Is it true that babies born in Viet Nam must now have a Vietnamese name?

My newborn is Vietnamese/American. My wife and I were just informed by the government that our daughter MUST HAVE a Vietnamese "given" (last) name.


Is this a new law or some lame attempt at a shakedown. If it's a shakedown, what is the appropriate amount of bribe money to be able to name my own daughter after my late mother.


BTW; our 18 month old son has an American name.

Is it true that babies born in Viet Nam must now have a Vietnamese name?
When you said "government", was it the district authority office? Ask the one who said so to prove to you. They must have a copy of notification / order and that copy must be up on the notice board for everyone to read.





Check with your embassy in Hanoi or your Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City. Check with So Tu Phap, So Ngoai Vu or whatever. They should know better in my opinion.





Find the law books in bookshops. They should mention it there if there is such a law.
Reply:Wow never heard that one before , could it be extended family influence ? is it official government notification ? . Have a word with an ex-pat that has been there forever he can try to make inquiries on the quiet (i always found the Aussies to be well in the know). But as you know privacy is difficult to obtain in Vietnam as everybody seems to know everything that is going on . It sound's easy to say ask the embassy but i don't think you want to look argumentative.


Have had a few shakedowns and they don't cost a lot but then you are opening a door . A funny one i had cost me a crate of "Heineken" not "Tiger" but that was only the Police . Life is always interesting there . Best of Luck
Reply:for someone like myself who treasures freedom to a fault this is quite disturbing..i would have no problem with giving my child[ if i had one] a viet name .. UNTIL i am told i must.. i really dont know the facts here but it does seem too regressive in such progressive vn times too be true .sounds like an attempt at a bride.. you would know best about that being in contact with that sort of thing there.. the economy is bad they might need the $$'s..to name your child after you mother is priceless but it would dishonor her pay a bribe to do so.. now that i say that i'm thinking that if it is law[ to name your child american], you couldnt get away with it even with a bribe . anyway i know vietnamese living in viet nam [ nha trang] who have named all their children with western 1st [given] names.. geeze rick ask the police chief to be your daughters godfather this way he has to give her a gift...
Reply:Never heard that before ^^
Reply:Never heard that in Vietnam

wing chun