Dual citizenship in Vietnam for a Viet Kieu?

Tiedo,

You sure can.  Your process is relatively simple.  You might want to check with the Vietnamese Embassy in the US, if you are there.  Last I heard, they were pretty helpful in the San Francisco consulate.

Wild_1 wrote:

Tiedo,

You sure can.  Your process is relatively simple.  You might want to check with the Vietnamese Embassy in the US, if you are there.  Last I heard, they were pretty helpful in the San Francisco consulate.

Thank you very much, I'll drop by Viet embassy in San Francisco after Viet New Year for a requests, meanwhile it's time to dig up those birth certificates. Please let me know if anything else I should beware of.

Read up the regulations before going talking to them
Link in Vietnamese
http://www.sotuphaphanoi.gov.vn/web/hom … h_chinh=19

Are there language requirements for duel citizenship?

Where do I go in HCMC to start the application process?

I was born in Saigon in 1969 and have a birth certificate with a Vietnamese name. We left in 1975 before the city fell. I have a US passport with an American name and paperwork connecting the two names.

I've been in HCMC for two months and have reconnected with family that is willing to sponsor me. I'm leaving for the US in April and would like to return before the end of the year.

Thanks for all the useful information,

Mychael

Mychael,

You will need to obtain the official birth certificate.  Your pre-1975 birth certificate is no good.  That can be obtained at So Tu Phap, Phong Ho Tich. 

After you have that, just go to Phong Xuat Nhap Canh.  I think it is on Nguyen Trai and obtain the package.  Before, they required that you stay in Vietnam for 1 continuous year.  But, they might have done away with that.  Just check with them.

As for language, yes, there is no exam, or anything of that nature.  But, you will have to demonstrate to them that you can speak some Vietnamese and must take on a Vietnamese name.  The language part, if you are "cool" to them, they will let it slide.  But, the name is a must, unless something drastic has changed.

Good luck,
Howie

Thanks Howie, I will look into it when I get back to Australia.

Hi There.

I am a 30 year old british born vietnamese female- both parents fled Vietnam back in late 70's as boat people.

My mum has passed away and there is only my dad and my siblings now, I recently have been really interested in finding out how I can apply for dual nationality and whether it is possible.

All in all I would like to move from the UK soon- and would like to go back to Vietnam and possibly run a small business (bed and breakfast maybe). I explored the possibilities of going to Vietnam to teach english however I was advised you need a UK degree for this and I did not finish my bsc.

Can anyone help at all? any advice would be really appreciated!

Thanks!

Welcome, Kimberley.  I can't help with information but want to wish you luck.

Kimberley,

As long as you have your Vietnamese Birth Certificate, or have a good idea on where you were born and certain that your parents filed it, you are good to go.  I added that last part on there because, awhile back, an older Vietnamese-American came to me for help.  He was certain about when and where he was born.  But, his already-deceased parents never filed his birth, because they wanted him to avoid the draft.  Last but not least, the little village that he was born and raised in ceased to exist years ago.

Now, that was a big mess.  There was not much little me could do to help him.  I helped his wife get hers and, hopefully in time, she can sponsor him and his self-declared birth date.

Hi guys, thanks for your responses.

I was actually born in UK- So i am fully british just of  vietnamese origin... any hope??

Thanks

tiedo wrote:

Hope you don't mind a question: I am currently an US citizen so are both my mom and dad who both born in Vietnam, I was also born in Vietnam, We still have our Vietnamese birth certificates, so is it possible for me to apply for my Vietnam citizenship? I still have some family member back in vietnam to sponsor me for "Ho Khau".

Thanks very much.

Take your birth certificate (copies) and go to your nearest VN Consulate and apply for a reinstatement of your VNese citizenship. Costs 400 bucks and I got my passport in exactly 7 days.

It's that simple.

Kimberley,

Sorry I missed that.  Your best option is to ride on your dad's coat tail.  He can get it done as simple as Dtcali had just put up.

Thanks guys! We are going to vietnam i  3 weeks, will check whilst there!!

