Amended Law on Vietnamese Nationality: Opportunity to Welcome Overseas Vietnamese Back to Homeland

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The newly passed law aims to facilitate the acquisition of Vietnamese nationality by foreign investors, scientists, and experts through more flexible conditions, with the goal of attracting high-quality human resources.

Under the new law, individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the cause of building and defending the Vietnamese Fatherland, or whose naturalization serves the interests of the State of Vietnam, will be exempted from the conditions required under the previous law when applying for Vietnamese citizenship.

All deputies present voted unanimously in favor of the amended Nationality Law. (Photo: Cong Thuong Newspaper)

These individuals may retain their foreign nationality if they meet two conditions, including having close relatives who are Vietnamese citizens and being granted permission by the President of Vietnam. If residing abroad, they may submit their application at a Vietnamese diplomatic mission overseas.

The amended law also removes many of the conditions previously imposed on individuals who have lost Vietnamese nationality and wish to regain it.

According to Nguyen Trung Kien, Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this marks a major shift and a breakthrough in the Party and State’s policies, aimed at removing barriers and opening up opportunities for overseas Vietnamese to reconnect quickly with their roots and homeland.

Sharing her thoughts with the Word & Vietnam Report, Dr. Phan Bich Thien, Chairwoman of the Vietnamese Women’s Forum in Europe, currently residing in Hungary, expressed her great delight upon learning that the amended Nationality Law had just been passed at the 9th session of the 15th National Assembly, with many favorable provisions for overseas Vietnamese in applying for or reacquiring Vietnamese nationality.

This development, she said, makes those of Vietnamese origin living abroad feel truly cared for by their homeland and more able to contribute to the country in the role of Vietnamese citizens. Notably, the Law allows foreigners who have a spouse, parent, or child who is a Vietnamese citizen to apply for Vietnamese nationality without having to meet special conditions.

Currently, multicultural marriages are increasingly common within the overseas Vietnamese community, and generations of mixed-race children are widespread. In the past, Thien had raised the issue of facilitating the process for foreign spouses and mixed-race children to acquire Vietnamese nationality during a meeting with the National Assembly’s Committee for Foreign Affairs (prior to its merger). Therefore, she is very pleased that the recommendations from the overseas community have received attention from the Party, the Government, the National Assembly, and relevant ministries and agencies.

According to Thien, the amended law encourages foreigners who have a Vietnamese spouse, parent, or child to develop stronger ties with Vietnam, regard the country as their second homeland, and thereby inspire the potential of this community, especially mixed-race generations, to contribute to the nation.

Overseas Vietnamese youth return to Vietnam to participate in the 2025 Vietnam Summer Camp. (Photo: Thanh Long/ The World & Vietnam Report)

Speaking on Hanoi Radio and Television, Duong Duc Minh, an expatriate residing in Germany, shared that over the past three years, he has frequently returned to Vietnam to invest in agricultural science and cultural development projects. Minh also serves as a bridge, supporting many overseas Vietnamese who wish to return and contribute to their homeland, yet are discouraged by nationality-related barriers.

He explained: “When overseas Vietnamese cannot obtain household registration, nationality, or a citizen ID card, or even something as basic as registering a mobile SIM card, it becomes a major problem. Even if they have a five-year visa exemption, they must still re-enter Vietnam every six months. For example, if they have business underway in Vietnam, this back-and-forth travel is extremely inconvenient.”

Living in Japan, Do Quang Ba, Chairman of the Vietnam-Japan International Exchange Organization, has paid particular attention to the amendment allowing former Vietnamese nationals to apply for reinstatement of their Vietnamese nationality.

He strongly supports this revision, as many individuals previously had to renounce their Vietnamese citizenship in order to obtain foreign nationality for work or business reasons.

However, lacking Vietnamese citizenship has subsequently posed significant challenges for them when seeking to invest or operate businesses in Vietnam.

He stated: “I believe that allowing overseas Vietnamese to regain Vietnamese citizenship will not only attract investment to Vietnam but also tap into a highly skilled labor force from the expatriate community.”

Previously, dual citizenship was permitted only in exceptional cases, such as for spouses or children of Vietnamese citizens, or individuals with outstanding contributions to the country. The draft amendment to the Law on Vietnamese Nationality now allows overseas Vietnamese to reacquire Vietnamese nationality without having to renounce their foreign citizenship. This provision not only facilitates easier travel and investment but also motivates them to bring knowledge and experience back to help build the nation.

Millions of overseas Vietnamese are now standing at the threshold of an opportunity to continue their journey back to their roots. With the amended Nationality Law, Vietnam not only extends a warm welcome, but also lays the foundation for expatriates to become an essential driving force in the country’s development.

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