Foreign investors that invest in Vietnam in general and Hanoi in particular for the first time must have investment projects and fill in investment registration or examination procedures at state agencies in charge of investment in order to be granted Investment Registration Certificates (“IRC”) and Enterprise Registration Certificate (“ERC”). Company with 100% foreign capital has founded and operated from the date of issuance of the investment certificate.

The investor who wishes to apply for IRC in Hanoi, s/he need to have a possible project which is accepted by the Government (The Department of Planning and Investment of Hanoi City). The dossier on applying for IRC

For Investment Registration Certificate, the investor must prepare the dossier included:

i) An application form for execution of the investment project, including a commitment to incur all costs and risks if the project is not approved;

ii) A document about the investor’s legal status;

iii) Document(s) proving the financial capacity of the investor including at least one of the following documents: the investor’s financial statements for the last two years; commitment of a parent company to provide financial support; commitment of a financial institution to provide financial support; guarantee for the investor’s financial capacity; other document proving the investor’s financial capacity;

iv) Proposal for the investment project including the following main contents: investor or method of investor selection, investment objectives, investment scale, investment capital and plan for raising capital, location, duration and schedule of the investment project, information about the current use of land in the location of the project and proposed demand for land use (if any), demand for labor, proposal for investment incentives, impact and socio – economic efficiency of the project and preliminary assessment of environmental impact (if any) in accordance with regulations of law on environmental protection.

If the law on construction requires formulation of a pre-feasibility study report, the investor is entitled to submit the pre-feasibility study report instead of a proposal for the investment project.

v) If the project does not require the State to allocate or lease out land or to permit land repurposing, a copy of the document regarding the land use rights or other document identifying the right to use the location for execution of the investment project is required to be submitted;

vi) Contents of the explanation for the technology to be used in the investment project if the project requires appraisal and collection of opinions on the technology in accordance with the Law on Technology Transfer;

vii) The business cooperation contract if the investment project is executed under a business cooperation contract;

viii) Other documents relating to the investment project, and requirements on the eligibility and capacity of the investor in accordance with regulations of law (if any).

After having the project, the investor needs to apply for Enterprise Registration Certificate, the dossier included:

i) An application for enterprise registration;

ii) The enterprise’s charter;

iii) A list of members of a limited liability company with two or more members or a list of general partners;

iv) A notarized copy of identity card or valid passport of individual member;

v) A notarized copy of the Enterprise Registration Certificate of the organization’s member;

vi) A notarized copy of valid identity card or passport of the organization’s legal representative;

vii) The copy of Investment Registration Certificate.

The time for applying the investment project is 15 working days and the time for applying the company is 03 working days after the date of submitting the valid dossier.

Once an underdeveloped country, in the last two decades Vietnam has shown an incredible growth in the world economic scene, especially in the criteria of investment attraction. For a foreign company that is interested in expanding the business in a new country or region, Vietnam is a promising destination. In order to start a company or specifically a trading company in Vietnam, foreign investor should comprehensively understand the formality and function of the legal entity to be formed according to Vietnam Law. The consultancy and guidance of skilled and qualified lawyers in Vietnam law firms throughout the process shall mostly be needed.

The legal basis for a foreign company to set up a company in Vietnam is stated in the Enterprise Law of Vietnam: foreign organizations and individuals will be entitled to establish and manage enterprises in Vietnam in accordance with this law, with some exceptions. Foreign investors may invest in the form of 100% foreign- owned capital to establish limited liability companies, joint-stock companies, partnerships or private enterprises under the provisions of the Enterprise Law and relevant laws.

The foreign investor shall mostly needs to fulfill the investment registration procedures at provincial-level state agencies in charge of investment in order to be granted the investment certificates, in accordance with Vietnam law in investment. The dossier required for the investment registration shall comprise of an examination dossier, papers showing the capability to satisfy the conditions which the project is required by law to satisfy, for investment projects in conditional investment domains i.e. specific goods to be traded at HS code level, experience in trading area, how the trading procedures would be carried out, potential business in Vietnam.

