Eligibility quiz
Will your biological mother or father be a Vietnamese citizen when you apply?
Benefits
Benefits for your childBenefits for your child
Vietnamese passport
Vietnamese citizens can get a Vietnamese passport for travel.
Live in Vietnam for life
Vietnamese citizenship gives a lasting right to live in Vietnam without a residence permit.
Citizens can enter and leave Vietnam, and Vietnam cannot send them to another country for trial or punishment.
Study in Vietnam
Vietnamese citizens have the right to study.
Admission, fees and financial help depend on education rules and individual circumstances.
Work in Vietnam
Vietnamese citizens can choose their occupation, job and workplace.
Paid workers have rights to fair and safe conditions, pay and rest.
Get help abroad
Vietnam protects the rights and interests of Vietnamese citizens abroad through its representatives.
Own property
Vietnamese citizens have the right to own property lawfully, with restrictions set by law.
Vote and run for office
Vietnamese citizens can vote from 18 and stand for the National Assembly or People's Councils from 21.
Some court decisions, imprisonment or loss of legal capacity can affect election rights.
Citizens also have freedoms of expression, belief and association, with limits set by law.
Access social support
Vietnamese citizens have a right to social security.
Social insurance benefits and an insurance book depend on participation and other conditions; some beneficiaries also receive health insurance.
How to apply
Applying at a local officeApplying at a local office
Find your local office
Find the Department of Justice for the province or city where your child lives in Vietnam.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “Which Vietnam Department of Justice handles citizenship applications for someone living in your city?”
Download the application forms
Download the under-18 citizenship application form TP/QT-2025-ĐXNQT.2 and the personal history form TP/QT-2025-BKLL. Download the parents’ agreement form TP/QT-2025-VBTT too if it applies to your child.
Download the formsSearches DuckDuckGo for “Where can I download the Vietnam citizenship application forms for a child under 18?”
Fill in the forms
Complete the forms for your child, attach a recent photo where requested and have the parents sign them. Your child must also sign if they are aged 15 to 17; use original signatures, not copies.
Get form helpSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I fill in the Vietnam citizenship application forms for a child under 18?”
Gather your documents
Prepare the required documents for the Department of Justice.
See required documentsHand in the application
Bring your child and three identical sets to the Department of Justice where your child lives; your child must submit the application in person. Include three originals of the application and personal history form and three copies of the supporting documents.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I submit a child's Vietnam citizenship application to the Department of Justice in your city?”
Wait for the decision
Wait while the authorities review your child’s application and the President makes a decision. Respond to the office if it asks you to correct the application or provide more information.
See what happens nextSearches DuckDuckGo for “What happens after a child's Vietnam citizenship application is submitted to the Department of Justice?”
Receive the decision
If your child is approved, follow the office’s instructions to receive the decision and complete any registration or identification steps it requests. You can then ask the office about getting your child a Vietnamese passport.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I receive a child's approved Vietnam citizenship decision from the Department of Justice in your city?”
Documents needed
Family certificates and recordsFamily certificates and records
Birth certificate
Provide a copy of your birth certificate or another official family record that shows your relationship to your parent. You can get it from the office that issued it.
Parents' written agreement *
Your parents use form TP/QT-2025-VBTT to agree in writing that you will become a Vietnamese citizen. Their signatures do not need to be certified. If a parent has died or has lost some or all of their legal capacity to make decisions, provide proof of that instead.
* Only if only one parent is applying and you live with that parent.
May need translationMay need apostille/legalisationParent's citizenship record *
Provide a copy of a document showing that your parent is a Vietnamese citizen. Ask the office that issued it for a copy if you need one.
* Only if your parent is a Vietnamese citizen.
May need translationMay need apostille/legalisationConsiderations
Things to think aboutThings to think about
Military service for men
Vietnamese men may be called up for service in peacetime from ages 18 to 25, depending on health and other conditions.
The age extends to 27 after a college or higher education postponement.
Some people qualify for an exemption or postponement.
Citizenship can be lost
Citizenship can end through approved renunciation, a treaty or another legal case.
Vietnam can take it away for seriously harming its independence, development, defence or reputation if you live abroad or became a citizen through naturalisation.
A naturalisation decision can also be cancelled within five years for deliberate false statements or forged documents.
Discuss
Online communitiesOnline communities
Vietnam Is Awesome
English Facebook group for people living in Vietnam interested in Vietnamese local life
Join on FacebookExpats In Vietnam
English Facebook group for people living in Vietnam interested in Vietnamese local life
Join on FacebookExpats in Da Nang City
English Facebook group for people living in Vietnam interested in Vietnamese local life
Join on FacebookConsultation
Talk to a professionalTalk to a professional
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