Dual citizenship: can Vietnamese nationals keep two nationalities?

Dual nationality in Vietnam's nationality principle

Nationality is a legal relationship linking an individual to a state, accompanied by two-way rights and obligations. Vietnamese law sets out the principle of one nationality: Basically, Vietnamese citizens only have Vietnamese nationality. However, that principle does not operate absolutely in all circumstances, because the practice of migration, cross-border marriage and international investment has created situations that competent authorities must consider separately.

It is in that space that the phenomenon of dual nationality exists in reality. The important thing for readers to understand is: The principle of one nationality does not mean that every case of dual nationality is considered a violation, and it also does not mean that anyone who wants to hold dual nationality is approved. Between these two extremes lies a procedural zone, where each application is assessed according to the specific circumstances of the applicant.

The most prudent approach is to consider the principle of one nationality as the default starting point, while exceptions such as narrow doors need to be opened through formal procedures. This article describes the general mechanism at the principle level; For all specific legal details, readers should look up directly at the Consular Department – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam or Vietnamese representative agencies abroad.

Amended Nationality Law 2025: dual citizenship door is expanded

The above picture of principles has just had an important change that readers need to update. The Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Vietnamese Nationality – Law No. 79/2025/QH15 – effective from July 1, 2025, has significantly expanded the possibility of holding dual nationality compared to the 2008 Nationality Law. The principle of one nationality is still the default starting point, but the group of exceptions is now wider and the procedures are more convenient than before.

According to Clause 6, Article 1 of the amended law, applicants for Vietnamese nationality are allowed to simultaneously hold foreign nationality if permitted by the President and fall into one of the following cases:

• have a spouse, or biological children who are Vietnamese citizens;
• whose biological father or mother, or paternal grandparents, or maternal grandparents are Vietnamese citizens — in which case grandparents are a new addition;
• have special meritorious contributions to the cause of building and protecting the Fatherland;
• beneficial to the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam;
• is a minor applying for naturalization under his or her father or mother.

Holding foreign nationality in the above cases comes with two conditions: Must be in accordance with the laws of that foreign country, and must not use foreign nationality to harm the rights and interests of the Vietnamese State, organizations and individuals. This is a boundary that the law still retains even after expanding the dual citizenship door.

The amended law also eases the procedures. According to Clause 7, Article 1, people residing abroad can now submit their application for naturalization at the Vietnamese representative agency in the host country, instead of being required to submit it through the domestic Department of Justice as prescribed by the 2008 Law. Document requirements are also lighter, but in two different procedures and can easily be combined: Applications for renunciation of nationality now no longer require a Criminal Record Certificate issued by a Vietnamese agency, while applications for restoration of nationality have the paperwork removed. Prove eligibility according to Clause 1, Article 23 of the 2008 Law. For the Vietnamese community abroad who want to enter or return to Vietnamese nationality while still retaining their current nationality, these are changes of direct practical significance.

However, being allowed to keep does not mean automatically being kept: Each case still depends on the decision of the competent authority on the basis of specific records. Readers should directly read Law No. 79/2025/QH15 along with guiding decrees and circulars, or ask Vietnamese representative agencies, before developing a plan based on this new regulation.

Keep Vietnamese nationality when acquiring foreign nationality

This is the most common scenario leading to dual nationality: A Vietnamese person completes the naturalization procedure in another country and wishes not to lose his or her original nationality. In principle, retaining Vietnamese nationality in this situation does not happen automatically just because the person wishes to do so. It depends on the procedures and decisions of the competent authority, based on the documents and circumstances presented by the applicant.

Many people mistakenly believe that as long as no one collects their Vietnamese passport, they of course still have their citizenship. In fact, nationality status is a legal fact recorded in the records of state agencies, not a consequence of a passport remaining in a drawer. Passport is a document proving nationality; it reflects the legal situation but does not create it.

At the same time, readers also need to check the opposite direction: Whether the law of the new country accepts dual citizenship or not. Some countries allow new citizens to keep their old nationality, others require renunciation as a condition of naturalization. If two legal systems set conflicting requirements, insiders are forced to choose, and that choice should be considered before filing, not after taking the oath.

Relinquishing one's nationality is different from retaining one's nationality

These two concepts are often used interchangeably in everyday conversations, but they are essentially opposites. Maintaining Vietnamese nationality is maintaining an existing legal relationship with the Vietnamese State, even if one has foreign nationality. Giving up Vietnamese nationality is proactively terminating that relationship through a separate procedure, ending with a decision of a competent authority.

The consequences of the two options are very different. People who still have Vietnamese nationality are still Vietnamese citizens before Vietnamese law, with full corresponding rights and obligations. A person who has renounced his/her nationality becomes a foreigner in relation to the Vietnamese State, and from that point on, many rights associated with citizenship will be evaluated according to the framework for foreigners. This is a boundary that readers should not speculate on.

