Documents and procedures for applying for free legal aid.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hien from Vinh Loc ward asks: I would like to receive free legal assistance. What documents do I need to prepare and where should I submit them?
Reply:
According to Article 29 of the 2017 Law on Legal Aid, individuals requesting legal aid must prepare a dossier including: an application for legal aid, documents proving eligibility for legal aid, and other documents and materials related to the case requiring assistance.
Applications for legal aid can be submitted in one of three ways. If submitted in person at the office of the legal aid organization, the applicant must submit the application and relevant documents, and present the original or a certified copy of documents proving eligibility for legal aid. If the applicant is unable to write the application themselves, the receiving officer is responsible for recording the content according to the application form, reading it aloud to the applicant or allowing them to read it themselves, and then signing or affixing their fingerprint to the application.
If submitting documents via postal service, the applicant must send the application form, relevant documents, and a certified copy of proof that they are eligible for legal aid.
In cases where documents are submitted via fax or electronically, when meeting with the legal aid provider, the applicant must present the original or submit a certified copy of the documents proving their eligibility for legal aid.
Free legal aid contributes to ensuring human rights and civil rights in accessing justice and equality before the law. Therefore, if you are eligible for legal aid according to regulations, you can certainly prepare the necessary documents and submit them to the legal aid organization to receive support in accordance with the legally prescribed procedures.
