Nationality & Residency
Vietnamese citizenship for foreigners, under the 2025 Nationality Law
Spouses, children, and descendants of Vietnamese citizens, along with people of special merit, are largely exempt from the standard 5-year residency and language requirements — and may even keep their original passport under the new dual-nationality policy. We help you confirm your category, assemble a properly legalized dossier, and track it through to the President's Decision.
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Quick facts
The requirements below apply to the standard track — most spouses and descendants of Vietnamese citizens qualify for significant exemptions.
Government fee
3,000,000 VND
Paid via the National Public Service Portal, as of 2026
Standard residency
5 years
With a valid Permanent Residence Card — waived for several exempt categories
Who decides
President of Vietnam
On recommendation from the Ministry of Justice, with no fixed statutory deadline at this stage
What changed in 2025
Vietnam's 2025 Nationality Law — three changes that matter
Vietnam's naturalization framework was updated through Luật số 79/2025/QH15, implemented via Nghị định 191/2025/NĐ-CP and the accompanying Thông tư 12/2025/TT-BTP, which introduced the current application forms.
- A Vietnam-issued judicial record certificate is no longer required. Applicants only need a judicial record from the foreign country where they resided, issued within 90 days of filing.
- A formal dual-nationality pathway now exists for defined priority groups, replacing the near-total single-nationality default of the prior law.
- Compound names — combining a Vietnamese name with a foreign name — are now explicitly permitted and recorded in the President's Decision.
Eligibility
Who can apply for Vietnamese citizenship
Any foreign citizen or stateless person may apply if they meet all six of the following conditions.
Legal capacity
Full civil capacity as recognized under Vietnamese law.
Compliance
Respect for the Constitution and laws of Vietnam, and Vietnamese culture, traditions, and customs.
Vietnamese language
Listening, speaking, reading, and writing ability sufficient to integrate into the community appropriate to the applicant's living and working environment.
Residency
A valid Permanent Residence Card and at least 5 years of permanent residence in Vietnam.
Proof of livelihood
Demonstrated ability to support life in Vietnam through assets, lawful income, or a sponsor.
A Vietnamese name
Applicants must adopt a Vietnamese name, though a compound name combining Vietnamese and foreign elements is allowed for those also retaining foreign nationality.
Who qualifies for exemptions
Not every applicant needs to meet all six conditions. This is the single most important distinction for foreign spouses of Vietnamese nationals and for descendants of Vietnamese citizens: the standard 5-year residency clock and language test do not apply to you.
- Spouses, or biological children, of a Vietnamese citizen — exempt from the language requirement, the 5-year residency period, and the livelihood proof requirement.
- People with special merit to Vietnam, people whose naturalization benefits the Vietnamese state (scientists, experts, qualified investors), or people whose biological parents or grandparents are Vietnamese citizens — exempt from the language, residency, residency-duration, and livelihood requirements entirely.
Dual citizenship
Can you keep your original passport?
Only specific categories may request to keep their existing nationality while becoming Vietnamese citizens: spouses, biological children, or biological parents of a Vietnamese citizen; people with a Vietnamese grandparent; special-merit applicants; qualified scientists, experts, and investors; and minor children naturalizing together with a parent. Even within these categories, retaining a foreign passport requires all three of the following.
Retaining the foreign nationality must be consistent with the laws of that foreign country.
The applicant must sign a written commitment not to use the foreign nationality to harm the lawful rights of others, or Vietnam's national security, interests, order, or safety.
The dual-nationality request must be personally approved by the President of Vietnam.
If an applicant does not meet the conditions above, they will be required to renounce their foreign nationality to complete Vietnamese naturalization — dual nationality is a conditional privilege, not an automatic right.
Full-service coverage
What our full service covers
Confirm your eligibility category
We check whether you qualify on the standard track or fall into an exempt category — spouse, descent, or special merit — since this changes almost every requirement below.
Assemble and legalize the dossier
Application form, identity documents, personal history declaration, foreign-issued judicial record, and supporting proof, each checked and consular-legalized before filing.
Prepare the dual-nationality paperwork
If you intend to keep your original passport, we help draft the written commitment and the foreign-law compatibility confirmation or self-declaration.
File and track the dossier
At the Sở Tư pháp where you reside, or at the Vietnamese Embassy/Consulate if you qualify to file from abroad. Filing is always in person — never by proxy.
Follow through to the Presidential Decision
We track progress through provincial verification, Ministry of Public Security checks, and the final Presidential decision, so you know where your dossier stands.
Required documents
- Application for Vietnamese Nationality (standard form, per Thông tư 12/2025/TT-BTP)
- Birth certificate, passport, or an equivalent identity document
- Personal history declaration (bản khai lý lịch)
- Judicial record certificate from the foreign country where you resided, dated within 90 days of submission — a Vietnam-issued record is no longer required
- Proof of Vietnamese language proficiency, unless your category is exempt
- Proof of residence — a copy of the Permanent Residence Card, unless your category is exempt
- Proof of livelihood — income confirmation, asset documentation, or a sponsorship letter, unless your category is exempt
- For dual-nationality requests: a written commitment plus the foreign country's confirmation that dual nationality is compatible with its laws, or a self-declaration where no such confirmation exists
Dossiers are prepared in three identical paper sets. All documents issued outside Vietnam must undergo consular legalization and be accompanied by a certified Vietnamese translation — skipping this step is one of the most common reasons dossiers are returned.
