passport question

For you or a VN citizen?

is it possible to have both a UK passport and a VN passport at the same time?
-@drybones

1. A foreigner must become a citizen in order to obtain a passport.

2. In order to become a citizen, the foreigner must renounce their foreign citizenship

Sounds a lot like "no" to me:

CONDITIONS FOR FOREIGNERS TO APPLY FOR VIETNAMESE CITIZENSHIP (link for info only: NOT an official government website)

If you mean can a VN passport holder have dual? then yes as long as they fit the requirements of UK citizen.

There for 5 years no more than 450 days out in that period language tests etc.

Vietnam also allows Dual passports

Dual Citizenship Vietnam

Vietnamese citizenship is primarily based upon the principle of jus sanguinis (right of blood).

Vietnam has permitted dual citizenship under limited circumstances since July 1, 2009. Certain foreigners and overseas Vietnamese can apply for dual citizenship.

UK is not like America UK can have Dual (I have UK & Australian)

So if the person has a right to a VN passport and already has a UK then there is no reason they would have to give up the UK passport.

If you mean can a VN passport holder have dual? then yes as long as they fit the requirements of UK citizen.
There for 5 years no more than 450 days out in that period language tests etc.

Vietnam also allows Dual passports

Dual Citizenship Vietnam
Vietnamese citizenship is primarily based upon the principle of jus sanguinis (right of blood).

Vietnam has permitted dual citizenship under limited circumstances since July 1, 2009. Certain foreigners and overseas Vietnamese can apply for dual citizenship.

UK is not like America UK can have Dual (I have UK & Australian)

So if the person has a right to a VN passport and already has a UK then there is no reason they would have to give up the UK passport.
-@AndyHCMC

And then we get this, from the Canadian Gov't website, travel.gc.ca

"Dual citizenship

Dual citizenship is not legally recognized in Vietnam.

If local authorities (even?) consider you a citizen of Vietnam, they may refuse to grant you access to Canadian consular services. This will prevent us from providing you with those services."

source: https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/vietnam (official gov't of Canada site)

This post is not in any way an endorsement of the Gov't of Canada "Vietnam travel advice" page (or any other of their "...travel advice" pages, for that matter).

I provide it only as an indicator of what is being told to the people of Canada, especially Canadian Viet kieu, about Vietnam dual citizenship.

Typical Vietnam one question many answers, I know for fact if you have UK passport you can get Australian because I have Australian citizenship and have both passports, and I went back to UK entered on my UK and then entered back into Australian on my Australian.

Dual USA link

Dual UK citizen info link

I do know its hard for anyone except VN to get a VN citizenship as stated above (unless you fancy fighting for them)

One website says yes under special circumstances since 209 and another says its prohibited.

is it possible to have both a UK passport and a VN passport at the same time?
-@drybones

From what I have been told over the years, yes, a person can hold both a UK and a VN passport, provided the person holds a VN passport prior to application for a UK passport.

I've understood this to mean that the UK (and many, many other) gov't may issue a passport to a VN citizen, and not require that citizen to renounce their VN citizenship.

I want to stress that this is simply my personal understanding, and is not a legal opinion. Check with the appropriate gov't authorities of both countries for a definitive answer.

is it possible to have both a UK passport and a VN passport at the same time?
-@drybones

From what I have been told over the years, yes, a person can hold both a UK and a VN passport, provided the person holds a VN passport prior to application for a UK passport.
I've understood this to mean that the UK (and many, many other) gov't may issue a passport to a VN citizen, and not require that citizen to renounce their VN citizenship.

I want to stress that this is simply my personal understanding, and is not a legal opinion. Check with the appropriate gov't authorities of both countries for a definitive answer.
-@Aidan in HCMC

Makes sense looking at the UK site, they said dont have to give up citizenship, so maybe UK can.

The website has a link to check and look into so maybe thats the next step

An important point none of us have highlighted so far (from the link I shared above):

"Foreign citizens who (are) permanently residing in Vietnam are granted permanent residence card. They can acquire Vietnam nationality..."

So this (citizenship required for passport)  isn't something that can be applied for while using a 5 year VEC (as the OP historically does).

A foreigner would need to first establish PERMANENT residency, which first requires a period of temporary residency, not the non-resident guest status afforded by a Visa Exemption Certificate.

As Rick (Budman) once pointed out in a different thread, that's not a simple process that can be done on a whim.

