Granting Vietnamese citizenship to 70 Lao citizens residing in Nghe An

On the afternoon of November 21, in Vinh city, the People's Committee of Nghe An province held a conference to announce and present the decision of the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on granting Vietnamese nationality to 70 Lao people residing in Ky Son district (Nghe An). Comrade Le Ngoc Hoa - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee chaired the conference.

The conference was attended by representatives of provincial departments and branches, the provincial joint expert team, leaders of Ky Son district and communes where Lao citizens reside. Photo: KL

Ensure legal rights and interests for new citizens

Lao women married out of wedlock residing in Keng Du and Dooc May communes (Ky Son) are excited to go through the procedures for naturalization and marriage registration. 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 the border area 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.

Comrade Hoang Quoc Hao - Director of Nghe An Department of Justice delivered the opening speech at the conference. Photo: KL

At the same time, coordinate with border guards stationed in the area to carry out propaganda and mobilize Lao people who migrated freely and married without legal permission to reside about their rights such as obtaining Vietnamese nationality, registering marriage, registering birth; assign the Nghe An Department of Justice to coordinate with the Ministry of Justice to organize mobile working groups to simplify procedures for obtaining Vietnamese nationality for Lao people who migrated and were allowed to reside in the border districts of Nghe An.

Particularly for Ky Son district, up to now, the procedure for obtaining Vietnamese nationality has been simplified for 70/83 cases of Lao people residing in Ky Son district who are on the list of those allowed to stay and reside as approved by the Head of the Vietnam Border Delegation. The remaining 13 cases have not yet completed the procedures for obtaining Vietnamese nationality, including: 04 cases have returned to Laos; 09 cases are working far away and cannot return to complete the procedures for obtaining Vietnamese nationality.

Justice officials guide Lao citizens residing in Ky Son district to complete documents and procedures for obtaining Vietnamese nationality. Photo: KL

Cultivating friendship

The implementation of the agreement has extremely important political and legal significance, demonstrating the concern of the Party and State of Vietnam for stateless people who have lived and been attached to Vietnam for a long time. For Nghe An in particular, a province with a long border adjacent to 03 provinces of Laos (Xieng Khouang, Hua Phan, Bo Ly Kham Xay), the implementation of naturalization for Lao citizens residing in border communes in the area will contribute 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, ensuring the rights and legitimate interests of citizens. At the same time, it will facilitate the increasingly strict state management of the population in border areas; creating a foundation for maintaining political stability and ensuring national security and defense.

Authorized by the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Comrade Le Ngoc Hoa - Vice Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee presented the decision to naturalize Vietnamese nationality to 70 Lao citizens residing in Nghe An. Photo: Khanh Ly

Speaking at the conference, Mr. Le Ngoc Hoa - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee congratulated Lao citizens residing in border communes of Ky Son district who have become Vietnamese citizens according to Decision 1657/QD-CTN dated October 1, 2019 of the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. At the same time, he hoped that they would fully exercise their rights and obligations as citizens according to the provisions of the Constitution and laws of Vietnam; continue to build the great national unity bloc; work hard, develop the economy, build their homeland and build a prosperous and happy life.

Lao citizens receive decisions on Vietnamese nationality and gifts from the People's Committee of Nghe An province. Photo: KL

The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee also requested the functional agencies of the province and Ky Son district to deploy solutions to support, guide and help newly naturalized people to carry out procedures for household registration, household registration, and identity cards; promptly deploy regimes and policies according to regulations so that people can soon stabilize their lives and integrate into the community.

Leaders of Nghe An province and the Department of Justice share joy with new citizens of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Photo: KL

According to the List approved by the Head of the Vietnam Border Delegation in Official Dispatch No. 1178/BNG-UBBG, Nghe An province has a total of 202 cases of Lao people who migrated freely and got married without a certificate of marriage and are allowed to reside in Vietnam, of which 177 cases are eligible for Vietnamese nationality according to the Agreement, are granted Vietnamese nationality according to the provisions of Circular 03/2015/TT-BTP and the remaining 30 cases who migrated freely to Vietnam and got married without a certificate of marriage after the signing date of the Agreement (from July 8, 2013 onwards) are not eligible for Vietnamese nationality according to the Agreement.

Up to now, the Nghe An Department of Justice has compiled the list, submitted it to the Provincial People's Committee for consideration, conclusion and proposal to the Ministry of Justice, requesting the President to consider and sign a decision to allow 70 Lao people to reside in Ky Son district, 27 cases in Que Phong district and 38 cases in Tuong Duong district.Some cases are on the list of eligible people for naturalization but have returned to Laos; have passed away or are working far away and cannot return to complete the procedures for naturalization of Vietnamese nationality.