74 Lao citizens residing in the Nghe An border area were granted decisions to acquire Vietnamese nationality.

New citizen joy

Holding the decision to recognize him as a Vietnamese citizen, Tho Ba Ly, born in 1992, currently residing in Huoi Moi 1 village, Tri Le commune, Que Phong district, could not hide his joy, because he was finally accepted by his second homeland. Originally from Sam Neua province (Laos), Tho Ba Ly moved to Vietnam to live with a Mong girl named Ly Y Tong and considered his wife's homeland as his second homeland.

The young couple has 3 children and their happiness is even more complete when in September 2021, Tho Ba Ly received a decision to recognize him as a Vietnamese citizen.

The Department of Justice coordinated with the People's Committee of Que Phong district to organize the granting of naturalization decisions to 10 Lao citizens residing in Tri Le and Thong Thu communes (Que Phong). Photo: Thuy Hang

Just like the young father Tho Ba Ly, Mrs. Song Y Tru, born in 1948 from Hua Phan province (Laos), followed her husband, Mr. Tho Xai Tu, to Vietnam to live for decades, but because she has not yet been naturalized, sometimes she cannot avoid feeling lonely and lost. Especially 2 years ago, Mrs. Tru's husband died of illness, and she is currently living with her second son's family in a house right at the top of the slope leading to Pa Khom village, Tri Le commune. At the age of near death, now receiving the decisionnaturalizationVietnam, she is very happy.

Joy, excitement, and emotion are the common feelings of 74 Lao brides and grooms of various ages residing in border communes in Ky Son, Tuong Duong, and Que Phong districts when they were awarded the decision to officially recognize them as Vietnamese citizens in 2021. Because after many years of following their husbands as daughters-in-law and wives as sons-in-law, they finally fulfilled their wish of "a house of the same nationality".

Lao women who married Vietnamese men happily went through the procedures to obtain citizenship. Photo: KL

This province has a 468.281 km long border, bordering the three provinces of Xieng Khouang, Hua Phan, and Bolykhamxay of Laos. Therefore, the story of boys and girls from the Champa country and the Dragon Fairy country falling in love, living together, forming dual-nationality houses in the villages on both sides of the border still often happens.

Most of the Lao people who migrated freely and married without legal permission and are living in the border communes have a stable life, have houses and land for cultivation at their place of residence. However, most 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 the border areas.

However, since 2019, many Lao citizens living and residing in the border districts of Nghe An have been given the opportunity by the governments of Vietnam and Laos to acquire Vietnamese nationality to stabilize their lives. For them, it is “incomparable happiness”.

Ensuring citizens' rights

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 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 procedures for naturalization and household registration for Lao people who migrated freely and married without marriage 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...

Officials from the Department of Civil Status, Nationality and Authentication (Ministry of Justice) and the Nghe An Department of Justice guide Lao brides in filling out documents and completing procedures for naturalization. Photo: KL

The ceremony to grant the decision on recognition of nationality was also held solemnly and meaningfully. In Que Phong district, on September 28, 2021, under the direction of the Provincial People's Committee, the Department of Justice of Nghe An coordinated with the Provincial People's Committee of Que Phong district to organize the ceremony to announce and grant the Decision of the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to grant Vietnamese nationality to those who migrated freely and married without a marriage certificate in the district.

Among the 10 Lao citizens living in Que Phong who were granted Vietnamese nationality this time, there are 2 Thai people in Thong Thu commune and 8 Mong people residing in Tri Le district.

The leader of Que Phong District People's Committee said: Que Phong has a large area so it is difficult to verify, however, with the efforts of the locality in the past time, 37 Lao people who married and resided in Que Phong have been granted the Decision on naturalization. The district has also directed relevant departments to guide people to complete procedures to enjoy policies in accordance with the law.

Speaking at the decision-giving ceremony, the leader of Que Phong district expressed his wish: After acquiring Vietnamese citizenship, people will feel secure in working and producing, comply with the Party's policies and the State's laws, and participate in protecting the national border.

The leaders of the Department of Justice awarded the decision to grant Vietnamese nationality to Lao citizens residing in Ky Son district in 2021. Photo: GH

In Ky Son district, this time, 51 cases were granted citizenship decisions according to the approved list of the Head of the Vietnam Border Delegation. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tuan - Head of the District Justice Department said: Due to the complicated developments of the Covid-19 epidemic, the Department of Justice coordinated with the district to directly hand over the decisions to 28 cases in My Ly commune, the remaining cases were directed by the Commune People's Committee to proactively organize the handover to citizens residing in the area, with the district justice department attending.

In Dooc May commune, there are 2 cases of Lao women residing in the area who are on the list of naturalized Lao women, Ms. Lau Y Xu, born in 1964 in Huoi Vieng village and Vu Y Lu, born in 1961 in Pha Noi village. Although there are only 2 people, on October 12, 2021, the People's Committee of Dooc May commune solemnly and emotionally held a ceremony to present the decision of the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on naturalization for Ms. Y Xu and Y Lu at the meeting hall of the People's Committee of the commune. The new citizens expressed their respect and gratitude to the Party and State of Vietnam in general, and the Party Committee and government of Nghe An province in particular.

The authorities of Dooc May commune (Ky Son) held a ceremony to grant citizenship to two Lao women residing in the area. Photo: CSCC

According to Mr. Nguyen Cong Hoan - Deputy Director of Nghe An Department of Justice: In the first phase of 2019, there were 135/172 cases eligible for Vietnamese nationality according to the Agreement and in 2019, in Vinh City, the Provincial People's Committee held a conference to announce and hand over the decision of the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on granting Vietnamese nationality to 70 cases of Lao people residing in Ky Son district, and for cases residing in Que Phong and Tuong Duong, the Department of Justice established a delegation to coordinate with the People's Committees of the districts to organize the handover in the locality.

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: Khanh Ly

In 2020, due to the complicated developments of the Covid-19 epidemic, the ceremony was not held. In 2021, the Department of Justice coordinated with localities to organize the ceremony of granting naturalization decisions to 74 cases, of which Ky Son district had 51 cases, Que Phong 10 cases, and Tuong Duong 13 cases. Depending on the development of the epidemic, the Department established a delegation to organize the ceremony of announcing and handing over the decision directly at the district, at the commune or assigned the locality to organize it themselves, but all were carried out in a solemn and meaningful manner.

In addition, the Provincial People's Committee also requested relevant agencies to urgently support, guide and help newly naturalized citizens to carry out procedures for household registration, residence registration, identity cards, etc., and promptly implement the regimes and policies prescribed by the State for the people, ensuring that citizens' rights are fully exercised.

The functional sector handed over the decision to grant Vietnamese nationality by the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to a Lao citizen residing in Ky Son district. Photo: GH

The naturalization of Lao citizens residing in border communes is a humane act that creates conditions for people who migrate freely and marry without legal marriage to stabilize their lives and integrate into the community where they reside.

Thereby, 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, creating favorable conditions for increasingly strict state management of border population; maintaining political stability, ensuring national security and defense./.

Khanh Ly