New citizen joy

Full of happiness

The second time I met a Laotian woman with a radiant smile, Luong Thi Xom (born in 1989, residing in Keo Con village, Keng Du commune) in Vinh city, she could not hide the joy shining on her radiant face. She expressed, "Holding the decision to become a Vietnamese citizen, I thought it was like a dream... I am so happy that I have officially become a Vietnamese citizen!"

This is also the first time since becoming the wife of Mr. Luong Van San in Keo Con village, Keng Du commune (in 2008), and then becoming the mother of 3 children, that Luong Thi Xom has had a long trip, out of the border village, all the way to Vinh city to receive the decision to obtain citizenship.

Ms. Luong Thi Xom is happy to become a Vietnamese citizen. Photo: KL

For Ms. Luong Me Kham (born in 1978), residing in Huoi Phuon 2 village, Keng Du commune, the decision to recognize Vietnamese citizenship is an extremely meaningful gift before a new spring is about to knock on the door. After 20 years of following her husband, Mr. Luong Van Thon, to Vietnam to live and give birth to 6 children (5 girls, 1 boy), this Laotian woman with a simple and honest appearance has not yet been naturalized, so sometimes she cannot help but feel lonely and lost.

Now recognized as a Vietnamese citizen, Ms. Luong Me Kham will welcome a warmer spring, a fuller and happier Tet with her family. Talking to us, she happily shared that although she was born and raised in Co Du village, Noong Het district, Xieng Khouang province (Laos), she settled down in her husband's hometown. Although life is still difficult, in her heart she considers this her second hometown. "Since the day she received the decision to acquire Vietnamese nationality in the city, people from the upper and lower villages came to share the joy..."

Ms. Luong Me Kham, residing in Huoi Phuon 2 village, Keng Du commune (Ky Son) expressed her happiness at becoming a Vietnamese citizen. Photo: KL

Ms. Gia Y My (born in 1981), a daughter-in-law in Tien Tieu village, Nam Can commune (Ky Son), emotionally expressed, "When I became a Vietnamese daughter-in-law, I and many other Lao women have always been cared for and given the same conditions as our fellow countrymen in the village and commune, without any discrimination. Now we are also recognized as Vietnamese citizens. Not only me but my whole family is very grateful to the authorities at all levels, it is impossible to express in words..."

Ms. Y My is the wife of Mr. Ho Ba Cha - currently the Chairman of the People's Committee of Nam Can commune. They got married in 1999 and the sweet fruit of their Lao-Vietnamese love is 3 well-behaved and studious children, of which the 2 eldest daughters are studying at Vinh University, the youngest is studying at Ky Son Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities...

Nghe An provincial leaders present decisions recognizing Vietnamese nationality to Lao migrants. Photo: KL

The joy and excitement of Ms. Xom, Ms. Kham and Ms. Y My is also the common feeling of 70 Lao brides and grooms of various ages residing in the border communes of Nam Can, Dooc May, Keng Du, My Ly (Ky Son) when they were officially recognized as Vietnamese citizens.

Mr. Cut Pho Phut (born in 1968), residing in Keo Con village, Keng Du commune, excitedly shared: “I have lived in my wife’s hometown for decades, but this year I finally feel completely happy. Thank you to the Vietnamese government, the Party Committee, the government and the departments and branches of Nghe An province for paying attention to the people’s wishes. We promise to try to become good citizens, strictly complying with the policies and laws of the Party and the State...”.

Lao women who married Vietnamese men happily go through the procedures to obtain citizenship. Photo: Khanh Ly

Ensuring new citizen rights

Nghe An is a province with a 419 km long border, adjacent to the three provinces of Xieng Khouang, Hua Phan, and Bolikhamxay of Laos; therefore, it is common for boys and girls from the two countries to fall in love, live together, and form dual-nationality houses in villages on both sides of the border.

Most of the Laotians who migrated freely and married without legal permission and are living in the border communes of Nghe An have had stable lives, houses and cultivated land at their place of residence. However, all of them have not been granted Vietnamese nationality, have not registered their household registration, identity papers, etc. This situation not only makes the lives of migrants difficult but also creates many complicated problems for population management in border areas.

Authorities carry out procedures for naturalization for Lao people. Photo: KL

Determining the naturalization of people according to the Agreement between the two governments of Vietnam and Laos on resolving the issue of spontaneous migration and unregistered marriages in border areas is one of the important tasks. Recently, the People's Committee of Nghe An province has directed the functional branches, joint expert teams of the province and districts with Lao residents such as Que Phong, Ky Son, Tuong Duong, Con Cuong to focus on speeding up the work of guiding the procedures for naturalization and household registration for Lao people who spontaneously migrated and unregistered marriages according to the approved list.

At the same time, coordinate with border guards stationed in the area to carry out propaganda and mobilization work so that people fully grasp the benefits they enjoy such as obtaining Vietnamese nationality, registering for marriage, registering for birth...

Leaders of Nghe An province and Bolikhamxay (Laos) signed a memorandum of understanding to resolve the issue of illegal migrants. Photo: KL

In addition, the Nghe An Department of Justice and related sectors have proactively coordinated with the Ministry of Justice to organize mobile working groups to go to border communes to simplify procedures for obtaining Vietnamese nationality for Lao migrants who are allowed to reside in the province's border districts.

Up to now, the competent authorities have compiled the list, submitted it to the Provincial People's Committee for consideration and proposed that the Ministry of Justice request the President to consider and sign a decision for 135/172 cases eligible for Vietnamese nationality according to the Agreement (except for some cases on the list of eligible cases but have returned to Laos; have died or because the people are working far away and cannot return to complete the procedures for naturalization).

Of which, Ky Son had 70 cases, Que Phong had 27 cases, and Tuong Duong had 38 cases. Ky Son is the first locality in Nghe An to have the President sign a decision to recognize Vietnamese nationality for Lao citizens. Then, in the second phase (late December 2019), representatives of the Department of Justice, the Provincial Border Guard, and the Provincial Police presented the Decision to recognize Vietnamese nationality to Lao citizens who are eligible to stay and reside in the two districts of Que Phong and Tuong Duong according to the agreement.

The naturalization of Lao citizens residing in border communes in the area has an important meaning, contributing to further strengthening the solidarity, friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos and the border provinces of Laos with the border districts of Nghe An. At the same time, it facilitates the increasingly strict state management of border residents; maintains political stability, ensures security and national defense...

Leaders of Nghe An Department of Justice awarded the Decision on naturalization of Vietnamese nationality to Laotian migrants who are eligible to stay and reside in Que Phong district. Photo: KL

A new year, a new spring is coming to all the villages in the Western region of Nghe An, and for Lao brides and grooms who have just received the joy of officially becoming Vietnamese citizens, this is the most complete and meaningful spring.

A new page of their lives has opened with so much warmth and hope like the passionate melody of the Vietnamese-Lao song: “Like the moonlight, the moonlight shines brightly on the border mountains/the faithful love of thousands of years deeply imbues the land of Vietnam and Laos... Vietnam and Laos brothers, shoulder to shoulder moving forward to build tomorrow...”.