More than 200 Lao people with unregistered marriages are allowed to stay and reside in Nghe An.

According to the announcement in Official Dispatch No. 1178/BNG-UBBG dated April 4, 2019 of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, there are 202 Lao people who are married without a legal marriage in the border area of ​​Nghe An province (Vietnam) bordering Lao provinces and are allowed to stay in their place of residence. Of which, the Nghe An - Hua Phan province pair has 137 cases; the Nghe An - Xieng Khouang province pair has 63 cases; the Nghe An - Bolykhamxay province pair has 02 cases.

These cases are currently residing in border communes of Tuong Duong, Ky Son and Que Phong districts of Nghe An.

Nghe An Border Guard distributes leaflets on migration prevention to women in border areas. Illustrative photo

Pursuant to the agreement between the Governments of Vietnam and Laos on resolving the issue of spontaneous migration and unregistered marriages in the border areas of the two countries and the list approved by the Heads of the border delegations of the two countries, on April 24, 2019, the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued Plan 250/KH-UBND to simplify procedures for naturalization, birth registration, and marriage for Lao migrants who are allowed to reside in Vietnam and Vietnamese citizens returned by Laos.

Representatives of the leaders of Nghe An and Bolikhamxay provinces (Laos) signed a memorandum of understanding on resolving the issue of illegal migration and unregistered marriages in border areas. Photo courtesy

Accordingly, the Provincial People's Committee assigned the relevant departments, branches and units to coordinate with the People's Committees of border districts to propagate and mobilize spontaneous migrants and unregistered marriages who are allowed to reside to go to the People's Committees of communes bordering Laos to carry out procedures for naturalization of Vietnam, birth registration and marriage. At the same time, establish mobile working groups to go to the People's Committees of communes bordering Laos to guide and support the preparation and receipt of applications for Vietnamese nationality for spontaneous migrants and unregistered marriages on the list approved by the Head of the Vietnam Border Delegation according to the instructions in Circular 03/2015/TT_BTP dated April 1, 2015 stipulating the conditions, order and procedures for naturalization of Vietnam and registration of birth and marriage for spontaneous migrants in districts of Vietnam bordering Laos.

Western Nghe An border area. Photo: Google Maps

"Relevant procedures will be simplified, shortened in time and order, and especially those on the approved list will be exempted from fees when applying for Vietnamese nationality.

Ms. Bui Thi Thu Hien - specialist of the Department of Administrative Justice (Nghe An Department of Justice)

At the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the progress of implementing tasks related to the number of Lao migrants and unregistered marriages allowed to reside in the border area of ​​Nghe An province to ensure the completion of the agreement is in November 2019.

In Notice No. 1178/BNG-UBBG dated April 4, 2019 of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there is a list of Nghe An people who migrated freely and got married without a marriage certificate to the Vietnam - Laos border area and will be allowed to stay and reside in Laos. Of which, the Nghe An - Hua Phan province pair has 05 households and 23 people who migrated freely; 187 cases of marriage without a marriage certificate; the Nghe An - Bolikhamxay province pair has 557 households/3216 people who migrated freely; the Nghe An - Xieng Khouang province pair has 46 households/252 people who migrated freely, 55 cases of marriage without a marriage certificate.

The number of illegal migrants from Nghe An who are not allowed to stay and must return to their country of origin in this list is 03 households, 18 people (01 case in the Nghe An - Xieng Khouang province pair and 17 people in the Nghe An - Bolikhamxay province pair).