Vietnam has taken a significant step toward refining its legal framework on citizenship with the 2025 amendments to the Nationality Law. As the country continues to integrate into the global economy and attract increasing numbers of foreign investors, professionals, and long-term residents, the amended law introduces notable changes that directly affect foreign nationals. From clarifying dual nationality rights to expanding eligibility for public service roles, these new provisions reflect Vietnam’s evolving approach to nationality, national security, and international engagement. This article explores the key updates and what they mean for foreigners living, working, or investing in Vietnam.
1. Dual Nationals May Serve as Civil Servants
Clause 1, Article 1 of the 2025 Amended Nationality Law adds the following nationality requirements for officials, public employees, and Party officers:
- Candidates for election, persons elected, approved, appointed, or designated to hold terms of office or titles in the agencies of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the State, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, or other political–social organizations at the central or local level; persons working in cipher (cryptographic) agencies; and members of the armed forces must hold only one nationality—Vietnamese—and must have permanent residence in Vietnam.
- Civil servants and public employees not covered by the above must likewise hold only Vietnamese nationality—except in cases where dual nationality is beneficial to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and does not harm Vietnam’s national interests—and must have permanent residence in Vietnam. The Government shall provide detailed regulations on this provision.
Thus, provided it serves the interests of the State and does not prejudice national interests, dual nationals (Vietnamese and foreign) with permanent residence in Vietnam may also be appointed as civil servants or public employees.
2. Eased Requirements for Acquiring Vietnamese Citizenship
The conditions for acquiring Vietnamese citizenship as stipulated in Article 19 of the 2008 Law on Nationality have been amended and supplemented under Clause 5, Article 1 of the 2025 Amended Nationality Law as follows:
- Foreign nationals and stateless persons who apply for Vietnamese nationality may be granted Vietnamese citizenship if they satisfy all of the following conditions (new provisions are highlighted in bold):
a) Possess full civil act capacity in accordance with Vietnamese law, except in cases where the applicant is a minor applying for Vietnamese nationality through their father or mother, or a minor whose parent is a Vietnamese citizen;
b) Abide by the Constitution and laws of Vietnam; respect the culture, traditions, customs, and practices of the Vietnamese people;
c) Have sufficient proficiency in the Vietnamese language to integrate into the Vietnamese community;
d) Have permanent residence in Vietnam;
đ) Have resided permanently in Vietnam for five years or more up to the time of application;
e) Be capable of securing a livelihood in Vietnam.
The 2025 Amended Law on Vietnamese Nationality introduces more flexible conditions for naturalization in certain special cases. Accordingly, applicants may be granted Vietnamese citizenship even if they do not meet some of the standard requirements, such as Vietnamese language proficiency or a minimum five-year period of permanent residence in Vietnam. Specifically:
- An applicant who is the spouse or biological child of a Vietnamese citizen may be naturalized without having to satisfy the following conditions:
(3) Vietnamese language proficiency,
(5) At least five years of permanent residence in Vietnam, and
(6) Financial self-sufficiency. - An applicant who falls into one of the following categories may be naturalized without having to satisfy conditions (3), (4), (5), and (6):
- Has a biological father or mother, or paternal/maternal grandparents who are Vietnamese citizens;
- Has made exceptional contributions to the cause of building and defending the Socialist Republic of Vietnam;
- Whose naturalization is deemed beneficial to the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam;
- Is a minor applying for Vietnamese nationality through their Vietnamese parent
3. Dual Nationals May Combine Vietnamese and Foreign Names
This is a completely new provision introduced in Clause 5, Article 1 of the 2025 Amended Law on Vietnamese Nationality. Under this provision, applicants for Vietnamese citizenship are required to have a name in Vietnamese or in one of Vietnam’s ethnic minority languages.
However, if an applicant applies for Vietnamese citizenship while also requesting to retain their foreign nationality, they may choose a compound name that combines a Vietnamese name and a foreign name. The chosen name must be selected by the applicant and will be officially recorded in the Decision on Granting Vietnamese Nationality.
4. Applicants May Now Submit Naturalization Documents via Vietnamese Diplomatic Missions Abroad
Previously, under Clause 1, Article 21 of the 2008 Law on Vietnamese Nationality, individuals applying for Vietnamese citizenship were required to submit their application to the Department of Justice in the locality where they resided in Vietnam—except in cases of citizenship restoration.
Under the new provision in Clause 7, Article 1 of the 2025 Amended Nationality Law, applicants now have two options based on their place of residence:
- If residing within Vietnam, they shall submit their application to the provincial-level Department of Justice;
- If residing abroad, they may submit their application to the competent Vietnamese diplomatic mission (embassy or consulate) in the host country.
This change facilitates greater accessibility for overseas Vietnamese and foreign nationals seeking Vietnamese citizenship.
5. All Applications for Restoration of Vietnamese Citizenship Will Be Considered
Previously, individuals who had lost their Vietnamese citizenship were only eligible to apply for its restoration if they met certain specific conditions.
However, under Clause 8 of the 2025 Amended Nationality Law, any person who has lost Vietnamese nationality may now have their application for restoration considered upon submission of a formal request.
According to the amended law, applicants seeking to restore their Vietnamese nationality must resume their former Vietnamese name. If the applicant simultaneously requests to retain a foreign nationality, they may choose a compound name that combines their Vietnamese name with their foreign name. This chosen name must be clearly stated in the Decision on Restoration of Vietnamese Nationality.
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