(KPL) The National Assembly (NA) approved on Nov 1 at the ongoing 4^th Ordinary Session of the National Assembly’s 8^th legislature amendments to the Law on Lao Nationality that authorises the government to grant Lao nationality to foreigners.

The amended draft Law on Lao Nationality was proposed at the National Assembly’s 4^th Ordinary Session by Minister of Justice, Mr Xaysi Santivong.

The current Law on Lao Nationality was first endorsed in 1990 and a decree on its implementation was approved in 1994. In 2004, the law was amended for the first time.  

The current law states that the presentation of Lao citizenship can be done only by the provincial constituency caucuses while the amended law allows provincial administration, Vientiane Capital administrations to hold a ceremony to award Lao citizenship once the grantees have registered for citizenship conversion.

The latest amendment however states that government and provincial administrations can grant Lao citizenship to foreigners.

The current Law on Lao Citizenship Article 27 states that Lao citizenship granting, Lao citizenship revocation, Lao citizenship restoration and Lao citizenship abandonment can be only considered and approved by the standing committee of the National Assembly.

The amendments approved at the NA ordinary session included those related to the submission and consideration of Lao citizenship applications.

The amendments also included the addition of four chapters namely prohibitions, citizenship management, citizenship inspection, awarding of outstanding people and measures against violators.

KPL