Two citizenships of overseas Vietnamese people

Question: My son got married, lives in China, and holds Vietnamese nationality. He has a two-month old baby who owns Chinese nationality. I hoped that my nephew would have dual citizenship. What are the procedures?

Answer:  Under Article 4, item 2 and 3 of Article 4 of the Law on Vietnamese Nationality, dated November 13, 2008: Viet Nam recognizes that Vietnamese citizens have a single nationality, Vietnamese nationality, unless it is otherwise provided for by the Law.

Those who apply for Vietnamese nationality may be permitted for naturalization in Viet Nam without having to fully meet the conditions prescribed at Points c, d and e, Clause 1 of this Article if they fall into one of the following cases:

a/ Being spouses, natural parents or natural children of Vietnamese citizens;

b/ Having made meritorious contributions to Viet Nam’s national construction and defense;

c/ Being helpful to the State of the Socialist Republic of VietNam.

Hence, under Viet Nam’s laws, your nephew is permitted to register Vietnamese nationality without abandoning Chinese one.

A dossier of application for Vietnamese nationality comprises: (1) an application for Vietnamese nationality; (2) a copy of the birth certificate, passport or other substitute papers; (3) a curriculum vitae; (4) a judicial record issued by a competent Vietnamese authority for the period the applicant resides in Viet Nam and a judicial record issued by a competent foreign authority for the period the applicant resides in the foreign country. Judicial records must be issued within 90 days before the date of filing the dossier; (5) papers proving his/her Vietnamese language skills; (6) papers proving his/her place and period of residence in Viet Nam; (7) papers proving his/her ability to make livelihood in Viet Nam./.