Timeline
Processing timeline at each stage
There is no single published legal deadline for the Presidential decision stage — this is the main variable in overall processing time, and realistic timelines can run well beyond a year for complex cases.
| Stage | Responsible body | Time allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Provincial DOJ requests police verification | Sở Tư pháp | 5 working days |
| Police background verification | Provincial Police | 30 days |
| DOJ finalizes dossier / Provincial People's Committee review | Sở Tư pháp / UBND tỉnh | 5 + 5 working days |
| Embassy/consulate review, if filed abroad | Vietnamese diplomatic mission | 20 days |
| National identity verification | Ministry of Public Security | 45-60 days |
| Final decision | President of Vietnam | No fixed statutory deadline |
Avoid delays
Common mistakes that delay or derail applications
- Submitting a Vietnam-issued judicial record — this is no longer required and reflects outdated pre-2025 guidance still circulating online.
- Skipping consular legalization on foreign-issued documents, or submitting translations that are not certified.
- Assuming dual nationality is automatic — it requires a separate written commitment, a foreign-country compatibility confirmation or self-declaration, and explicit Presidential approval.
- Filing by proxy — naturalization applications must be submitted in person; only restoration and renunciation can be completed online in certain cases.
- Underestimating the livelihood documentation — vague income statements without supporting evidence are a frequent cause of delay.
- Confusing the domestic and overseas filing tracks — only exempted priority categories may file from abroad; everyone else must file, and generally reside, in Vietnam.
Related procedures
Naturalization vs. restoration vs. renunciation
| Procedure | Who it's for | In-person filing? |
|---|---|---|
| Naturalization (nhập quốc tịch) | Foreign nationals or stateless persons becoming Vietnamese citizens for the first time | Yes, always |
| Restoration (trở lại quốc tịch) | Former Vietnamese citizens (often Việt Kiều) reclaiming nationality they previously lost | Can be completed online |
| Renunciation (thôi quốc tịch) | Vietnamese citizens giving up their nationality, e.g. to naturalize elsewhere | Can be completed online |
This page explains the general legal framework as of 2026. Vietnamese nationality regulations can be amended, and processing practices vary by province and by Vietnamese diplomatic mission. Final approval decisions rest solely with the Vietnamese authorities, and we do not act as your legal representative before them — we help you confirm your category, assemble a complete and properly legalized dossier, and track it through the process.
FAQ
Common questions
Can I become a Vietnamese citizen if I marry a Vietnamese national?
Yes. As the spouse of a Vietnamese citizen, you are exempt from the Vietnamese language requirement, the 5-year residency duration, and the livelihood proof requirement, though legal capacity and respect for Vietnamese law still apply.
Do I have to give up my original citizenship?
Not necessarily. If you fall into an eligible priority category and meet the dual-nationality conditions, you may retain your foreign nationality with the President's approval. Otherwise, renouncing your original nationality is required.
How many years must I live in Vietnam before applying?
The standard track requires 5 years of permanent residence with a valid Permanent Residence Card. This is waived entirely for spouses, children, and grandchildren of Vietnamese citizens, and for special-merit applicants.
Can I apply for Vietnamese citizenship from another country?
Yes, but only if you fall into an exempted priority category — spouse, child, or parent of a Vietnamese citizen, a Vietnamese grandparent, special merit, or a minor applying with a parent. Filing takes place at the Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate in your country of residence.
How long does Vietnamese naturalization take?
There is no single fixed timeline. Provincial verification and Ministry of Public Security checks alone can take 2-3 months combined, and the final Presidential decision stage has no statutory deadline, so total processing commonly runs from several months to well over a year.
How much does Vietnamese naturalization cost?
As of 2026, the government fee is 3,000,000 VND, payable through the National Public Service Portal's online payment system. This covers the government processing fee only, not document legalization, translation, or professional assistance.
Do I need a judicial record from Vietnam or my home country?
Only from the foreign country where you resided, issued within 90 days of filing. A Vietnam-issued judicial record certificate is no longer required under the current rules.
Can I use a proxy to submit my application?
No. Naturalization applications must be filed in person. Related procedures — restoration and renunciation of nationality — can be completed online in certain cases.
Does having a Vietnamese grandparent help my application?
Yes. Applicants with a Vietnamese grandparent are exempt from the language, residency, residency-duration, and livelihood requirements — the same exemption tier as special-merit applicants.
Is a lawyer or consultant required to apply?
No, but professional support is commonly used for dual-nationality requests, multi-country document sets, or ambiguous eligibility situations, since it reduces the risk of delays caused by document-level errors.
I'm Việt Kiều and previously lost my Vietnamese citizenship — do I naturalize or restore it?
Restore it — this is a distinct procedure (trở lại quốc tịch) from naturalizing as a foreigner, since you're reclaiming a nationality you already held rather than acquiring it for the first time. Restoration can be completed online in many cases, unlike first-time naturalization, which always requires filing in person.
Related paths
Related services for Vietnamese nationality and residency
These related pages cover the relationships and residency history that most often precede a citizenship application.
Marriage Registration in Vietnam
Marrying a Vietnamese citizen is the exemption category that removes the residency, language, and livelihood requirements.
TRC Through Marriage
Residency history on a temporary residence card often precedes an eventual naturalization application.
Vietnam Visa Exemption Certificate
A lighter-weight option for Việt Kiều and spouses who want long-term entry without naturalizing.
Considering Vietnamese citizenship?
Send us your relationship to Vietnam, current residency status, and whether dual nationality matters to you. We'll confirm your eligibility category and what your dossier needs.