Can Overseas Vietnamese with Dual Citizenship Be Issued a Citizen ID Card?

Question: I currently hold dual citizenship in Vietnam and the United States. Am I eligible to obtain a citizen ID card, and what is the procedure? (Trần Bắc)

Answer: According to lawyer Nguyễn Đại Hải from Fanci Law Firm, based on Article 19 of the 2014 Law on Citizen Identification, Vietnamese citizens aged 14 or older are entitled to be issued a citizen ID card.

The Law on Vietnamese Nationality stipulates that individuals with Vietnamese nationality are considered Vietnamese citizens. Therefore, overseas Vietnamese (Vietnamese residing abroad) can still be issued a citizen ID card if they hold Vietnamese nationality.

In the case of Mr. Trần Bắc, even though you hold dual citizenship in Vietnam and the United States, you are still entitled to obtain a citizen ID card under Vietnamese law. Overseas Vietnamese who have acquired foreign nationality but wish to retain their Vietnamese nationality are also permitted to do so under the law.

The process for issuing citizen ID cards with embedded chips, as outlined in the Law on Citizen Identification and Circular 59/2021/TT-BCA, is as follows:

Citizen ID Card Issuance Process

1. Application Request:
   • Citizens must go directly to the competent police authority to request the issuance of a citizen ID card.
   • Alternatively, they can register through the National Public Service Portal or the Ministry of Public Security’s Public Service Portal. Here, citizens can review their personal information in the National Population Database and schedule an appointment.
2. Application Processing:
   • Police officers will receive the request, search for the citizen’s information in the National Population Database, and prepare the application for issuing the ID card..
3. Photo and Fingerprint Collection:
   • Citizens will have their portrait photo taken and fingerprints collected to be printed on the Citizen ID Card Information Receipt. The photo must meet specific standards: frontal view, clear face, no hats, no glasses, and appropriate attire.
   • For religious or ethnic reasons, citizens may wear traditional ceremonial attire, provided it still ensures a clear view of the face and both ears.
4. Receiving the Card:
   • After completing the procedure, citizens will receive an appointment slip to collect their ID card at the police authority on the scheduled date or opt for postal delivery.

Overseas Vietnamese holding Vietnamese nationality are fully entitled to carry out the procedures for obtaining a citizen ID card with an embedded chip under Vietnamese law.