VIENTIANE, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Lao law drafters have proposed a special policy for foreign experts and other foreigners who make a request for Lao citizenship as part of efforts by the country to amend the law on Lao nationality.
The proposed special policy, which requires qualified foreigners to have stayed in Laos for a shorter period, is part of the amended draft of the Law on Lao Nationality, reported Lao state-run media Vientiane Times on Friday.
The existing Law on Lao Nationality (and also the amended draft) requires a foreign national in question to have stayed in Laos legally for at least 10 consecutive years before being able to apply for the Lao nationality.The amended draft cuts the period to half to just five-year stay in Laos, for foreign experts and foreigners who have played a good role in the Lao revolutionary task for national liberation and development process, according to the draft which was debated at an extraordinary meeting of the government cabinet last week.An official of the Ministry of Justice involved in the drafting said the amended draft is being canvassed for public opinion and the response of different sectors for revision before submitting to the National Assembly for debate and approval in October.
