Submit to the National Assembly the policy of 'relaxing' naturalization and returning to nationality

Minister of Justice Nguyen Hai Ninh said the draft law aims at two policies.

Firstly, create favorable conditions for cases where the biological father or mother, paternal grandfather and grandmother, or maternal grandfather and grandmother are Vietnamese citizens; foreign investors, scientists , experts... to acquire Vietnamese nationality.

Second, add some regulations to facilitate cases where people who have lost Vietnamese nationality can regain Vietnamese nationality.

Relaxed naturalization conditions

The new point in this draft is that the Government proposes to exempt some naturalization conditions for some groups. Accordingly, minors whose parents are Vietnamese citizens will no longer be required to meet the condition of "having full civil act capacity".

Minors who acquire Vietnamese nationality through their father or mother or minors whose biological father or mother, paternal and paternal grandparents, or maternal and paternal grandparents are Vietnamese citizens are exempt from certain conditions such as: knowing Vietnamese, being a permanent resident in Vietnam, having a minimum permanent residence of 5 years and the ability to ensure a living.

Minister of Justice Nguyen Hai Ninh presents a report. Photo: National Assembly

The Government also proposed that applicants for Vietnamese nationality who have relatives who are Vietnamese citizens can retain their foreign nationality if they meet two conditions (retaining foreign nationality is in accordance with the laws of that country; not using foreign nationality to harm Vietnam) and are permitted by the President.

Foreign investors, scientists, experts... are granted Vietnamese citizenship to attract high-quality resources. Accordingly, those who have made special contributions to the cause of building and defending the Vietnamese Fatherland or who are beneficial to the State when applying for Vietnamese citizenship are exempted from certain regulations. These cases are allowed to retain foreign citizenship if they meet two conditions similar to those of having relatives who are Vietnamese citizens and are permitted by the President.

Recruiters for state agencies must have only Vietnamese nationality.

Regarding regulations on regaining Vietnamese nationality, the Government proposes that all cases of losing Vietnamese nationality who apply to regain Vietnamese nationality can be considered for re-acceptance.

A person applying to regain Vietnamese nationality may retain his/her foreign nationality if he/she meets two conditions similar to those for obtaining Vietnamese nationality while retaining foreign nationality and is permitted by the President.

According to current regulations, people who have lost their Vietnamese nationality and want to regain it must fall into one of six cases. These are: requesting to return to Vietnam; having a spouse, biological father, biological mother or biological child who is a Vietnamese citizen; having made special contributions to the cause of building and defending the Fatherland; being beneficial to the State; making investments in Vietnam; having renounced Vietnamese nationality but not being able to acquire foreign nationality. Thus, the new proposal has abolished all of the above conditions.

General Secretary To Lam met with outstanding overseas Vietnamese attending the conference of overseas Vietnamese around the world and the Forum of Vietnamese Intellectuals and Experts Abroad in August 2024. Photo: VNA

The draft law also adds provisions on the relationship between the State and citizens in some cases.

Accordingly, "must be a person with only one nationality, Vietnamese nationality, and must permanently reside in Vietnam" when a Vietnamese citizen who also has a foreign nationality participates in elected bodies, agencies of the political system, participates in the armed forces, cryptography..., to ensure political security and national interests.

The Government also proposed to remove the regulation on criminal records issued by competent authorities of Vietnam as part of the application for/return to/renunciation of Vietnamese nationality.

The draft law adds provisions to reduce the time it takes to transfer documents between state agencies. Specifically, Vietnamese representative agencies abroad are responsible for examining and transferring documents with recommendations on applying for/returning/renouncing Vietnamese nationality to the Ministry of Justice, and at the same time sending information to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to current regulations, the application for entering/renouncing/returning to Vietnamese nationality must be made into 3 sets, stored at the Office of the President, the Ministry of Justice and the agency receiving the application.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/trinh-quoc-hoi-chinh-sach-noi-long-nhap-tich-tro-lai-quoc-tich-2402013.html