Company registration in Vietnam

Essential company services.

• Company registration

  We will prepare and file the documents and complete your company registration with the DPI.

• Lease assistance

  We will review your lease agreement, liaise with your lessor to discuss and obtain the lease documents, and arrange for you to sign the lease agreement.

• Bank account opening

  We will assist the company with the process of opening bank accounts (covering Capital and Current accounts). The specific bank where the accounts will be opened is discussed and agreed with the company upon commencement.

• Acting legal representative & corporate governance

  We act as the resident legal representative or chief representative. Our role includes acting as gatekeepers, maintaining the check and balance on the company’s management, with a view to safeguarding the interest of the company and protecting the interests of the shareholders. This service is often combined with our corporate secretarial services for the full corporate services support.

1. Preparation of required documents for application

These include:

• Lease agreement – Each applicant must have a lease (or pre-lease) agreement in place for where their company will be registered.

• Proof of financial capacity – Investors must demonstrate that they have sufficient funds at the bank or the financial capacity to meet their investment commitments in Vietnam.

• Investor documents – Each investor will need to have appropriate notarised/legalised documents from their home country for the application.

Up to two weeks

2. Application for an Investment Registration Certificate (IRC)

The first step for a foreign investor seeking to establish a company in Vietnam is to register an “investment project” — the purpose of the foreign investor’s company. The resulting IRC permits the foreign investor to commence the establishment of their company in Vietnam. The IRC is akin to the concept of “Foreign Investment Approval” in other jurisdictions.

Up to three weeks

3. Application for an Enterprise Registration Certificate (ERC)

While the IRC is the outcome of the investment project registration that foreign-owned companies must complete in their establishment process, the ERC is the certificate of incorporation that all companies, both local and foreign-owned, must possess. After obtaining the IRC, the application for the ERC will begin. Once the ERC is issued, the company’s basic information will also be disclosed on the National Enterprise Registration Portal.

Up to one week

4. Initial post-establishment registrations

These are procedures implemented after company incorporation, which include:

• Application for making public notification of the new company’s establishment

• Purchase and provision of company seal

• Application for announcement of the seal specimen

• Drafting decision of appointment of the general director/director

Up to two weeks

5. Additional post-licensing and sub-licensing applications

After successfully registering a company in Vietnam, depending on the company’s business activity, the investor may need to apply for additional licenses or sub-licenses, according to licensing requirements and conditions for specific sectors, industries, and business lines.

6. Charter capital contribution

The company’s enterprise capital (investment capital) is comprised of charter capital and loan capital. The charter capital is a critical requirement after registering a company in Vietnam. It is the amount of funds that members (or shareholders) contribute or commit to contribute within a certain period as stated in the charter and must be fully contributed within 90 days from the date on which the company is established.