What are the conditions for obtaining Vietnamese citizenship?

Conditions for naturalization in Vietnam are detailed in the 2008 Law on Vietnamese Nationality and specifically guided in Decree No. 16/2020/ND-CP. Specifically, the general conditions for foreigners or stateless people to enterVietnamese including:

(1) There is an application for Vietnamese citizenship. 

(2) According to Vietnamese law, the person requesting naturalization must have the full civil act capacity as prescribed by Vietnam’s laws.

(3) People who request Vietnamese nationality must respect the good customs, practices and traditions of the Vietnamese people;

(4) People who request Vietnamese citizenship must know Vietnamese enough to integrate into the community of Vietnamese people.

(5) The person requesting naturalization must be able to ensure life in Vietnam. Ensuring a life in Vietnam is demonstrated through having legal assets or income in Vietnam.

(6) Other conditions: Has a Vietnamese name; Give up foreign citizenship.

These are the conditions that apply to normal cases of wanting to acquire Vietnamese nationality. Additionally, at Clause 2, Article 19 of the 2008 Law on Vietnamese Nationality There are a number of subjects who are exempt from some conditions 3, 4, 5. Specifically:

- Be a spouse, biological parent or biological child of a Vietnamese citizen.

- Have special merit in contributing to the development, construction and defense of the Vietnamese homeland.

- Beneficial for the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.