Arrested in Vietnam as a Foreigner: What to Do in the First Hours
If you are arrested or held in Vietnam, stay calm, ask for your embassy, a lawyer and an interpreter, and sign nothing you cannot read. What happens next.
Vietnam Justice
Vietnam's legal system explained for foreigners: courts, disputes, lawyers, documents and your rights — in plain English
Vietnam Justice explains how the Vietnamese legal system works for foreigners and foreign companies: how courts are organised after the 2025 reform, suing and being sued, arbitration and mediation, hiring a Vietnamese lawyer, notarisation and legalisation of documents, labour disputes, your rights if fined or detained, enforcing foreign judgments and awards, family and inheritance matters with a foreign element. Plain-English guidance, not legal advice.
Which route for your dispute in Vietnam?
Pick who you are, what the dispute is about and whether your contract has an arbitration clause. The answer appears right below: the route (court, arbitration, mediation or complaint), the steps, papers that need legalisation and translation, and when to bring in a Vietnamese lawyer. Nothing is sent or stored.
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Save it as a route plan
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Used only to print on the heading, on your own device — never sent, never stored.Browse by topic
Common legal and administrative topics
How Vietnam’s Legal System Works
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Courts & Lawsuits
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Arbitration & Mediation
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Lawyers & Legal Help
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Contracts, Debts & Business Disputes
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Documents, Notarisation & Legalisation
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Employment & Labour Disputes
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Your Rights: Fines, Police & Detention
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Family, Marriage & Inheritance
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IP Enforcement & Consumer Complaints
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Latest articles
Guides updated to current Vietnamese law
Your Rights: Fines, Police & Detention
Stopped or Questioned by Police in Vietnam: Your Rights and How to Respond
Most police encounters in Vietnam are routine: a traffic stop, an ID check or an invitation to a station. Here is what you must do, what you may ask and what to
Your Rights: Fines, Police & Detention
Traffic Fines in Vietnam for Foreigners: Stops, Penalties, Licences and Payment
Traffic fines in Vietnam rose sharply in 2025. How stops and camera fines work, why licences and alcohol matter most for foreigners, and how to pay or dispute.
How to Contest an Administrative Fine in Vietnam: Explanations, Complaints, Lawsuits
Disagree with a fine in Vietnam? You can explain before the decision, complain to the official who issued it, or sue in court. How each route works and its limi
Your Right to a Lawyer and an Interpreter in a Vietnamese Criminal Case
A foreigner accused of a crime in Vietnam can have defence counsel from custody onward and must be given an interpreter. How both rights work and where they fal
Custody, Temporary Detention and Bail in Vietnam: How Preventive Measures Work
Vietnam uses custody, temporary detention and alternatives such as guarantees, cash deposits and exit suspension. How each works and what foreigners can ask for
Your Rights: Fines, Police & Detention
Consular Access in Vietnam: What Your Embassy Can and Cannot Do If You Are Detained
If you are detained in Vietnam, your consulate can be told, visit you, contact family and list lawyers. It cannot get you released or pay fines. Here is how it
Exit Bans in Vietnam: Why Foreigners Can Be Stopped From Leaving and How to Lift One
A foreigner can be stopped from leaving Vietnam over a criminal case, a civil dispute, an unpaid judgment, tax arrears or a fine. Why it happens and how to lift
Your Rights: Fines, Police & Detention
Overstaying in Vietnam and Other Residence Violations: Fines, Expulsion, Next Steps
Overstaying, staying at an undeclared address or working without authorisation are administrative violations in Vietnam. What penalties can follow and how to re
Reporting a Crime in Vietnam as a Foreigner: Theft, Assault, Scams and Victim Rights
Victims of theft, assault or fraud in Vietnam can report to the ward or commune police. How to report, what record to ask for, your rights and claiming compensa
Laws, Decrees and Circulars: The Hierarchy of Legal Documents in Vietnam
Vietnamese law comes in layers: Constitution, laws, decrees, circulars and local decisions. Learn which one wins in a conflict and how to read each type.
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