First of all, thanks for all of the great info by everyone. Can someone share some thoughts on my particular situation:

I was born in Vietnam and came to the US when i was around 9-10y. I'm now a US citizen through naturalization, so i guess i must have renounced my Vietnamese citizenship in the process. I was born in 1982 and now 31y/o. My father came to the US around '85 by boat and sponsored my mom and I around 1990. I still have my birth certificate. Is there any easy way for me to regain my Viet citizenship without having to go to Vietnam and at the same time not lose my US citizenship? If that isn't an option, then, is there a way for get most of everything done in the states and only spend the least amount of time in Vietnam to get whatever it is that has to be done there, if any. I'm in grad school right now and cannot take anytime off otherwise i'll have to miss one whole year and join the following year's class, which is something  i don't want to do.

I'm also very confused about the mixed comments on the web about having to renounce one's US citizenship if a VN citizenship is granted. Can someone with some experience chime in on this issue?


Also, since i'm living in Oregon, is it necessary for me to be physically present at the VN consulate to apply for the VN citizenship. I have tried reading the instructions on the VN consulate website and most of it is in Vietnamese so it's a bit challenging for me. I can't tell if I need be reading the stuff on "Registration of Vietnamese citizen" or "Registration for retaining citizenship" or even something else.

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Duy wrote:

I'm also very confused about the mixed comments on the web about having to renounce one's US citizenship if a VN citizenship is granted.

That is a false assumption.  Vietnam will not touch your US citizenship.  However, if you do silly things, like joining the People's Army or become a member of The Party, then the US might revoke your naturalized American citizenship.  Don't pay attention to those idiots.

I have tried reading the instructions on the VN consulate website and most of it is in Vietnamese so it's a bit challenging for me.

Since you are looking to regain your Vietnamese citizenship, that is a challenge you should undertake.  It will only benefit you sooner, rather than later.

Best wish,
Howie

For those who think getting a citizenship of another country will cause revocation of your US passport, all you have to do is just flip through the pages of your American passport and have a read. It lists 2 conditions that will cause this to happen.

1. Run for office in another country or
2. Join its military.

If you're crazy enough to want to do either one of those....you should have your US passport yanked.

Wild_1 wrote:

Don't pay attention to those idiots.

This is exactly what I wanted to say! Thanks Howie!!

I'm back this weekend..You going to be in SG?

Dtcali,

Aren't you up for the Premiership of Pham Ngu Lao??? 

Give me a buzz, when you get in.  Still have my Vietnamese number, Mr. Prime Minister???

I have heard of many cases of people holding dual citizenship of the US and other countries, including VN, Israel and Ireland.

Do you have to live in VN for at least one year to get your VN citizenship?

http://moj.gov.vn/tthc/TTHCEn/Lists/Adm … ?IdTTHC=25

Guys
Here is the official version. Read carefully.

"Having resided continuously in Vietnam during a period of 5 years by the time of application for naturalization"

Persons naturalized in Vietnam shall renounce their foreign nationality, except for those (Persons who are natural parents or natural offsprings of Vietnamese citizens;  having special meritorious contributions to Vietnam's national construction and defense;  helpful to the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam), in special cases, if so permitted by the President.

Anatta,

Where the hell have you been?  Still strying to recover from the multiple cosmetic surgeries??? 

Ashard, Saigonmonkey and I, went and got curries again...  We missed you, man (or whatever it is that you are calling yourself now?).

Duy wrote:

Do you have to live in VN for at least one year to get your VN citizenship?

No.  That was before, not anymore now.  Just get the instructions from the Vietnamese consulate, in SF, then hit them up.  Dtcali got his done there.

What is wrong with you and your goat curries? Do they put nicotine in the stuff, I wonder since you only get them while coming up here!!.

Saigonmonkey: Sorry I missed you last time you had your curry with Howie. Have sth else for God's sake, anything, even dog meat !!

Thanks guys

Anatta, you foolish man, we had beef and fish curries.  And they were delicious!!! 

Dog meat?  I will eat it, after you have tried it...  Deal??? 

Oh
I tried it 35 years ago, even cat meat. Bellissima!!!
Now your turn to try.

tiedo wrote:

Hope you don't mind a question: I am currently an US citizen so are both my mom and dad who both born in Vietnam, I was also born in Vietnam, We still have our Vietnamese birth certificates, so is it possible for me to apply for my Vietnam citizenship? I still have some family member back in vietnam to sponsor me for "Ho Khau".

Thanks very much.

If you were born and Vietnam you do not need a sponsor. You can go directly to the Vietnam Embassy website in Washington DC and download the proper forms.

I did it for my ex-wife last year and she received her Vietnam Passport back in less than 2 months.

The way the Embassy explained it to my wife is that once she received her Passport she was considered a Vietnamese citizen.

