signature, official capacity and seal, rather than certifying the document's contents. Previously consular-legalised documents remain valid and need not be processed again merely to obtain an apostille. Documents outside the Convention's scope still follow the applicable consular route. This is why the document's type matters: the new notice should not be interpreted as abolishing all certification or translation requirements.

Distinguish a certified copy from legalisation

The UK's general documents-abroad guidance explains that a certified copy is signed and dated to confirm it matches the original. In a non-Commonwealth country, a British mission can certify an original UK passport only where a local notary cannot do so or the requesting authority insists on embassy certification. Use the linked service information to check that condition before arranging an appointment.

If a certified copy is needed specifically for UK legalisation, the same guidance directs applicants to a UK-based notary. That is a different route from obtaining a consular certified copy for another purpose. British embassies and consulates cannot themselves legalise documents. Ask Immigration whether it wants a certified copy alone or an authenticated document, rather than assuming those descriptions mean the same service.

Request passport-office information through the named service

The Living in Vietnam guide directs passport-number confirmation requests to HM Passport Office's data subject rights form. The separate HMPO publication provides the current downloadable form and completion guidance; it says there is no fee to request those data rights. This is not the application to renew a passport or apply for a Vietnamese visa.

Identify the passport details needed for the transfer when preparing the request and follow the form's instructions. The publication does not promise a visa-transfer letter by a particular date. Confirm what the receiving office will accept before depending on this route for imminent travel.

Check the apostille format and the separate costs

The UK Legalisation Office checks whether official signatures, stamps or seals match its records. Its guide covers documents signed by government officials and certain certified copies, but applicants must check whether an original or certified copy and a particular signatory are required. A document's suitability should be resolved before payment, because an unsuccessful legalisation is not refunded.

The published standard paper apostille fee is GBP45 per document, plus return delivery; an e-Apostille is GBP35. Electronic availability does not establish that Vietnam's receiving office accepts the electronic format for this transfer. Ask which format and translation it requires. These UK document charges do not establish Vietnam's separate visa-transfer fee, which was not confirmed in the sources examined.

Submit the legalisation request and preserve the receiving-office instructions

The official UK application page requires the documents and a payment card. A posted paper request also needs a return address and access to a printer. After applying, follow the service's submission instructions; paper documents return by post or courier, while completed electronic apostilles can be downloaded and shared digitally. The page links an official verification service for the recipient to check authenticity. Keep these authentication steps separate from the final Vietnamese immigration application and confirm its deadline before planning travel.