Vietnam obviously wants to see a LONG commitment to residency in this country before allowing a foreigner to claim Vietnamese nationality.

For an explanation to my question - my wife is vietnamese who had a vn passport.

after our marriage she came to the uk and eventually became a uk citizen. On obtaining a uk passport she allowed her vn passport to expire. She started using the 5 year VEC for trips back to vn. She does not want to lose her uk passport and renewing the VEC has become quite a hassle. So she thought getting her vn passport renewed would be an easier option.

the london embassy has not responded to emails asking for information.

in the past the vec renewal system was simple. Documents were sent to the embassy by post. Now a personal appearance has to be made with the documents. This is very expensive and time consuming as we are more than 800 miles from the embassy.

For an explanation to my question - my wife is vietnamese who had a vn passport.
after our marriage she came to the uk and eventually became a uk citizen. On obtaining a uk passport she allowed her vn passport to expire. She started using the 5 year VEC for trips back to vn. She does not want to lose her uk passport and renewing the VEC has become quite a hassle. So she thought getting her vn passport renewed would be an easier option.
the london embassy has not responded to emails asking for information.
in the past the vec renewal system was simple. Documents were sent to the embassy by post. Now a personal appearance has to be made with the documents. This is very expensive and time consuming as we are more than 800 miles from the embassy.
-@drybones

Have a look here some useful info on renewing passport

@AndyHCMC thanks for the info

the fee seems to be a big secret. I have asked many times for the fee for a VEC. On the rare occasion i had a response it was  - look on the website. Of course there is no info there.

For an explanation to my question - my wife is vietnamese who had a vn passport.
after our marriage she came to the uk and eventually became a uk citizen. On obtaining a uk passport she allowed her vn passport to expire. She started using the 5 year VEC for trips back to vn. She does not want to lose her uk passport and renewing the VEC has become quite a hassle. So she thought getting her vn passport renewed would be an easier option.
the london embassy has not responded to emails asking for information.
in the past the vec renewal system was simple. Documents were sent to the embassy by post. Now a personal appearance has to be made with the documents. This is very expensive and time consuming as we are more than 800 miles from the embassy.
-@drybones

According to the Google translations of these web pages on the website of the UK Embassy of Vietnam, a "3rd party" can be authorized to submit paperwork and payment at the embassy for passport or VEC, if you/your wife are unable to do it yourself:

Expired Passport Renewal

5 Year VEC Application

Side question:

Is your wife helping you with the process & gathering information?

I know my wife resists making any necessary official inquiries on our behalf.

I've come to realize that it's very common for Vietnamese women to be quite reticent about making any official inquiries with the police or other government agencies.

When it came to getting our marriage paperwork and my TRC application sorted, I was fortunate to have an expat friend with a Vietnamese wife who had recently successfully gone through both processes.

If it hadn't been for them and some input from my HCMC attorney, we'd still be single.

Anyway, good luck in getting the new passport for her and renewing your VEC before next September.

@AndyHCMC thanks for the info
the fee seems to be a big secret. I have asked many times for the fee for a VEC. On the rare occasion i had a response it was - look on the website. Of course there is no info there.
-@drybones

The embassy website refers users to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, where it says "The fee for granting a visa exemption certificate is USD 10..."

That price seems to be the same worldwide, as that's what forum friend Ciambella paid for her/husband's new VECs this past Spring, 2022.

As you noted in August of 2017, the cost was then £19 including postage, so unless postage rates have significantly changed, that's probably a good approximation of the final cost for you.

For an explanation to my question - my wife is vietnamese who had a vn passport.
after our marriage she came to the uk and eventually became a uk citizen. On obtaining a uk passport she allowed her vn passport to expire. She started using the 5 year VEC for trips back to vn. She does not want to lose her uk passport and renewing the VEC has become quite a hassle. So she thought getting her vn passport renewed would be an easier option.
the london embassy has not responded to emails asking for information.
in the past the vec renewal system was simple. Documents were sent to the embassy by post. Now a personal appearance has to be made with the documents. This is very expensive and time consuming as we are more than 800 miles from the embassy.
-@drybones

Have a look here some useful info on renewing passport
-@AndyHCMC

Wondering, where you wife is a citizen of Vietnam. Where your wife is a citizen of Viet Nam. As A Vietnamese Citizen, 'right of blood' she is entitled to a Vietnamese Passport, am I correct? So if traveling to UK, she uses UK Passport. If traveling from UK to Viet Nam, she uses Viet Nam Passport?

