Company formation
Choose the right legal form: LLC, joint stock company, joint venture, representative office or branch.
- Comparison of every legal form
- Business-line and capital check
- Vietnamese-owned companies too
Foreign direct investment
Setting up a foreign-invested company, step by step
A 100% foreign-owned company in Vietnam needs two licences, an investment capital bank account and a handful of post-licence registrations. We prepare and file all of it, and tell you exactly what to sign.
The licensing route
- 01
Business-line check and office lease
We confirm your activities are open to foreign investors and help you secure an address that is valid for registration.
about 1 week
- 02
Investment Registration Certificate (IRC)
Filed with the provincial investment authority (for most projects, the Department of Finance; for projects in industrial zones, the zone management board). The legal deadline is 15 days from a complete file.
about 2–4 weeks
- 03
Enterprise Registration Certificate (ERC)
Registers the company itself, with its tax code. The legal deadline is 3 working days.
3–5 working days
- 04
Seal, public announcement and bank accounts
We make the company seal, publish the registration on the national portal and open the direct investment capital account (DICA) and a current account.
about 1–2 weeks
- 05
Tax setup
Digital signature, e-invoice registration, initial tax filings and choosing the accounting regime.
about 1 week
Documents you will need
If the investor is an individual:
- Passport copy, notarised (and, for most nationalities, consularly legalised for use in Vietnam)
- Bank balance confirmation showing at least the planned capital
- Lease agreement or memorandum of understanding for the office, plus the landlord's ownership papers
- CV and details of the person who will be the company's legal representative
How long does it take?
Counting from a complete document set, most projects receive the IRC and ERC within 4 to 8 weeks. Time is usually lost before that, in legalising foreign documents, so we start that checklist on day one. Projects that need approval of the investment policy (very large projects, or those using land) take longer, and we will give you a separate timeline.
After the licence: obligations you must not miss
- Contribute the registered capital through the DICA within 90 days of the ERC
- File investment reports on the national investment information system each quarter and year
- Appoint a chief accountant or use a licensed accounting service
- Register foreign staff for work permits before they start work
- Have annual financial statements audited and filed within 90 days of year end
Questions about this service
Do I need to come to Vietnam to set up the company?
Not necessarily. You can sign the documents in your home country, have them notarised and legalised, and give us a power of attorney. You will need to be present or appoint someone for opening the bank account, depending on the bank.
Which city is best for an FDI company?
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have the most experienced licensing offices. Industrial zones in Bac Ninh, Hai Phong, Binh Duong and Dong Nai offer tax incentives for manufacturing. We compare locations for your activity.
What happens if capital is not contributed in 90 days?
The company must register a reduction of capital to the amount actually paid, and may be fined. It can also cause problems when applying for work permits, investor visas and bank transfers later.
Other services
Accounting & tax
Bookkeeping, VAT, corporate tax, annual finalisation and audit support.
- Monthly or quarterly tax returns
- Reports in your language
- Chief accountant service
Work permit & TRC
Work permits, exemptions, investor and work visas, temporary residence cards.
- Work permit or exemption
- Investor and work visas
- Temporary residence card
Payroll, insurance & bank
Monthly payroll, PIT, social insurance and the direct investment capital account.
- Payslips and PIT
- Social, health and unemployment insurance
- DICA and profit remittance
Tell us what you want to do in Vietnam.
Send your business activity, the city and your nationality. Within one working day you get a written plan: the right company type, the documents, the timeline and a fixed quote.