VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Consular Department reported that as of August 2013, more than 4,000 overseas Vietnamese have registered to keep their nationality, only 0.1% of the 4 million total living abroad.

The Ho Chi Minh City Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs has held dialogues on the draft Law on Vietnamese Nationality (revised in 2008). Delegates highlighted issues related to expatriates preserving their Vietnamese nationality and preferential policies for those wishing to return to Vietnam.

Some overseas Vietnamese have run into difficulty during the nationality application process.

Nguyen Van Anh, Head of the HCM City Police Department’s Immigration Management Office, said the relevant agencies are addressing these problems. He recommended overseas Vietnamese consult with Immigration Management Officers directly to avoid being cheated.

Dual nationality and mutual passports remain rather confusing. Some expatriates said they cannot register for Vietnamese nationality because of lost documents. They also complained about authorities’ failure to tell them early if their applications are accepted or not.

Article 5 and 6 of the Law on Vietnamese Nationality says anyone with Vietnamese nationality is a Vietnamese citizen. The Socialist Republic of Vietnam has policies endowing Vietnamese citizens in foreign countries with civil rights and obligations appropriate to living abroad.

The 2008 Law on Vietnamese Nationality states if overseas Vietnamese who have not lost their Vietnamese nationality prior to July 1, 2009—but do not have valid Vietnamese passports—wish to retain Vietnamese nationality, they are eligible to register to do so. Registrations are open until July 1, 2014, after which nationality will be lost and anyone wanting to reacquire it will need to follow the normal mandated procedures.

The majority of expatriates currently applying for Vietnamese Nationality are retirees and thus disadvantaged by 2014 Nationality Laws. Ho Chi Minh City Contact Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Chairperson Luong Bach Van proposed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remove registration deadlines.

Ho Chi Minh City Department of Justice representatives suggested Vietnamese nationality applicants should delay their registration until their circumstances are as favourable to success as possible.

Some delegates said the number of overseas Vietnamese registering for Vietnamese nationality remains modest because many are unaware of its practical benefits.

Ambassador Nguyen Huu Trang, Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Consul Department, said expatriates are often reluctant to register come to the rule of law in their current country of residence.

Delegates hope the number of expatriates registering for Vietnamese nationality will increase.

 Source: VOV