The new law streamlines the process, particularly for high-caliber professionals such as investors, scientists, and experts, allowing them to acquire Vietnamese citizenship under more favorable terms.

Applicants who have made significant contributions to Vietnam’s national development or provided benefits to the Vietnamese state will now be exempt from many prior legal requirements. These individuals may retain their foreign nationality if they meet conditions similar to those with Vietnamese relatives and receive presidential approval. Those living abroad can apply through Vietnamese embassies.

Simplified path to restore Vietnamese nationality

For individuals who have lost their Vietnamese citizenship and wish to regain it, the revised law removes all previous eligibility conditions. Previously, one had to meet one of six criteria, such as returning to reside in Vietnam, having Vietnamese relatives, or having once renounced Vietnamese citizenship without acquiring a new one.

Now, any former Vietnamese national can apply for restoration of citizenship, and applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Responding to feedback from lawmakers, the revised law allows individuals applying for Vietnamese citizenship = while retaining their original nationality = to combine Vietnamese and foreign names, enhancing international integration. Applicants will no longer be required to adopt fully Vietnamese names.

Single nationality for key roles in government and security

The law still enforces a single nationality policy for sensitive positions. Candidates nominated or appointed to posts in the Communist Party, state agencies, the Fatherland Front, political-social organizations, and core security forces must solely hold Vietnamese nationality and reside in Vietnam.

Civil servants and public employees are also required to hold only Vietnamese citizenship unless an exception benefits the Vietnamese state and does not harm national interests. These conditions will be clarified in further government regulations.

The government emphasizes that individuals in armed forces and key government positions must show absolute loyalty to the nation, justifying the single nationality requirement, while exceptions will remain possible for public servants with outstanding expertise valuable to the country.

Tran Thuong