Foreigners may gain Vietnamese citizenship without residency under draft law

The changes are intended to simplify procedures and create favorable conditions for foreigners to acquire Vietnamese citizenship, particularly investors, scientists, and experts in various fields.

Under the draft, individuals who have made special contributions to the development or defense of the country would be exempt from several current requirements for naturalization. These waived conditions include: demonstrating Vietnamese language proficiency, residing in Vietnam, residing continuously in Vietnam for at least five years and proving financial self-sufficiency.

Minors may also benefit from exemptions. Those who obtain Vietnamese nationality through a parent or who have a Vietnamese parent or grandparent only need to submit an application to a Vietnamese representative office abroad if they are not living in Vietnam.

Foreign applicants with Vietnamese relatives may retain their original nationality—if permitted by the laws of their country of origin—as long as the dual citizenship does not pose risks to Vietnam's interests.

The draft law also proposes removing existing limitations on who may apply to regain Vietnamese nationality. This would allow all individuals who lost their Vietnamese citizenship and apply to have it reinstated to be considered, regardless of the circumstances in which their nationality was lost.

According to the drafting committee, easing and simplifying nationality policies aligns with the Party and State's goals of supporting overseas Vietnamese communities and encouraging returnees to invest, conduct business, and contribute to national innovation and digital transformation efforts.

Single Vietnam nationality requirement for public roles

The draft law also introduces provisions requiring Vietnamese-only citizenship for individuals holding certain state and political positions. These include: elected officials or those appointed to term-based leadership roles, individuals recruited or appointed to state agencies, political and socio-political organizations at both central and local levels, employees at public service units working under defined job positions, members of Vietnam’s armed forces and individuals in critical national organizations.

Exceptions to the single nationality rule may be granted on a case-by-case basis if deemed beneficial to the State and not harmful to national interests. The government will be tasked with detailing these exceptions.

Currently, some legal documents require public officials to hold only Vietnamese nationality, while others simply state that individuals must be Vietnamese citizens.

The National Assembly is scheduled to discuss the draft law on May 29 and vote on it on June 23.