Pierre Nguyên Van Tot was born on 15 April 1949 in Thủ Dầu Một, Bình Dương Province, Vietnam.

[1] He joined the diplomatic service of the Holy See on 1 May 1985 and fulfilled assignments in Panama, Brazil, Zaire, Rwanda, and France.

[2] On 25 November 2002, Pope John Paul II appointed him the Titular Archbishop of Rusticiana and Apostolic Nuncio to Benin and Togo.

[3] On 24 August 2005, Pope Benedict XVI named him Apostolic Nuncio to Chad and the Central African Republic.

[5] On 22 March 2014, Pope Francis appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Sri Lanka.