Acquiring Another Citizenship While Retaining Vietnamese Citizenship: No Application Needed, Just Keep Your Documents

Quick Summary: A Vietnamese citizen acquiring citizenship of another country does not automatically lose Vietnamese citizenship; they only lose it if they themselves request renunciation, are stripped of it, or fall under limited legal grounds. Therefore, there is no "application to retain citizenship" that you need to submit. What you actually need to do is: verify whether your new country requires you to renounce your previous citizenship, and ensure your Vietnamese citizenship documentation remains valid.

The most common question we hear from clients newly approved for Caribbean citizenship is: "Where do I file an application to retain my Vietnamese citizenship?" The answer surprises many: there is no such application for your situation.

But "no application needed" does not mean "nothing to do." People rarely lose rights in Vietnam because the law strips them away; they lose them because they let their Vietnamese passport expire for years, lose their original birth certificate, or choose the wrong country that requires citizenship renunciation. This article covers each specific issue.

Note: This article is for informational purposes and does not replace legal advice. Vietnamese citizenship law has been amended multiple times, most recently effective July 1, 2025; you should consult the current text before making decisions.

Will I lose Vietnamese citizenship if I acquire citizenship of another country?

Vietnamese citizenship law upholds the principle of "one nationality except where the law otherwise provides." Many readers stop here and conclude that holding a second citizenship means losing Vietnamese citizenship. Reading further reveals a different picture.

The law explicitly lists the grounds for losing Vietnamese citizenship: voluntary renunciation, deprivation, revocation of a citizenship grant decision, and certain cases under international treaties. "Acquiring citizenship of another country" is not on that list. In other words, your Vietnamese citizenship remains intact unless you personally go through the renunciation process.

The article How Much Dual Citizenship Does Vietnam Allow analyzes the legal language in more detail. Here we focus on documentation and procedures.

So what is the "citizenship retention registration" people keep mentioning?

That is an old provision under the 2008 Citizenship Law for Vietnamese who had settled abroad before 2009: they had to register with a Vietnamese diplomatic mission within 5 years to retain citizenship. This 5-year deadline was eliminated by the 2014 amendment and replaced with a procedure to confirm Vietnamese citizenship for those lacking documentation.

Those newly acquiring a second citizenship through investment today do not fall into that category. If someone charges you to "process an application to retain citizenship," ask them exactly which procedure they are referring to and under which legal provision.

Step One: Does Your New Country Require You to Renounce Your Old Citizenship?

Vietnamese law permits dual citizenship, but whether your new country does is a separate matter. This is what actually determines your path.

Caribbean investment countries all permit dual citizenship and do not notify the home country. The main risk lies with those pursuing long-term residency paths followed by naturalization in Asia or some European countries. A comprehensive country-by-country list is in our article Which Countries Permit Dual Citizenship and Which Require Renunciation.

One question to ask your advisor: "Has this country changed its dual citizenship policy in the past decade, and if so, are those who naturalized before the change affected?"

Vietnamese Citizenship Documentation: Which Papers to Keep and How

When you need to prove you remain a Vietnamese citizen—for example, during inheritance procedures, marriage registration, or passport renewal at a Vietnamese diplomatic mission—authorities will ask for one of the following:

• Birth certificate (original or certified extract), along with citizenship documentation of parents if required.
• Citizen identification card / ID card that remains valid.
• Vietnamese passport that has not expired.
• Decision to grant or restore Vietnamese citizenship (if applicable).

The habits we recommend clients establish immediately after receiving a new passport:

• [ ] Renew your Vietnamese passport before it has less than 12 months validity remaining. An expired passport does not cause loss of citizenship, but it slows down all procedures.
• [ ] Obtain several certified birth certificate extracts for each family member and store them with your new passport.
• [ ] Take digital copies and save them of your ID card and old passports (even expired ones—do not discard).
• [ ] Check that your name spelling is exactly identical on your new passport and your Vietnamese passport (tone marks or lack thereof, order of given name and family name).
• [ ] Record the passport numbers and issue dates of both citizenships in a family reference table.