It should be further noted that renunciation of nationality is a conditional procedure, not a unilateral declaration. Submitting an application does not necessarily mean it will be approved, and the competent authority may consider many factors before making a decision. On the contrary, a person who believes that he or she has lost Vietnamese citizenship just because he or she has naturalized elsewhere may also be misunderstanding his or her true legal status.

A notable practice point is paperwork. Whatever the case, insiders should keep all decisions, confirmations and receipts issued by competent authorities, because this is the basis to prove nationality status when needed. The memories of relatives, the words of acquaintances, or speculation from keeping old documents have no legal value. When documents are lost, contacting the competent authority for confirmation is often a necessary step.

If you have dual nationality, which passport should you use to enter the country?

This is the most practical question that dual nationality holders encounter, and is also where many problems arise at immigration control counters. The general principle applied by many systems is: When entering and leaving a country of which one is a citizen, one presents documents issued by that country. The consistency between documents used at entry and exit is something that needs special attention.

The problem arises when a person enters with one document and then exits with another, creating a mismatched travel history in the system. The consequences can be lengthy questions at the border, requests for explanations, or problems with your residency status. For people with dual nationality, planning each trip in advance often saves much more time than handling situations right at the airport.

Points that readers should proactively clarify before each trip:

• Which documents are used when entering and exiting each relevant country?
• Validity status of both sets of documents, avoiding cases where one side is about to expire.
• Visa requirements or documents proving Vietnamese origin, if any.
• Regulations of the transit country, which may differ from the final destination.

Tax obligations and property ownership

A persistent misconception is that nationality determines tax liability. In fact, most tax systems in the world determine obligations based on tax residence status, that is, where the individual actually lives and has major economic connections, not simply based on the passport. There are notable exceptions, but they are the exception rather than the general rule, and need to be verified on a country-by-country basis.

This means that having dual citizenship does not automatically create tax filing obligations in both places, nor does it automatically exempt you from the obligation anywhere. People with income or assets spread across multiple countries should review their tax residency status according to each country's criteria, and find out whether there is an agreement between the two countries to avoid double taxation, and the scope of that agreement.

Regarding property ownership, especially real estate, many legal systems distinguish between citizens and foreigners in terms of the scope of rights held. Therefore, whether or not you still have Vietnamese citizenship can directly affect your ability to name assets in Vietnam. This is why readers should clearly determine their nationality status before signing any property transaction.

In addition to taxes payable, people with dual citizenship often have administrative declaration obligations, such as declaring accounts or assets abroad according to the requirements of the country of tax residence. These requirements vary from system to system and may change over time. Omitting a reporting obligation, even if it does not result in any additional tax, can lead to undesirable consequences. This is a part of the job that should be reviewed with an expert who understands both systems involved.

Consular protection and its limits

Consular protection is a country's support for its citizens when they encounter difficulties abroad, to the extent permitted by international law and practice. For dual nationals, this mechanism has an important limitation that is often overlooked: When a person is on the territory of the country of which they are also a citizen, the ability of the other country to intervene is often significantly narrowed.

In other words, dual citizenship does not automatically double the level of protection. In many situations, the host country tends to treat the litigant primarily as its own citizen, and that can limit the role of the other country's representation. This is a point that readers should understand correctly from the beginning, instead of expecting a wider safety net than reality.

From a practical perspective, registering information with Vietnamese representative agencies abroad, keeping in touch and updating personal documents are still useful steps. They don't change the limits above, but make contact and verification faster when there's an issue. Information about the representative agency system is published on the information page of the Consular Department.

Another aspect that is rarely mentioned is the obligations associated with citizenship. When a person is still a Vietnamese citizen, the obligations that Vietnamese law imposes on citizens are still considered according to that framework, regardless of where that person lives or what nationality they hold. In the opposite direction, the second country also has its own system of obligations. Dual citizenship should therefore be understood as two parallel sets of rights and obligations, not two layers of cumulative benefits.

What to verify before taking action

The topic of dual citizenship has a characteristic that makes it risky: Information spread in the community often comes from personal experience, at different times, under different circumstances. A case that was resolved favorably a few years ago does not guarantee that a similar filing today will have an identical outcome. Regulations are subject to change, and application may vary between applications.

Therefore, the logical order is: Determine your current nationality status using official sources first, then consider options. Reversing this order—decide first, verify later—is the source of much of the trouble insiders encounter. For cases with complex elements such as cross-border marriage or children born abroad, consulting with a licensed immigration attorney is a prudent step.

Minimum checklist before taking action:

• Look up official information at the Consular Department or Vietnamese representative agency at your place of residence.
• Verify the dual citizenship regulations of the country where you intend to naturalize.
• Review tax residence status and arising declaration obligations.
• Compare the property ownership plan with the expected legal status after naturalization.
• Maintain complete records, decisions and receipts related to all procedures performed.

Finally, let me reiterate: This article describes the general mechanism at a principle level and is not legal advice. Regulations relating to nationality may be amended from time to time, and only competent authorities can make official conclusions about an individual's nationality status. Readers should consider all information here as a starting point for asking the right questions, not as a final answer.