Need to prepare documents from ITC First for use in Vietnam? Ginkgo Advisory assists with solicitor certification, UK FCDO apostille and eligible UK FCDO e-Apostille services. The starting point is the complete document and the receiving party\’s written requirements.
Document identity: ITC First awards qualification certificates that may also display a training provider or regulator reference; those names should not be confused with the document’s awarding organisation.
ITC First certificate apostille for Vietnam without embassy legalisation
Since 11 September 2026, the Apostille Convention has applied to Vietnam. The Vietnamese Embassy in London notice confirms that covered UK public documents bearing a valid apostille no longer need its consular legalisation. For those documents, the authentication process ends at the apostille stage.
The document still needs to be the evidence requested. Qualification recognition, professional standing, translation and the recipient\’s document-format requirements remain separate matters.
ITC First: certificates, records and verification
Identify the ITC First certificate issuer
ITC First qualification certificates may include the name or logo of the training provider as well as awarding and regulatory information. Identify ITC First as the issuer where that is what the document states. A regulator’s logo, including legacy Scottish accreditation wording, does not by itself mean that the regulator issued the learner’s qualification.
For an enquiry about use in Vietnam, provide the full qualification title, certificate number and achievement date. An outdoor, first aid or other vocational award should retain its actual description. A course attendance letter or instructor’s report may be useful supporting information, but should remain separately identified.
Replacement copies and certificate checking
ITC First describes replacement certificate requests with paper, electronic or combined delivery options. Explain whether the document was lost, damaged or contains details that need review, and ask which option is available for the particular record. A replacement’s issue date should not be confused with the date the qualification was achieved.
Its online certificate checker applies to references beginning with WB and requires the name details as printed. A certificate outside that numbering scheme should be referred to ITC First for assistance. Failure to find a record through an unsuitable search route should not be treated as a conclusion about the certificate’s authenticity.
Choose the evidence for the Vietnamese recipient
Ask the Vietnamese recipient whether it needs the qualification certificate, a separate results record or information about training content. A request phrased as “degree certificate and transcript” may need to be adapted to the actual vocational award, without describing it as a university qualification.
Ginkgo Advisory can review the proposed certificate for UK apostille preparation for Vietnam enquiries. Electronic verification may help confirm the record, while the recipient’s instructions determine what evidence it expects to receive. If the qualification has a renewal condition or the role requires current competence, clarify that point separately from obtaining and preparing a replacement certificate.
Official ITC First document guidance
- ITC First qualification and replacement certificate information
- ITC First certificate checking service
Our solicitor certification service for ITC First documents
Our solicitor certification service begins with the certificate, supporting records and available verification evidence. We identify the proposed certification statement and any source checks needed. Tell us if the recipient specifies an original, a certified copy, particular wording or a notary.
A true-copy certification and an issuer authenticity check address different questions. An online verification response can support the review, but it should not silently replace a certificate, transcript or current-status letter requested by the recipient. The FCDO apostille authenticates the relevant signature, seal or stamp; it does not establish the qualification\’s academic content or permission to practise a profession.
UK FCDO paper apostille and e-Apostille options
The GOV.UK legalisation guidance distinguishes the paper and electronic services. Eligibility, accepted certification and the required underlying document should be settled before selecting the service.
| Service | Document preparation | Presentation |
|---|---|---|
| Paper FCDO apostille | Suitable paper certification and the FCDO submission agreed for the record. | A physical apostille attached to the prepared document, with delivery arrangements confirmed. |
| UK FCDO e-Apostille | Available for eligible records prepared as a PDF electronically signed by a UK solicitor or notary. | For eligible documents, a digitally signed electronic package retained for digital submission and verification. |
For the electronic route, we review the record and arrange suitable solicitor electronic certification before FCDO submission. A digital certificate issued by the awarding body is a different document from the FCDO e-Apostille.
The UK electronic process uses an Advanced Electronic Signature or Qualified Electronic Signature, as explained in the FCDO electronic legalisation announcement. A scanned handwritten signature is different from that signing process. Preserve the issued file and its attachments when sharing it.
Electronic apostille recognition and the underlying record
The HCCH guidance explains that an e-Apostille has the same status as a paper apostille and cannot be refused solely because it is electronic where the Convention applies. Its e-APP background note separately addresses acceptance of the underlying electronic document. Check how the Vietnamese recipient requires the certificate and any translation to be presented.
Certificate, transcript, results statement or membership evidence
Use the actual document titles published by the issuer. Some bodies provide unit transcripts or statements of results; others provide membership evidence, a certifying statement or an award-confirmation letter. A general request for a transcript does not mean every organisation issues a university-style academic record.
Where regulated status matters, check the exact award and the relevant UK jurisdiction. The official qualification-search guidance provides a starting point. An organisation may offer regulated qualifications alongside other provision. Endorsement, membership, professional registration and a university degree are separate forms of evidence.
Using ITC First records for employment or study in Vietnam
Obtain the employer\’s, institution\’s or local adviser\’s checklist. Identify which record is requested, whether each supporting document needs authentication, and whether separate documents or an appropriately certified set will be accepted. Combining files into one PDF does not itself establish that one apostille covers the whole set.
The Embassy notice calls for a Vietnamese translation of a non-Vietnamese document, notarised or certified under Vietnamese law. Ask the recipient how the certificate, supporting record and apostille should be translated and submitted. A UK brand name or an overseas training centre\’s association with it does not determine the issuing country of every document.
Frequently asked questions
Does my apostilled ITC First document need a Vietnamese Embassy stamp?
No additional embassy legalisation is required for a qualifying UK public document bearing a valid apostille under the Convention.
Does an apostille make this qualification a university degree?
No. Keep the award\’s original title, issuer and status. A later university progression award is a separate qualification and document.
Can I begin the enquiry while I am in Vietnam?
Yes. Send clear copies and any official verification or sharing details. We will confirm the evidence, original-document requirements and delivery arrangements after review.
How much will certification and apostille cost?
Request an itemised quotation for the agreed source checks, solicitor certification, FCDO service and delivery. Include your deadline and any issuer replacement request already in progress.
Arrange ITC First document certification and apostille with Ginkgo Advisory
Our service is overseen by KH Lam, LLB, LLM, a London-based solicitor of England and Wales regulated by the SRA and registered with the FCDO for apostille purposes. Ginkgo Advisory prepares and submits the documents; the FCDO issues the apostille.
Send the complete certificate and requested supporting records, exact qualification or membership title, issue date and reference, training centre where relevant, and the Vietnamese recipient\’s instructions. Explain name differences and any existing certification or apostille. We will assess the actual record and provide a quotation for the appropriate preparation.
UK apostille service · e-Apostille services for eligible documents · Contact Ginkgo Advisory