Which documents required to buy real estate as Vietnamese?

My suggestion is to first contact the company that you got the 5yr VEC from to see if you can get dual citizenship. The 5 yr VEC is easy to get but dual citizen is not as easy as you may think. You'll need a VNese birth certificate to get dual citizen but since you were born in the US, that's not going to be possible. Or you can look up a VNese embassy online and they should have a contact email and email them asking for the requirements to be a dual citizen. I contacted the VNese embassy in Washington DC about getting dual citizenship. The man was helpful and asked for my number to talk on the phone to ask me some questions. Anyways, he sent me this link after our talk but since I have no documents from VN, I didn't go any further. Recently tried a service that helped my sister find her birth certificate but was unable to find mine. Weird!

http://vietnamembassy-usa.org/vi/basic- … u-viet-nam

Good luck!

My suggestion is to first contact the company that you got the 5yr VEC from to see if you can get dual citizenship. The 5 yr VEC is easy to get but dual citizen is not as easy as you may think. You'll need a VNese birth certificate to get dual citizen but since you were born in the US, that's not going to be possible. Or you can look up a VNese embassy online and they should have a contact email and email them asking for the requirements to be a dual citizen. I contacted the VNese embassy in Washington DC about getting dual citizenship. The man was helpful and asked for my number to talk on the phone to ask me some questions. Anyways, he sent me this link after our talk but since I have no documents from VN, I didn't go any further. Recently tried a service that helped my sister find her birth certificate but was unable to find mine. Weird!
http://vietnamembassy-usa.org/vi/basic- … u-viet-nam

Good luck!
-@qnbui

qnbui, in your experience would you consider these links to hold accurate information?

The Conditions For The Foreigners To Apply Vietnamese Citizenship (external Link)

- Have full civilization action about full capacity as the regulations of Vietnam law.

- Obey the Vietnamese constitution and laws; respect the traditions, customs and habits of Viet names ethnic.

- Know Vietnamese enough to integrate into Vietnamese community.

- Having resided in VN from 5 years up to the time of application for Vietnam naturalization.

- Having the ability to ensure life in Vietnam.

- Must renounce foreign nationality. (gak!)

- Must Have Vietnamese names, and clearly stated in the decision of citizenship application.

Some Special Cases (Link, lower down on page)

I had written the following earlier on a related thread

'From what I've been able to ascertain, a person can hold dual American (or Canadian, British, Australian etc) and Vietnamese citizenship, provided that person held Vietnamese citizenship at the time of being granted their citizenship from the second country.

However, if you are an American citizen (or Canadian, British, Australian etc) and you wish to apply for Vietnamese citizenship, your current citizenship must be renounced.

I'm happy to be corrected on this if I am wrong.

I've not done much research on this subject.'

Take what I say with a grain of salt because I am new here but with my most recent experience when my wife updated her National ID and she had to be added back to the family book the government of Dak Nong actually took the physical copy of the book from my wifes family and supposedly digitized it. Again I am just retelling this from what I was told but the family book is still technically there but its digital? When she was getting her ID the police kept saying that the family book didnt exist but litterally in the same sentence kept saying she needed to be added back to the family book lol. This was just a few months ago.

'From what I've been able to ascertain, a person can hold dual American (or Canadian, British, Australian etc) and Vietnamese citizenship, provided that person held Vietnamese citizenship at the time of being granted their citizenship from the second country.
However, if you are an American citizen (or Canadian, British, Australian etc) and you wish to apply for Vietnamese citizenship, your current citizenship must be renounced.
I'm happy to be corrected on this if I am wrong.
I've not done much research on this subject.'
-@Aidan in HCMC

That's exactly the conclusion that some of us came to a couple of years ago in a similar thread.

When you dig into the details regarding those who have dual US/VN citizenship, I've yet to read anyone claiming to have been a US citizen first (by birth or Việt Kiều naturalized) and then having gained full citizenship in Vietnam.

Based on anecdotal reports in the forum, there seem to be some Vietnamese people born in Vietnam (but living in the USA on a Green Card) who were able to regain their Vietnamese citizenship, since they didn't need to renounce US citizenship they'd never been granted.

The only dual VN/US citizenship stories I've read have been about Vietnamese citizens who traveled to the USA and eventually became US citizens while also retaining their Vietnam citizenship.

This thread has some information

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=918873

Many thanks for all the replies and link to the other thread. I think I can get citizenship by descent and keep my US citizenship. First step is getting my mother's VN birth certificate. I will keep this thread updated with any progress and prices. One US-born poster said a law firm quoted 90 million for the passport in one year. Another said that Ken Duong quoted $1500 for the passport (extra $500 to get it in 3 weeks) and another $1500 for the national id and family book.