Wild_1 wrote:

Dtcali,



Give me a buzz, when you get in.  Still have my Vietnamese number, Mr. Prime Minister???

Yes still got it. I get in Wednesday night...probably will leave Monday morning (Early!).

I'll call u Thurs. morning

Anatta wrote:

Persons naturalized in Vietnam shall renounce their foreign nationality

Dude, we were not naturalized.  We were born here.  Sometimes ago and somehow, someone found a way to take our rights away from us.  Now, we are just getting them back.  For sure, I will get mine back, with interests.

in special cases, if so permitted by the President

Hey, I didn't know Vietnam has an El Presidente?  I thought they have a Prime Minister, in Dtcali??? 

I tried it 35 years ago, even cat meat.

Oooh, a big man with a big mouth.  Did you get some raw knuckles as well? 

Wild_1 wrote:

Dude, we were not naturalized.  We were born here.  Sometimes ago and somehow, someone found a way to take our rights away from us.  Now, we are just getting them back.  For sure, I will get mine back, with interests.

naturalized-shmaturalized,...

Those were the words of the supreme bureacrats, not mine. Anyway, it is not a bad translation actually, since it applies for those who were not born in Vietnam.

The Vienamese version is this one:

http://moj.gov.vn/hoidappl/Lists/DanhSa … temID=8449

For you, there is a special section 3: reapplication of citizenship.

Wild_1 wrote:

Hey, I didn't know Vietnam has an El Presidente?  I thought they have a Prime Minister, in Dtcali??? 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Vietnam

And you call yourself a Vietnamese citizen ?
.

For those familiar with the process, can you answer a couple of questions for me?

1. My first name is American but my last name and middle name is Viet, do i have to change my first name to Viet?

2. Do I have to spend any time in Vietnam to get the Viet citizenship?

Thanks guys

Duy,

1.  Yes, you will have to take up a Vietnamese name.  Typically, it is best to take back the name that is on your birth certificate.  That saves a lot of time and money.

2.  No, you don't.  You can get it all done at the Vietnamese Embassy.

Hey this might be the wrong place for my question but here goes! My wife is a vietnamese citizen and holds a valid vietnamese passport. She also holds irish citizenship. Can she enter vietnam on her vietnamese passport and exit for Hong Kong using her irish passport. This way she could enter Hong Kong without a visa on the irish passport. Fairly confused by what info I can find on dual citizenship and would prefer to avoid drama in the airport!

Nouc Mam

Your wife would have to enter Hong Kong on the passport she used to enter and Leave Vietnam.
The immigration in Hong Kong will look for and exit stamp from Vietnam in the passport. If no exit stamp then potential trouble.

I left the US about a month ago, nobody stamped my American passport.  I then entered Vietnam on my Vietnamese passport, and no one said anything about where I had been.

stumpy wrote:

Nouc Mam

Your wife would have to enter Hong Kong on the passport she used to enter and Leave Vietnam.
The immigration in Hong Kong will look for and exit stamp from Vietnam in the passport. If no exit stamp then potential trouble.

Completely untrue.


The Hong Kong Immigration just wants to know if you have the proper papers to enter its territory, not where you had been. In this case, the Irish passport.

When leaving Vietnam, the only people that will want to see his wife's Irish passport are the airline people so they can see if whatever passport she holds would allow entry to HK without visa.

As a dual citizen...entering and leaving Vietnam will only require presenting the Vietnamese passport to the immigration staff...you will on occasion need to show the 2nd passport to the AIRLINE STAFF as they are responsible (fines levied on them) for your having the appropriate passport/visas.

Clear as mud?

Wild_1 wrote:

Duy,

1.  Yes, you will have to take up a Vietnamese name.  Typically, it is best to take back the name that is on your birth certificate.  That saves a lot of time and money.

.

I want to add that they will make a notation a few pages in that states you have another legal name and put an official stamp on it. This extra service is a $50 charge, making the grand total to get the citizenship/passport to be $450.

You need to have this to make all the paperwork jive wrt airline tickets and such.

Interesting thread here and some great info.

I was born in Saigon, and left in 1975 as part of Operation Babylift, and adopted into an American family. I still have an official-stamped birth certificate, as well as some other documentation that shows my Vietnamese birth.

My questions are: Is it possible to obtain a Vietnamese passport? What would my first steps be?

Thanks everyone!