A Few Things to Know about the Law on Vietnamese Nationality

"The Socialist Republic of Vietnam recognizes that Vietnamese citizens have only one nationality, which is Vietnamese nationality, except in cases where this Law has other provisions." This is stipulated in the Vietnamese Nationality Law 2008. As a principle, the state only recognizes each Vietnamese citizen to have one nationality, which is Vietnamese nationality, except in cases where the Law has other provisions, where citizens may have dual nationality.

- The recognition that Vietnamese citizens may hold dual nationalities only applies to those residing abroad who already have Vietnamese nationality and have not lost Vietnamese nationality. In cases where foreign nationals apply for Vietnamese nationality, they must renounce their foreign nationality, except under special circumstances as permitted by the President, such as:- Being the spouse, biological parent, or biological child of a Vietnamese citizen;- Having made significant contributions to the cause of building and protecting the Vietnamese Fatherland;- Being beneficial to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.- Vietnamese nationals residing abroad who have not lost their Vietnamese nationality according to Vietnamese law before the law comes into effect retain their Vietnamese nationality. They must register with the Vietnamese representative agency abroad to retain their Vietnamese nationality within five years from the date this Law comes into effect.- On June 24, 2014 (before the five-year period ended), the National Assembly passed an amendment to the Nationality Law, allowing Vietnamese nationals residing abroad who have not lost their Vietnamese nationality before this law takes effect to retain their nationality. Thus, up to this point, only when Vietnamese nationals residing abroad have not lost their Vietnamese nationality according to Vietnamese law before this law takes effect are they allowed to hold dual nationality.

Children born on Vietnamese territory who are born to stateless parents but have a place of permanent residence in Vietnam, or whose mother is stateless but has permanent residence in Vietnam and the father is unknown, shall have Vietnamese nationality.

Those who have lost Vietnamese nationality according to the provisions of Article 26 of the Nationality Law may apply for reinstatement of Vietnamese nationality as prescribed by law.

Citizens with Vietnamese nationality have the right to renounce their Vietnamese nationality to acquire foreign nationality.

Citizens with Vietnamese nationality, whether residing domestically or abroad, who commit acts seriously harmful to national independence, the cause of building and protecting the Vietnamese Fatherland, or to the prestige of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, may be stripped of their Vietnamese nationality.

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