The goal is to buy real estate, I'm just wondering if the national id and family book are necessary. I don't have a Vietnamese name or speak Vietnamese, so we shall see.

Take what I say with a grain of salt because I am new here but with my most recent experience when my wife updated her National ID and she had to be added back to the family book the government of Dak Nong actually took the physical copy of the book from my wifes family and supposedly digitized it. Again I am just retelling this from what I was told but the family book is still technically there but its digital? When she was getting her ID the police kept saying that the family book didnt exist but litterally in the same sentence kept saying she needed to be added back to the family book lol. This was just a few months ago.
-@jrharvey

Thanks, I read something similar that the family book is now digital and connected to the national id. So I guess I'll have to get added to a family book but it will be encoded on the national id.

I think I can get citizenship by descent and keep my US citizenship.

I'm genuinely curious, so I must ask. How? What would your legal strategy/argument be? Are there points in your favour for being considered a "Special Case"?(Link)

The goal is to buy real estate, I'm just wondering if the national id and family book are necessary. I don't have a Vietnamese name or speak Vietnamese, so we shall see.
-@lastresort

I've admittedly not done a great deal of research on this subject, but I do know that the intended use of a property will require approval from both local and regional authorities. What purpose do you intend to use the land for in order to acquire the LUR (Land Use Right)? I say "acquire", not "buy". Your intended use may have a bearing on your being granted the LUR.

I invite you to read our sticky thread, titled "Socialist Republic of Vietnam Land Use Regulations "(Link), specifically

#1.  Land Use Rights and Land Use Right Certificate

• Private ownership of land is not permitted in Vietnam and the (Vietnamese) people hold all ownership rights with the State as the administrator.

If you are looking to purchase property as an investment, pay special attention to

#4. Land Price

• Land Price is determined in three ways:

...The Government determines land price based on the actual value of the land under normal circumstances.

(It is my understanding that this gov't control over pricing extends to resale of LURs).

Also, see details found under

#7.    Sale of Apartments

There's quite a bit of info found in that thread. It would certainly be worth your time, if you haven't already done so, to read it in its entirety.

Thank you for your intention to keep us updated on your progress, lastresort. We appreciate it very much. Both your intention to retain your US citizenship and your wish to acquire property are subjects which will be of great interest to expat.com members and casual readers of the forum alike.

I think I can get citizenship by descent and keep my US citizenship.I'm genuinely curious, so I must ask. How? What would your legal strategy/argument be? Are there points in your favour for being considered a Special Case?(Link)Citizenship by descent is a special case where you provide the VN birth certificates of your parents. All the other requirements on the linked page are for citizenship by naturalization. For descent however, one person told me that both parents need to be born in VN and then someone else said that at least your father needs to be born in VN. Only my mother was born in VN so I may be out of luck. I'll keep this thread updated when I find out more.

@lastresort

So, you were born in America, have an English name and can't speak Vietnamese, there is no way you can get Vietnamese citizenship. You have been asking this question since 2021.

@lastresort
So, you were born in America, have an English name and can't speak Vietnamese, there is no way you can get Vietnamese citizenship. You have been asking this question since 2021.
-@cougarcar20

Might be a chance yet.

Issuing identity cards for people of Vietnamese origin

without papers is necessary and humane

(Link to Google auto translate)

"Without identification, people of Vietnamese origin living in Vietnam still stand on the margins of society

An issue of concern to many delegates is the issuance of identity cards to people of Vietnamese origin who are living in Vietnam but have not yet determined their nationality. According to the explanation report of the Ministry of Public Security, this is a weak group of people who have no birth or death registration, are not managed, so they have difficulty in living, studying, and have few opportunities to work. Therefore, it is necessary to issue an ID card to manage them, help them have papers to live, travel, and stabilize their lives."

However, apparently lastresort retaining that US citizenship will be possible only "...if it is allowed by the President"(link). "Allowed", meaning by way of a presidential decree and signature.

I have first hand experience with this. I was able to buy a home in VN with just a VN passport. I received the red title for the home in my name.

I have first hand experience with this. I was able to buy a home in VN with just a VN passport. I received the red title for the home in my name.
-@phucarl

I'm not at all surprised. You are, after all, a citizen of Vietnam.

But didn't you also have to supply your identity card?

And what of your family book? Are now registered as residing at the home you purchased?

Thank you for the report.

@Aidan in HCMC

At the time I bought the house I only had a VN passport no ID. I was a US citizen who applied for a VN passport because i was born in VN.. I don't have a family book.

Yes I'm registered and live in the house.