The name field deserves attention. Caribbean passports typically print names without diacritics in given-name-first order, while Vietnamese documents show diacritics with family-name-first order. When handling real estate or banking documents in Vietnam, this difference sometimes requires you to obtain a letter confirming "you are one person."

If You Must Renounce Vietnamese Citizenship: The Actual Process and Timeline

If your new country requires proof of renunciation, you will file an application. Submit it to the Provincial Department of Justice where you reside (if in Vietnam) or to a Vietnamese diplomatic mission abroad, which forwards it to the Ministry of Justice, with final decision made by the President.

A typical application includes:

1. Renunciation request form (official template).
2. Copies of your passport, ID card, or citizenship documentation.
3. Documentation confirming you are in process of acquiring foreign citizenship or have been assured of approval (unless that country's law does not require it).
4. Criminal record clearance.
5. Tax clearance certificate; civil servants, military personnel may need additional documentation from their agencies.

While the law specifies timeframes for each step, the combined process in practice typically takes months. We recommend planning for at least 6 months and avoiding having your foreign application deadline fall in the middle of that period. Instructions on obtaining the criminal record clearance in the correct format are in our separate article on that topic.

Downsides of Dual Citizenship That Few Mention Beforehand

Retaining Vietnamese citizenship benefits most families. However, there are consequences you should understand from the start:

• In Vietnam, you are a Vietnamese citizen. By international convention, your second country has limited consular protection for you while you are in Vietnam, where you also hold citizenship. Your Grenada passport is not a "shield" while in Vietnam.
• Some public sector positions require Vietnamese citizenship only. The 2025 amendment to the Citizenship Law effective July 1, 2025 establishes this principle for candidates, elected officials, and those appointed or hired for certain positions, except as otherwise provided by law. Anyone working in or planning to enter the public sector should clarify this with a lawyer before acquiring a second citizenship.
• Civic duties remain in place, including those under specialized laws. For families with sons of military age, this is a question to ask a lawyer, not to rely on a salesman's reassurance.
• Tax obligations do not change simply because you hold an additional passport. We do not provide tax advice; read our article If You Have Foreign Documents, Where Do You File Taxes and consult a tax specialist.

Entering and Exiting Vietnam With Dual Citizenship

The practical rule: Vietnamese citizens should use Vietnamese documents to enter and exit Vietnam. If you enter Vietnam on a foreign passport, you are treated as a foreigner at immigration: you need a visa or visa-free entry qualification, and your stay is limited per that passport's terms.

Many people become accustomed to using their new passport for every flight, then discover later when signing documents in Vietnam that their immigration record shows them as a foreigner who entered on a Grenada passport. It is a small matter but requires explanation. Detailed guidance by port of entry is in our article Which Passport to Use for Entry and Exit With Dual Citizenship.

What You Do NOT Need to Do

To save money and effort, here are things we see clients often sold that are not actually required for Caribbean dual citizenship:

• No need to file an "application to retain citizenship."
• No requirement to surrender your Vietnamese passport when you receive a new one.
• No need to reissue your child's birth certificate simply because you acquired a second citizenship. If your child is born after you hold dual citizenship, that is a different matter—see our article Adding a Child Born Later to Your Citizenship Documentation.

If you remain uncertain about which passport opens which doors, you can test our passport comparison tool or read our Vietnam country guide to see where the Vietnamese passport currently ranks.

Next Steps

Before signing with any program, ask your advisor one question and request a written answer: "Does this country require me to renounce my Vietnamese citizenship, either now or when I naturalize later?" If the answer is "no," your only remaining task is keeping your Vietnamese passport valid and storing sufficient birth certificate extracts for your family.

If the answer is "yes," establish a renunciation timeline with at least 6 months of cushion, then count forward to when you must submit documents to the other country.