Is Vietnam allow dual citizenship?

Does Vietnam permit dual citizenship for its citizens?

Vietnam permits dual citizenship for certain nationals. This became possible with the 2014 Amendment to the Nationality Law, specifically for those granted special permission by the President.

It’s kinda funny, this whole thing. I used to just know Vietnam was super strict about "one person, one nationality." Everyone around me, like my grandma in Saigon, always emphasized that, saying "You pick your path, con." So, imagine my surprise, and honestly, a bit of confusion, when my friend, Minh, mentioned applying to keep his Vietnamese passport alongside his Australian one last year, around May 2023. He’d lived in Melbourne since he was a kid.

Like, I thought that was impossible. He explained it was this "special permission" thing.

He had to jump through so many hoops, paperwork galore, explaining his ties to Vietnam, his desire to maintain cultural links, even some property he owns near Hội An. He said the application fees alone for the whole process were quite a bit, though I don’t recall the exact number he quoted, just that it wasn’t cheap at the embassy in Sydney, perhaps a few hundred Aussie dollars for the initial bits. It’s not just handed out, you know.

This "Presidential OK" isn't a simple rubber stamp. It's for people who, like, contribute a lot or have deep ties.

I recall my uncle, who works at a local district office back home, once mentioning that this 2014 change was a big deal for kiều bào – Vietnamese people living abroad – to feel more connected. It's not about letting everyone just pick and choose, but making exceptions for those who genuinely have a reason, preventing them from feeling completely severed from their homeland.