Vietnam may soon allow dual citizenship and ease citizenship rules for foreigners under proposed changes to its nationality law, according to a new draft by the Ministry of Justice.
The proposed amendment to the Law on Vietnamese Nationality introduces special circumstances where individuals could hold Vietnamese citizenship along with another nationality.
Such exceptions would be determined by the Vietnamese government. Currently, Vietnam allows only single nationality, mandating citizens to relinquish foreign citizenship upon obtaining Vietnamese nationality, except in certain cases.
Additionally, certain groups could bypass existing requirements such as language proficiency, minimum residency duration and financial independence to acquire Vietnamese citizenship.
Qualifying categories encompass people with Vietnamese citizen parents or grandparents, as well as those foreign nationals who have significantly aided Vietnam’s progress and safety.
Minors who have at least one Vietnamese parent would no longer require "full legal capacity" to be eligible for citizenship.
This amendment aims to streamline the procedure for previous Vietnamese nationals looking to regain their citizenship. It eliminates present limitations that mainly restrict nationality reinstatement to people with family connections in Vietnam, as well as investors or those who have notably advanced the nation’s development or safety. Additionally, it covers individuals who formerly gave up their Vietnamese nationality without successfully acquiring another citizenship.
The Ministry of Justice stated that this step is aligned with global practices, as numerous nations currently permit multiple citizenships, which could encourage previous citizens to reinstate their connection with Vietnam.
By March, Vietnam had restored citizenship to 311 individuals and naturalized 7,014 applicants as Vietnamese nationals. Interestingly, 60 people maintained their initial foreign nationalities after obtaining Vietnamese citizenship.
