US Passport & Vietnamese passport

[vietazn 1]

Wife has a Vietnamese passport and then became a US resident and then a US citizen with a US passport.

 

Is the Vietnamese passport still good?

Can it be renewed?

Can you have both valid US and Vietnamese passports, or does getting a US passport void the Vietnam passport?

 

If the Vietnam passport is still good, does she need a visa to visit Vietnam?

Edited August 13, 2019 by vietazn

[JasonGG 280]

Vietnam will always recognize your wife as a Vietnamese citizen, so she can continue to renew her Vietnamese passport after becoming a US citizen. 

 

I'm not sure about travelling  but my wife's boss and friends who are dual US/Vietnamese citizens say they use both passport and don't require a visa.  I would be interested to hear what others say about this, though.

 

Jason 

[cyclone27 710]

Leave on us passport enter vietnam and exit vietnam in Viet passport and enter US on US passport.

[HRQX 4,145]

18 minutes ago, JasonGG said:

my wife's boss and friends who are dual US/Vietnamese citizens say they use both passport and don't require a visa.

That is correct:

• https://www.theworldwasherefirst.com/travelling-with-two-passports/
• https://thepointsguy.com/guide/two-passport-travel-double-trouble-or-twice-the-charm/

[USS_Voyager 1,972]

On 8/13/2019 at 6:37 PM, vietazn said:

Is the Vietnamese passport still good?

Yes

 

On 8/13/2019 at 6:37 PM, vietazn said:

Can it be renewed?

Of course.

 

On 8/13/2019 at 6:37 PM, vietazn said:

Can you have both valid US and Vietnamese passports, or does getting a US passport void the Vietnam passport?

Nothing is being voided. Both passports are valid. I have traveled back and forth between US and Vietnam in the past 3-4 years many many times with both passports, going through both Saigon and Ha Noi, as well as many POEs in the US (Chicago, Denver, LA, Dallas, ...) No one ever asked me for anything (except in Vietnam they always asked me for "coffee money" once they figured out that I am actually Vietnamese). Use the Vietnamese passport to travel to Vietnam and through entry and exit custom. Use the US passport to enter the US.

 

Every country is different. From the US perspective, the US does NOT care if their citizens carry another citizenship. In the US Government's eyes, the person will be treated as a US citizen upon naturalization and will have all the rights, privileges and responsibilities thereto appertaining. 

 

Some countries share the same view of the US, they don't care either, if their citizens obtain another citizenship else where. My "old" country, Vietnam, for example, is one of those. The fact that I became a US citizen is immaterial to them, couldn't care less. To the Vietnamese Government, I am a Vietnamese citizen and still have all the rights, privileges and responsibilities of a Vietnamese citizen.

 

Some other countries specifically prohibit their citizens to have another citizenship and obtaining another citizenship will result in an automatic loss of their home country's citizenship. For example: Japan, China (exception for Hong Kong and Macau), India, Nepal... One Nepali member reported if he gets caught entering or leaving Nepal with a foreign passport, he will be put in jail for several days, they will renounce his Nepali citizenship and deport him... 

 

Some countries allow dual citizenship, but restrict the rights of dual citizens:

-in Egypt dual citizens cannot be elected to Parliament;

-in Israel, members of Parliament must renounce any other citizenship before taking their seat in the Knesset;

-in New Zealand, dual citizens may be elected to Parliament, but MPs once elected may not voluntarily become a citizen of another country, or take any act to have their foreign nationality recognised such as applying for a foreign passport. 

-In the Philippines, dual citizens may not run for any local elective office.

 

And the list goes on  and on and on....

 

So, in short, it is complicated. Know the laws of both countries is key. 

On 8/13/2019 at 7:06 PM, JasonGG said:

I would be interested to hear what others say about this, though.

 

Edited August 19, 2019 by USS_Voyager

[nhatquynhle 0]

Thanks so much for sharing!

 

I am a dual citizen and planning to go visit this April.  I have a question on what last name should I use when booking my flight ticket to avoid confusion with both immigration and the airline.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.  My situation is below:

• My Vietnamese passport still has my maiden name
• My US passport has my married last name

 

[cyclone27 710]

^You need to book in your US Passport name.