Brazilian goalkeeper Fabio Santos (L), who plays for the topflight Dong Tam Long An football club, became the first naturalized player in the national football team when he was granted Vietnamese citizenship last December

Foreigners and overseas Vietnamese will be allowed to hold dual citizenship under the amended Nationality Law that the National Assembly (NA) passed on Thursday.

Under the Nationality Law that came into force in 1998, dual citizenship was banned, so people taking out Vietnamese citizenship had to relinquish their original nationality.

Under the amended law, foreigners eligible to take out Vietnamese citizenship and retain their origin nationalities would include those who:

- marry Vietnamese citizens or have Vietnamese parents or children;

- receive certificates or medals of merit from the State or the Government for their contribution to the country; and

- those whose citizenship would benefit Vietnam’s socio-economic development, science, national security or defense.

These categories of foreigners would be exempted from some Vietnamese citizenship criteria, such as being able to speak Vietnamese and residing in the country for at least five years.

The amended law, set to take effect on July 1 next year, also permits foreigners of unclear nationality to apply for Vietnamese citizenship three years after the new law takes effect.

The timeframe for processing Vietnamese nationality applications would also be reduced to nine months from the current 12 months, according to the amended law.

The government will issue further decrees with instructions on implementing the law.

Diaspora to benefit

Overseas Vietnamese will also be allowed to hold dual citizenship under the amended law.

Earlier, citizens automatically lost their Vietnamese citizenship once they received nationality in another country.

The amended law states overseas Vietnamese whose nationalities have not yet been revoked or lost would be deemed to be Vietnamese citizens. They would be able to apply for citizenship of the countries in which they reside without having to relinquish their Vietnamese citizenship.

Those who apply to regain Vietnamese nationality can retain their foreign citizenship if they have just cause and get permission from the state president, the Vietnam News Agency reports.

The amended law also stipulates that those who regain their Vietnamese nationality are “assured of all rights of citizenship and must obey all citizens’ duties toward the state and society according to its laws,” suggesting those who regain their Vietnamese nationality will enjoy full rights, such as being able to buy property, but may also be subject to obligations such as military service for males.

The law also says that children born overseas to at least one Vietnamese parent will be able to claim Vietnamese citizenship.

Around three million Vietnamese now live abroad, mostly in the US, Europe, Canada and Australia.

New liquor taxes

The NA also passed changes to many laws.

Under the amended Special Consumption Tax Law, import duties on wine and other beverages with alcohol content of more than 20 percent will be taxed 45 percent beginning 2010 and 50 percent from 2013 onwards. Liquor with alcohol content of less than 20 percent will be subjected to a tax of 25 percent against the current 20 percent.

The import tax on all kinds of beer will also see an increase to 45 percent in the 2010-2012 period, and up to 50 percent starting in 2013, from the current 40 percent.

Cars having less than nine seats will be subjected to different tax rates ranging from 45 percent to 60 percent depending on their engine capacities.

All cars having 10 to 16 seats will be taxed 30 percent, the law stipulates.

Two and three-wheel motorbikes with the engine capacities of more than 125cc will attract a tax of 20 percent.

A 10-percent tax will be levied on air-conditioners with up to 90,000 BTU (British thermal unit) capacity.

Karaoke and golf services will be taxed 30 percent and 20 percent respectively.

Aircraft and yachts will attract a tax rate of 30 percent.

Reported by Thanh Nien staff