The latest amended and supplemented marriage and family law in the US

The latest amended and supplemented marriage and family law in the US Latest Marriage and Family Law in 2025: What’s in Force?

Table of Contents

• What is the Latest Marriage and Family Law as of 2025?

• Guiding Legal Documents for the 2014 Law

• Fundamental Principles of the Marriage and Family Regime

• Legal Conditions for a Lawful Marriage

What is the Latest Marriage and Family Law in 2025?

On June 19, 2014, the National Assembly promulgated the Law on Marriage and Family 2014, which governs the marriage and family regime in Vietnam. It lays out the legal standards for relationships between family members and outlines the responsibilities of individuals, organizations, the State, and society in building and upholding the institution of marriage and family.
The latest amended and supplemented marriage and family law in the US

The Law on Marriage and Family 2014 comprises 133 articles, structured across 9 chapters.

As of 2025, no new law has been enacted to replace the 2014 Law on Marriage and Family, meaning this law remains in effect and is actively applied.

What Legal Documents Guide the 2014 Marriage and Family Law?

As of the current date, the following documents provide legal guidance or are referenced in relation to the 2014 Law:

Repealed Legislation:

• Law on Marriage and Family 2000

Referenced Legislation:

• Law on Adoption 2010

• Civil Code 2005

• Civil Procedure Code 2004

Legal Basis:

• Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam 2013

Guiding Legal Instruments:

• Decree No. 82/2020/ND-CP – On administrative penalties in the fields of judicial assistance, civil status, marriage and family, enforcement of civil judgments, and corporate bankruptcy.

• Decree No. 98/2016/ND-CP, amending Decree No. 10/2015/ND-CP, which regulates in vitro fertilization and surrogacy for humanitarian purposes.

• Joint Circular No. 01/2016/TTLT-TANDTC-VKSNDTC-BTP, guiding implementation of certain provisions of the 2014 Marriage and Family Law, issued by the Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court, the Chief Procurator of the Supreme People’s Procuracy, and the Minister of Justice.

• Decree No. 123/2015/ND-CP, guiding the implementation of the 2014 Law on Civil Status.

• Decree No. 10/2015/ND-CP, regulating in vitro fertilization and surrogacy for humanitarian purposes.

• Decree No. 126/2014/ND-CP, guiding the implementation of the 2014 Marriage and Family Law.

What Are the Fundamental Principles of the Current Marriage and Family Regime?

According to Article 2 of the Law on Marriage and Family 2014, the foundational principles of the marriage and family regime include:

• Voluntary and progressive marriage, monogamy, and equality between husband and wife.

• Respect and legal protection for interethnic and interfaith marriages, as well as marriages between Vietnamese citizens and foreigners.

• Building a prosperous, progressive, and happy family, where members respect, care for, and support one another—without discrimination among children.

• The State, society, and families share the responsibility of protecting and supporting children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities in exercising their rights related to marriage and family, and assisting mothers in fulfilling their maternal roles and family planning obligations.

• Preservation and promotion of the Vietnamese cultural and ethical traditions regarding marriage and family.
  The latest amended and supplemented marriage and family law in the US

What Conditions Must Be Met for a Marriage to Be Considered Legally Valid?

According to Article 8 of the 2014 Law on Marriage and Family, the following conditions must be satisfied for a marriage to be legally recognized:

Marriage Conditions:

1. A man and woman intending to marry must meet the following criteria:

   • The male must be at least 20 years old, and the female must be at least 18 years old.

   • The marriage must be voluntarily agreed upon by both parties.

   • Neither party may be legally incapacitated.

   • The marriage must not fall under any prohibited cases outlined in Clause 2, Article 5 of the law.

2. The State does not recognize marriage between persons of the same sex.

Therefore, to be lawfully recognized as husband and wife, the couple must:

• Meet the minimum age requirement (male ≥ 20, female ≥ 18).

• Enter into the marriage voluntarily.

• Be mentally competent.

• Not fall into any of the following prohibited categories listed in Article 5(2), Points a–d:

Prohibited Cases:

• Fake marriages or fake divorces.

• Underage marriage, forced marriage, fraudulent marriage, or marriage obstruction.

• A person who is already married marrying or cohabiting as husband and wife with another; or an unmarried person marrying or living as husband/wife with someone who is already married.
  The latest amended and supplemented marriage and family law in the US

• Marriage or cohabitation between direct blood relatives, relatives within three generations, adoptive parents and adopted children, or between:

  • Former adoptive parents and adopted children;

  • Father-in-law and daughter-in-law;

  • Mother-in-law and son-in-law;

  • Stepfather and stepdaughter;

  • Stepmother and stepson.