Legislators approve revised Law on Vietnamese Nationality
VGP - The National Assembly adopted the Law on amendments and supplements to several articles of the Law on Vietnamese Nationality at its 9th session held in Ha Noi on June 24.
Under the current law, foreign nationals and stateless persons who wish to acquire Vietnamese nationality must meet a number of strict conditions. They must be permanently residing in Viet Nam and possess a permanent residence card, as well as have made exceptional contributions to the country.
Applicants for Vietnamese citizenship who also wish to retain their foreign nationality are required to provide documentation proving the renunciation of their foreign citizenship, which may affect their rights and interests abroad.
The newly passed law aims to facilitate the acquisition of Vietnamese nationality by foreign investors, scientists, and experts through more flexible conditions, with the goal of attracting high-quality human resources.
Under the new law, individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the cause of building and defending the Vietnamese Fatherland, or whose naturalization serves the interests of the State of Viet Nam, will be exempted from the conditions required under the previous law when applying for Vietnamese citizenship.
These individuals may retain their foreign nationality if they meet two conditions, including having close relatives who are Vietnamese citizens and being granted permission by the President of Viet Nam. If residing abroad, they may submit their application at a Vietnamese diplomatic mission overseas.
The amended law also removes many of the conditions previously imposed on individuals who have lost Vietnamese nationality and wish to regain it.
Under the current regulations, those seeking to restore their Vietnamese nationality must fall into one of six specific categories: returning to reside in Viet Nam; having a spouse, parent, or child who is a Vietnamese citizen; having made exceptional contributions to the cause of building and defending the Fatherland; serving the interests of the State; investing in Viet Nam; or having renounced Vietnamese nationality but not acquired foreign nationality.
However, the newly amended law abolishes all of these conditions. This means that in the future, any individual who has lost Vietnamese nationality may be considered and approved by the competent authorities for reacquisition simply by submitting a request.
The law is set to take effect from July 1, 2025./.
