Lý Lịch Tư Pháp Số 2 for Australia Visa: How to Get It From Vietnam or Overseas
Most Australian skilled visa checklists just say "police certificate from Vietnam." What they do not explain is that there are two types of Vietnamese police clearance certificates, and only one of them is accepted for a permanent skilled visa. Getting the wrong one — or getting the right one but in the wrong format — can delay your visa by weeks and require you to start the process again.
This guide covers exactly which certificate you need, how to apply for it from inside Vietnam and from overseas, and what happens with third-country clearances if you have lived or worked in Japan or South Korea.
Which Certificate: Number 1 or Number 2?
Vietnam issues two versions of the Lý lịch tư pháp (judicial record/police clearance):
- Số 1 (Number 1): Lists only current, active convictions. Used for domestic purposes — employment, business registration, and most short-stay visas.
- Số 2 (Number 2): Lists all convictions, including those that have been completed, overturned, or officially cleared from the public record. This is the complete criminal history.
For Australian skilled migration (Subclasses 189, 190, and 491), the Department of Home Affairs requires Lý lịch tư pháp số 2. The Number 1 certificate will be rejected. If you have already obtained a Number 1 certificate, you will need to apply again.
The distinction matters because Australian immigration law treats a previously spent conviction differently from a current one for character assessment purposes — but the Department still needs to know the full history exists before making that determination.
Applying from Inside Vietnam
Since December 2025, the Vietnamese government has moved to an exclusively online application system for Lý lịch tư pháp. Applications are submitted through the Cổng Dịch vụ công quốc gia (National Public Service Portal) at dichvucong.gov.vn, using either a VNeID account or a Chip-based CCCD (citizen ID card).
The process:
- Log in to the portal with your VNeID or CCCD credentials
- Select "Cấp Phiếu Lý lịch tư pháp" and choose Số 2
- Submit your application online with a photo of your CCCD and any additional documentation requested
- Pay the nominal government fee (currently free or near-free)
- Collect the certificate in person at the designated government office (or request postal delivery in some provinces)
Processing time: Officially 10 business days. In practice, applicants in HCMC and Hanoi report receiving the certificate within 10–15 days. If you have lived in multiple provinces (ví dụ: born in Quảng Nam, studied in Da Nang, now working in HCMC), the system must cross-check records across jurisdictions, which can extend the process to 15–20 days.
Important note for Australian visa purposes: The certificate must be translated into English by a NAATI-accredited translator (or equivalent certified professional acceptable to the Department of Home Affairs). Do not use an uncertified online translation service — the translation will be rejected.
Applying from Australia or Overseas
If you are already living in Australia (for example, on a Subclass 485 post-study visa or a Subclass 482 employer-sponsored visa) and need to lodge your skilled visa application, obtaining the Lý lịch tư pháp số 2 remotely is more complex.
You have two options:
Option 1: Apply online yourself with a digital signature
If you have a valid Vietnamese digital signature (chữ ký số) that is recognized by the National Public Service Portal, you can submit the online application from overseas and arrange for a trusted person in Vietnam to collect and courier the certificate to you.
The practical barrier here is that most Vietnamese citizens abroad do not maintain an active digital signature that works with the government portal. If yours has lapsed or was never set up, you will need to use Option 2.
Option 2: Authorize a representative in Vietnam
You can grant power of attorney (ủy quyền) to a family member or trusted person in Vietnam to apply on your behalf. The authorization must be:
- Notarized at the Vietnamese Embassy in Canberra or the Consulate in Sydney (for applicants in Australia)
- Or, if you are in Vietnam temporarily, notarized at a local công chứng office before you depart
Once authorized, your representative submits the application at the relevant Department of Justice office (Sở Tư pháp) in the province where you are registered as a permanent resident (hộ khẩu).
Costs for overseas applicants:
- Notarization at the Vietnamese Embassy in Canberra: typically AUD 50–80 per document
- Courier of the completed certificate from Vietnam to Australia: VND 500,000 – 1,500,000 depending on the service
- Certified English translation on receipt: AUD 100–200 depending on the translation provider
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Third-Country Clearances: Japan and South Korea
This is where many Vietnamese applicants are surprised. If you have lived in any country for 12 months or more since turning 16, you must provide a police clearance certificate from that country as well — not just from Vietnam.
Given the large number of Vietnamese professionals who worked in Japan as engineers or worked in South Korea through training programs before returning to Vietnam, these are the two most commonly required third-country clearances.
Japanese Police Certificate
The Japanese police certificate (犯罪経歴証明書) must be obtained through the National Police Agency in Japan. The application requires a personal appearance at the Japanese Embassy in Hanoi or the Japanese Consulate in HCMC to submit fingerprints.
- Processing time: 2–3 months from the date of fingerprint submission
- Fee: No charge for the certificate itself
- Important: The application cannot be submitted by a representative — you must appear in person for fingerprinting
If you are no longer in Vietnam and need to apply from Australia, contact the Japanese Embassy in Canberra for current instructions on the procedure for overseas applicants.
South Korean Criminal Investigation Record Check Certificate (CIRCC)
The Korean certificate is processed through the National Police Agency of Korea. Applications are submitted at the Korean Embassy in Vietnam (Hanoi) or the Korean Consulate (HCMC).
- You must provide your Alien Registration Number (외국인등록번호) from your time in Korea
- Processing time: 2–4 weeks
- Personal appearance required
Note that if you no longer have your Korean ARC card or cannot locate your registration number, the Korean Embassy may require you to provide alternative identifying information from your period of residence. Build additional time into your schedule for this.
What the Department of Home Affairs Does with These Documents
When you upload your character documents through ImmiAccount, the Department assesses each one. A clean Lý lịch tư pháp số 2 — showing no convictions — is processed quickly and does not normally generate follow-up requests.
If the document shows a conviction, regardless of whether it has been cleared under Vietnamese law, the Department will assess it against the Australian "character test" under section 501 of the Migration Act. This does not automatically mean your application is refused, but it will generate a character assessment request and typically add 2–4 months to your processing time.
If a TB scar is found on your chest X-ray during the required medical examination (conducted at IOM centers in Hanoi or HCMC), the Department may request a health undertaking or additional sputum tests — another 3–6 month potential delay that is worth preparing for in advance.
Validity and Timing
The Department of Home Affairs does not publish a strict validity period for police clearances, but the standard expectation is that certificates should be dated within 12 months of lodging your visa application. Given the processing time for overseas applicants in particular, you should begin the Lý lịch tư pháp application no later than 2–3 months before your intended visa lodgement date.
For applicants who need Japanese or Korean clearances, the 2–3 month lead time for Japan specifically means you should start those applications even earlier — ideally 4–5 months before lodgement.
A full pre-lodgement document checklist and timeline planner for the complete Vietnamese to Australian skilled visa application process is included in the Vietnam to Australia Skilled Migration Guide.
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