Documents and how to apply for free legal aid
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hien in Vinh Loc ward asked: If I want free legal aid, what documents do I need to prepare and where do I submit them?
Reply:
According to the provisions of Article 29 of the 2017 Law on Legal Aid, a person requesting legal aid needs to prepare a dossier including: a request for legal aid, documents proving eligibility for legal aid, and papers and documents related to the case requiring assistance.
The application for legal aid can be submitted in one of three ways. In case of submitting directly at the headquarters of the organization providing legal aid, the applicant must submit the application and documents related to the case, and present the original or submit a certified copy of the documents proving that he/she is eligible for legal aid. If the applicant cannot write the application himself/herself, the recipient is responsible for recording the content of the application form, reading it to the applicant or letting them read it themselves, then signing or fingerprinting the application.
In case of sending documents via postal service, the applicant must send a request form, relevant documents and certified copies of documents proving eligibility for legal aid.
In case of sending documents by fax or electronic form, when meeting the legal aid provider, the requester must present the original or submit a certified copy of the document proving his/her eligibility to receive legal aid.
Free legal aid contributes to ensuring human rights and citizens' rights in access to justice and equality before the law. Therefore, if you are eligible for legal aid according to regulations, you can completely prepare a profile and send it to the legal aid organization to receive support in accordance with the prescribed order and procedures.