Procedures for naturalization in Vietnam for children 2026

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Procedures for naturalization in Vietnam for children involve a clearly regulated legal process that allows eligible foreign or stateless children to obtain Vietnamese citizenship, especially when they have a Vietnamese parent. Parents must prepare a complete dossier, meet statutory conditions, and submit the application to the local Department of Justice in Vietnam. The process includes background verification, inter-agency review, and approval by competent authorities, with a standard processing timeline and state fee. Understanding the requirements in advance helps families avoid delays and secure long-term legal status for their children in Vietnam.

Key benefits of Vietnamese citizenship for children

• Education and healthcare access: Vietnamese citizens can access public education and domestic healthcare systems more easily and typically at lower cost than foreigners.
• No visa/TRC headaches: A Vietnamese citizen child can live in Vietnam without applying for visas or temporary residence cards.
• Future work and property rights: When the child becomes an adult, Vietnamese citizenship helps remove work-permit barriers and supports lawful ownership of certain assets under Vietnamese regulations.
• Clear legal protection in Vietnam: Vietnamese citizens are protected under Vietnamese law with the rights and obligations provided by the legal system.

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Eligibility: Who can apply for Vietnamese citizenship for a child?

Vietnam’s nationality rules set general naturalization conditions (Vietnamese language, years of permanent residence, ability to support oneself, etc.), and also provide important exemptions for close family members of Vietnamese citizens. Under the Law on Vietnamese Nationality, applicants may be exempt from several standard requirements if they are the child of a Vietnamese citizen.

Practical eligibility scenarios (most common)

Your child may be eligible for Vietnamese citizenship for children when:

• The child is a foreign citizen or stateless, and
• The child has a direct family link (for example, being the biological child of a Vietnamese citizen), and
• The application is filed correctly with supporting civil status documents.

Important note about minors and “applying together”

In practice, cases involving minors must be handled carefully because the child’s nationality status often ties to the parent(s)’ file and consent requirements. For example, if only one parent applies for the child, authorities may require a written agreement between both parents (specific rules are also reflected in the public administrative procedure guidance).

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Required documents for Vietnamese citizenship for a child

The Law on Vietnamese Nationality sets a core list of documents for naturalization applications. In real files for Vietnamese citizenship for children, you should expect additional documents depending on the child’s age, the parents’ situation, and where the child has lived.

Core documents (standard naturalization file)

Prepare (at minimum):

• Application for Vietnamese nationality (the official form currently used by the competent authority)
• Birth certificate (copy)
• Passport or valid substitute travel/identity document (copy)
• Curriculum vitae / personal declaration (as required)
• Criminal record certificate(s) (Vietnam and/or overseas as applicable), usually required to be issued within a limited time window before submission
• Proof of Vietnamese language proficiency (or interview/testing arranged by the Justice Department if you do not have documents)
• Proof of lawful accommodation and permanent residence period in Vietnam
• Proof of financial capacity / ability to support life in Vietnam (accepted options are listed in the official procedure guidance, such as asset ownership, income confirmation, or sponsorship/confirmation by local authority)

Extra documents commonly required for minors

Depending on the case, expect:

• Written agreement of both parents for the child’s naturalization when required (notably in “one parent applies” situations).
• Any documents explaining special circumstances (e.g., one parent deceased, restricted legal capacity, etc.) as referenced in the administrative procedure requirements.

Translation and consular legalization: Don’t underestimate this part

If your child’s documents were issued abroad, the National Public Service Portal guidance clearly states that:

• Foreign-issued documents in the file may require consular legalization (unless exempt under treaties or Vietnamese rules), and
• Foreign-language documents must be translated into Vietnamese, with the translator’s signature certified as required.

This is one of the biggest reasons files get delayed—parents prepare the “right documents” but not in the “right form.”

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Where to apply in Vietnam

For applications filed inside Vietnam, the standard filing point is the Department of Justice (Sở Tư pháp) in the province/city where the child (and family) is residing, consistent with the Law’s process framework.

Common filing locations (reference addresses)

• Ho Chi Minh City Department of Justice (Sở Tư pháp TP.HCM): 141–143 Pasteur, Phường Xuân Hòa, TP. Hồ Chí Minh.
• Hanoi Department of Justice (Sở Tư pháp Hà Nội): 221 Trần Phú, phường Hà Đông, thành phố Hà Nội.

For other provinces, file at the local Department of Justice under the provincial People’s Committee where the child legally resides.

Processing timeline: how long does Vietnamese citizenship for a child take?

The Law outlines a multi-agency review (Justice Department > provincial Police verification > provincial People’s Committee > Ministry of Justice > Prime Minister > President).

In addition, the National Public Service Portal lists a 105-working-day processing timeline for the administrative procedure in Vietnam (this reflects “actual processing time at competent authorities” shown on the portal).

Why cases can take longer than expected

Even when the “standard” timeline applies, delays commonly happen when:

• Your file needs supplementation (missing legalizations, missing translations, inconsistent civil status details, etc.).
• The applicant is asked to complete foreign nationality renunciation steps where applicable, and the Law/portal guidance allows additional time windows that may not be counted into the main processing time.

Government fee for Vietnamese naturalization applications

The National Public Service Portal lists the state fee at 3,000,000 VND ^[1] for the naturalization procedure and also describes exemption cases (for example, individuals with special meritorious contributions or stateless persons in financial hardship with certification).

Common difficulties parents face (and how to avoid them)

Document complexity (especially overseas documents)

Families often have the right documents but miss:

• Consular legalization steps,
• Proper Vietnamese translations and certifications,
• Or consistent names/dates across records.

Vietnamese language proof

If you do not have accepted Vietnamese-language education certificates, the Justice Department may arrange an interview/test process under the administrative procedure framework.

Proving residence and financial capacity

Authorities can request clear evidence of:

• Stable accommodation,
• Lawful residence status,
• And ability to support life in Vietnam (with specific acceptable evidence types listed in procedure guidance).

If you want the application handled cleanly from the start, Tan Van Lang can support your family through the full workflow—document checklist, file strategy based on your child’s profile, translations and legalization coordination, and submission guidance aligned with the current administrative procedure.

If an interview/test step is required, our consultants will help you prepare in a realistic way (what they ask, what documents they check, what inconsistencies typically trigger supplementation), so your file has the best chance to move forward without unnecessary delays.

Need help now? Contact Tân Văn Lang via hotline 08.666.000.63 (WhatsApp) for quick guidance on your child’s case and a tailored document checklist.