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TomGiang

Hi, I’m a US citizen who recently met someone from Vietnam and fell in love with her within 2 years of communication, couple months ago I went to Vietnam for a month to meet her and her whole family. I plan to marry her but can’t do the paperwork til I go back in July. Now she is currently 18 weeks pregnant and we are not married yet.

I was informed and also read that I can’t register my name on the child birth certificate unless we are both married while some say that a DNA test is first required. I’m not sure which is true, my fiancé told me that we needed to have official marriage papers in order for me to register my name on our child birth certificate. She is due in the first 2 weeks of July. Can someone please help me with this? I’m currently doing research and finding other with these experiences. She lives in Nha Trang Vietnam.

twostep

"Was informed" does not say much. Have you contacted the Vietnamese Embassy closest to you and the US Embassy closest to her? Have you contacted an attorney familiar with such cases? Generally initial consultations are free of charge. If Google does not help - try Martindale.com.

Ciambella

TomGiang wrote:

I was informed and also read that I can’t register my name on the child birth certificate unless we are both married while some say that a DNA test is first required. I’m not sure which is true, my fiancé told me that we needed to have official marriage papers in order for me to register my name on our child birth certificate.


As long as you and your fiancée (with an extra e, unless your future spouse is a man) officially recognise the child as your 'con ngoài giá thú' (child born out of wedlock), your name can be on the birth certificate.  (The term 'con ngoài giá thú' will not be noted on the birth certificate, so no worries that the child will carry a stigma for life.)

This is an excerpt from MinhGia Law Firm in Hanoi:

"Bạn và vợ bạn chưa đăng ký kết hôn, trường hợp của bạn là khai sinh cho con ngoài giá thú, bạn phải làm thủ tục nhận con. Nếu bạn nhận đứa trẻ là con ruột của bạn vào thời điểm đăng ký khai sinh, thì trong giấy khai sinh bạn sẽ được ghi đầy đủ thông tin của người cha và mẹ."

A law firm in Saigon confirms the answer above:  ThuKyLuat.vn

If you need clarification after running those pages through Google Translate, let me know.

TomGiang

Thank you, I will look more into and yes you are eight, fiancee... but auto correct don’t have that listed.. so as long I agree and she consent that it’s my baby it’s okay to have my name on the birth certificate and with proof of my citizenship from the US, that baby can have a western name? Is blood DNA also required? I was told by some that a DNA blood test is required to show proof that I’m the father but I’m not sure how that all works in Vietnam Nha trang, she will be giving birth at A international hospital..

TomGiang

I haven’t checked the embassy since I worked a lot and my time is very limited.. I was told by couple people and also google and everything was different experience.. I will check the website about it... my future spouse was told by her aunts that we need to be married in order for me to be on the baby birth certificate...

TomGiang

Ciambella wrote:
TomGiang wrote:

I was informed and also read that I can’t register my name on the child birth certificate unless we are both married while some say that a DNA test is first required. I’m not sure which is true, my fiancé told me that we needed to have official marriage papers in order for me to register my name on our child birth certificate.


As long as you and your fiancée (with an extra e, unless your future spouse is a man) officially recognise the child as your 'con ngoài giá thú' (child born out of wedlock), your name can be on the birth certificate.  (The term 'con ngoài giá thú' will not be noted on the birth certificate, so no worries that the child will carry a stigma for life.)

This is an excerpt from MinhGia Law Firm in Hanoi:

"Bạn và vợ bạn chưa đăng ký kết hôn, trường hợp của bạn là khai sinh cho con ngoài giá thú, bạn phải làm thủ tục nhận con. Nếu bạn nhận đứa trẻ là con ruột của bạn vào thời điểm đăng ký khai sinh, thì trong giấy khai sinh bạn sẽ được ghi đầy đủ thông tin của người cha và mẹ."

A law firm in Saigon confirms the answer above:  ThuKyLuat.vn

If you need clarification after running those pages through Google Translate, let me know.


Thank you, I will look more into and yes you are eight, fiancee... but auto correct don’t have that listed.. so as long I agree and she consent that it’s my baby it’s okay to have my name on the birth certificate and with proof of my citizenship from the US, that baby can have a western name? Is blood DNA also required? I was told by some that a DNA blood test is required to show proof that I’m the father but I’m not sure how that all works in Vietnam Nha trang, she will be giving birth at A international hospital..

TomGiang

twostep wrote:

"Was informed" does not say much. Have you contacted the Vietnamese Embassy closest to you and the US Embassy closest to her? Have you contacted an attorney familiar with such cases? Generally initial consultations are free of charge. If Google does not help - try Martindale.com.


I haven’t checked the embassy since I worked a lot and my time is very limited.. I was told by couple people and also google and everything was different experience.. I will check the website about it... my future spouse was told by her aunts that we need to be married in order for me to be on the baby birth certificate...

Ciambella

TomGiang wrote:

so as long I agree and she consent that it’s my baby it’s okay to have my name on the birth certificate and with proof of my citizenship from the US, that baby can have a western name? Is blood DNA also required? I was told by some that a DNA blood test is required to show proof that I’m the father but I’m not sure how that all works in Vietnam Nha trang, she will be giving birth at A international hospital..


There's a form to fill out for everything including your acknowledgement of the child, but it’s not complicated.

If you wish for the child to have dual citizenship, I suggest you let him/her be a Vietnamese first.  There are several reasons to do so, but as I’m traveling at the moment, it’s not possible to explain in detail.

If you check in my activity in 2018, there was a comment in which I wrote at length on dual citizenship and the procedure of naming a child as permissible by VN law.

TomGiang

Ciambella wrote:
TomGiang wrote:

so as long I agree and she consent that it’s my baby it’s okay to have my name on the birth certificate and with proof of my citizenship from the US, that baby can have a western name? Is blood DNA also required? I was told by some that a DNA blood test is required to show proof that I’m the father but I’m not sure how that all works in Vietnam Nha trang, she will be giving birth at A international hospital..


There's a form to fill out for everything including your acknowledgement of the child, but it’s not complicated.

If you wish for the child to have dual citizenship, I suggest you let him/her be a Vietnamese first.  There are several reasons to do so, but as I’m traveling at the moment, it’s not possible to explain in detail.

If you check in my activity in 2018, there was a comment in which I wrote at length on dual citizenship and the procedure of naming a child as permissible by VN law.


Is dual citizenship more complicated? I read that for the child to be a Vietnamese citizens first, would have to register with the mom and her home address? Whichever is easier and I’m not sure if dual citizenship is even necessary. As long it’s possible for me to be on his/her birth certificate and for him/her to have a western first name. Also for the us citizenship process to be easier and smoother..

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