(What is the situation for Viet kieu (Overseas Vietnamese) returning home to celebrate Tet this year?

The number of Viet kieu coming back to celebrate Tet (Lunar New Year) is expected to be around half a million. The committee has also invited 54 representative overseas Vietnamese, between the ages of 34 and 80 hailing from 11 nations, to a national level party.
Under the Prime Minister’s Decision on Visa Exemption, overseas Vietnamese no longer need visas to visit Viet Nam. Many overseas Vietnamese have expressed their appreciation for this new policy. The decision will also enhance business opportunities for the Viet kieu in the near future.

What have the reactions been to the new policy of visa exemption among Viet Kieu, especially those who left the country as so-called "boat people"?

For those who left Viet Nam as boat people, we will not take the context of leaving into consideration. As long as they can prove they are Vietnamese and have legal residency in the country where they are living, we will grant the visa exemption. This is one of the ways by which the Government wants to show overseas Vietnamese communities its goodwill.

Dual-nationality was a hot topic among both domestic and overseas Vietnamese communities last year. What course will the issue take this year?

The nationality issue relates to our law and constitution. Therefore, it can’t be solved in one or two days. It requires a long period and efforts to approve a new law or a regulation. We have created favourable conditions to help overseas Vietnamese enter Viet Nam at any time with no barriers. We know the issue of dual-nationality is one of great concern for overseas Vietnamese. We will have an action plan that meets both the requirements of the nation and the demands of overseas Vietnamese communities.

What are plans of the committee toward Viet Kieu in the future?

We will boost communication activities aimed at bringing Viet Kieu a better view of the country after 20 years of renovation.
In addition, the State has enacted some policies establishing benefits for our overseas Vietnamese. In the future, we will strengthen the spread of Vietnamese language. A series of new proposals have been submitted to the Government to be approved to allow overseas Vietnamese to own houses in Viet Nam and eventually obtain dual-nationality as well.