As many as 119 Lao people living in A Doi Commune, the mountainous district of Huong Hoa in Quang Tri Province, were granted Vietnamese citizenship on Wednesday, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

119 Lao people received Vietnamese citizenship on Wednesday.

One of the new citizens, Hồ Văn Ven, spoke at the event to express his gratitude to Viet Nam’s Communist Party and Government for creating favourable conditions for them to acquire Vietnamese citizenship.

On behalf of new citizens, he promised to live and work honestly, comply with Viet Nam’s constitution and laws and abide by the Party’s undertakings and the Government’s policies. According to Ha Si Dong, deputy head of Quang Tri Province People’s Committee, there are nearly 700 more Lao migrants living in the border area and expecting to gain Vietnamese citizenship.  

To ensure security in the area and help these people stablise their lives, the provincial authorities plan to grant citizenship to these people by June 30, 2019.

The 119 new citizens were instructed by local officers to complete legal procedures including registrations of births, marriages and identity. – VNS