Can a long-term US resident retire in Vietnam and obtain Vietnamese citizenship?

Nguyen Trong Dan, a member of the Ho Chi Minh City Bar Association, said that under Vietnam’s 2008 Law on Nationality and Decree 16/2020/ND-CP, foreigners or stateless individuals who are permanently residing in Vietnam may apply for Vietnamese citizenship if they meet the following conditions:

- Have full legal capacity as defined by Vietnamese law.

- Abide by the Constitution and laws of Vietnam, and respect the traditions, customs, and culture of the Vietnamese people.

- Have sufficient Vietnamese language skills to integrate into the community.

- Have resided in Vietnam for at least five consecutive years up to the time of application.

- Are financially self-sufficient.

Applicants may be exempt from some of these requirements—such as language proficiency, residency, or financial independence—if they are the spouse, parent, or biological child of a Vietnamese citizen; have made significant contributions to Vietnam; or if their naturalization is deemed beneficial to the country.

In general, applicants must renounce their foreign nationality upon acquiring Vietnamese citizenship, unless they qualify under the exceptions above and are granted permission by the president of Vietnam.

Applicants must also adopt a Vietnamese name of their choice, which will be included in the official naturalization decision.

Naturalization may be denied if it is deemed harmful to Vietnam’s national interests.

Special cases: Dual nationality

Applicants seeking Vietnamese citizenship while retaining their foreign nationality must meet the following additional criteria:

- Fulfill the standard conditions for naturalization;

- Have made special contributions to the nation and whose dual citizenship is deemed beneficial to Vietnam;

- The retention of their foreign nationality complies with the laws of that foreign country;

- Renouncing their foreign nationality would negatively impact their legal rights or interests abroad;

- They do not use their foreign nationality to harm the legitimate rights and interests of Vietnamese organizations or citizens, or to threaten national security or public order.