I am not sure here, but seems to make sense.

However, .....................................

MAc

@Drybones Try giving them a ring for the fee

Embassy of S.R. Vietnam in the UK

12-14 Victoria Road

London W8 5RD

Telephone enquires: Monday to Friday 9:30 to 12:30 and 15:30 to 17:00

Tel: 020 7937 1912

Embassy replied to my VEC fee enquiry,

£10 - marvellous :-)

@Mac68 Technically because my wife has a UK passport which states her nationality is British Citizen I am not sure if she is also a Vietnamese citizen.

I will ask the embassy when we go to get our VECs

@Mac68 Technically because my wife has a UK passport which states her nationality is British Citizen I am not sure if she is also a Vietnamese citizen.
I will ask the embassy when we go to get our VECs
-@drybones

If she was born in Viet Nam. Has birth certificate, a family there, family book there.

Then she is also a citizen of Viet Nam. As my wife is a citizen of Viet Nam, she became a citizen of the USA.

MAc 

@OceanBeach92107 I have also noticed a marked reluctance in my wife to dealt with any officialdom.

I use google to translate stuff but it is not 100% perfect

She was born in VN, has birth certificate, has family there but I know nothing about family book.

She has been in UK for more than 20 years and only visits family once or twice a year so I doubt her name will be in any book.

She was born in VN, has birth certificate, has family there but I know nothing about family book.
She has been in UK for more than 20 years and only visits family once or twice a year so I doubt her name will be in any book.
-@drybones

Drybones,

Bingo, I just thought of something. MY wife and I have an address in Viet Nam. Also, ours is a more current case.

As far as your wife not wanting nothing to do with officialdom stuff. I can understand.

However, my wife being as hard headed as she is, she seems to be able to push her way through this stuff, ... rather gracefully at that.

However, where your wife has a home town, the village, Province, City, what ever, she should be able to get a passport from  Viet Nam. She should not need a VEC, ...I don't think so anyway. Your case is interesting to say the least.

Maybe some others here can be of greater help on the Forum, Aiden, or OB, or others. Again, as a citizen of Viet Nam a VEC for your wife seems interesting, to say the least. I pray you can get more clarity from the embassy, Both UK and Viet Nam. 

Best of every thing to you and yours,

MAc

For an explanation to my question - my wife is vietnamese who had a vn passport.
after our marriage she came to the uk and eventually became a uk citizen. On obtaining a uk passport she allowed her vn passport to expire. She started using the 5 year VEC for trips back to vn. She does not want to lose her uk passport and renewing the VEC has become quite a hassle. So she thought getting her vn passport renewed would be an easier option.
the london embassy has not responded to emails asking for information.
in the past the vec renewal system was simple. Documents were sent to the embassy by post. Now a personal appearance has to be made with the documents. This is very expensive and time consuming as we are more than 800 miles from the embassy.
-@drybones

Hi drybones. I agree with Mac68's comment above.

I would suggest your wife reach out to some family members here to confirm the location of the family book in which, I would wager, she is still registered. My understanding is that deletion from a family book is done only after a VN person has registered a new home address (in VN) and is then provided with a new family book reflecting their new address, with the name of that person and any/all family members residing there. Even though she left 20 years ago, she should be still included in that book. I'm stating this as second-hand knowledge, so best to have her confirm with her family here where, and in which, family book she is registered.

And with regard to VN citizenship, (and again, this is my understanding)  unless she made an application to renounce her VN citizenship, and her application to renounce was accepted by the VN gov't, she will still be seen as a VN citizen and will be entitled to the same benefits as any other VN (same benefits, and same obligations), which of course includes issuance of a VN passport. Renunciation of VN citizenship is subject to gov't approval.

We'd very much appreciate, as Mac68 and others have stated, hearing back from you on this. Very interesting subject matter.

@OceanBeach92107 I have also noticed a marked reluctance in my wife to dealt with any officialdom.
I use google to translate stuff but it is not 100% perfect
-@drybones

It's common, I'm afraid.

See here for my most recent reminder of what looks all the world to be heavily ingrained subserviance(!). To say that she and I are polar opposites in terms of our expectations when dealing with public servants/gov't employees, would be an understatement.