Vietnam passes amendments to nationality law

The revised law was approved unanimously by the law-making National Assembly on Tuesday morning, with all 416 deputies in attendance voting in favor.

Under the revised law, foreigners or stateless individuals must meet several conditions to obtain Vietnamese nationality.

These include having full legal capacity, with exceptions for minors applying through a Vietnamese parent; compliance with the Constitution and laws of Vietnam; respect for Vietnamese culture; proficiency in the Vietnamese language; at least five years of residency in Vietnam; and financial self-sufficiency.

However, applicants with a Vietnamese spouse or biological child may be exempted from these requirements.

The revised law also introduces a naming requirement.

Applicants must choose a name in Vietnamese or an ethnic Vietnamese language.

Those applying to retain their foreign nationality alongside Vietnamese citizenship may opt for a hybrid name combining both Vietnamese and foreign elements, to be officially recorded in their nationality certificate.

Nguyen Hai Ninh, Minister of Justice, said the Vietnamese government revised the naming provision after lawmakers called for more flexibility, suggesting the use of Vietnamese-style or original foreign names to support global integration.

While Vietnam permits dual citizenship under specific conditions, the law emphasizes that within Vietnamese territory, only Vietnamese nationality will be officially recognized when dealing with domestic authorities—unless stated otherwise by international treaties.

For Vietnamese citizens with foreign nationality residing abroad, their rights and obligations will follow relevant legal provisions.

Notably, the law stipulates that individuals holding or running for certain positions—such as members of the Vietnamese Party, State, Fatherland Front, mass organizations, or the armed forces—must hold sole Vietnamese citizenship and maintain permanent residence in Vietnam.

Civil servants and public employees not in these categories must also hold only Vietnamese nationality unless doing otherwise clearly benefits the Vietnamese state without harming national interests.

The central government will issue further guidelines on these exceptions.

Minister Ninh noted that lawmakers expressed concerns over national security and loyalty regarding exceptions, especially in sensitive sectors like the armed forces or elected bodies.

The central government accordingly limited exceptions to public employees outside of national defense and security roles, aiming to attract global talent beneficial to Vietnam.