In particular, for investment capital, it should be noted that, trading company needs to commit larger investment in terms of capital, since its function is to identify competitive suppliers, negotiate and purchase their products and sell them through a distribution network in Vietnam. In the meantime, the investor needs to have experience in trading to run the business smoothly and efficiently. The investor should explain why the company would contribute to the development in Vietnam when applying for investment license at Department of Planning and Investment, and Ministry of Trade and Commerce.

Our lawyers of foreign investment practice at ANT Lawyers are available to advise and provide client with service and representation in Vietnam.

Foreign investors that invest in Vietnam in general and Hanoi in particular for the first time must have investment projects and fill in investment registration or examination procedures at state agencies in charge of investment in order to be granted Investment Registration Certificates (“IRC”) and Enterprise Registration Certificate (“ERC”). Company with 100% foreign capital has founded and operated from the date of issuance of the investment certificate.

The investor who wishes to apply for IRC in Hanoi, s/he need to have a possible project which is accepted by the Government (The Department of Planning and Investment of Hanoi City). The dossier on applying for IRC

For Investment Registration Certificate, the investor must prepare the dossier included:

i) An application form for execution of the investment project, including a commitment to incur all costs and risks if the project is not approved;

ii) A document about the investor’s legal status;

iii) Document(s) proving the financial capacity of the investor including at least one of the following documents: the investor’s financial statements for the last two years; commitment of a parent company to provide financial support; commitment of a financial institution to provide financial support; guarantee for the investor’s financial capacity; other document proving the investor’s financial capacity;

iv) Proposal for the investment project including the following main contents: investor or method of investor selection, investment objectives, investment scale, investment capital and plan for raising capital, location, duration and schedule of the investment project, information about the current use of land in the location of the project and proposed demand for land use (if any), demand for labor, proposal for investment incentives, impact and socio – economic efficiency of the project and preliminary assessment of environmental impact (if any) in accordance with regulations of law on environmental protection.

If the law on construction requires formulation of a pre-feasibility study report, the investor is entitled to submit the pre-feasibility study report instead of a proposal for the investment project.

v) If the project does not require the State to allocate or lease out land or to permit land repurposing, a copy of the document regarding the land use rights or other document identifying the right to use the location for execution of the investment project is required to be submitted;

vi) Contents of the explanation for the technology to be used in the investment project if the project requires appraisal and collection of opinions on the technology in accordance with the Law on Technology Transfer;

vii) The business cooperation contract if the investment project is executed under a business cooperation contract;

viii) Other documents relating to the investment project, and requirements on the eligibility and capacity of the investor in accordance with regulations of law (if any).

After having the project, the investor needs to apply for Enterprise Registration Certificate, the dossier included:

i) An application for enterprise registration;

ii) The enterprise’s charter;

iii) A list of members of a limited liability company with two or more members or a list of general partners;

iv) A notarized copy of identity card or valid passport of individual member;

v) A notarized copy of the Enterprise Registration Certificate of the organization’s member;

vi) A notarized copy of valid identity card or passport of the organization’s legal representative;

vii) The copy of Investment Registration Certificate.

The time for applying the investment project is 15 working days and the time for applying the company is 03 working days after the date of submitting the valid dossier.

Foreign investors that invest in Vietnam in general and Hanoi in particular for the first time must have investment projects and fill in investment registration or examination procedures at state agencies in charge of investment in order to be granted Investment Registration Certificates (“IRC”) and Enterprise Registration Certificate (“ERC”). Company with 100% foreign capital has founded and operated from the date of issuance of the investment certificate.

The investor who wishes to apply for IRC in Hanoi, s/he need to have a possible project which is accepted by the Government (The Department of Planning and Investment of Hanoi City). The dossier on applying for IRC

For Investment Registration Certificate, the investor must prepare the dossier included:

i) An application form for execution of the investment project, including a commitment to incur all costs and risks if the project is not approved;

ii) A document about the investor’s legal status;

iii) Document(s) proving the financial capacity of the investor including at least one of the following documents: the investor’s financial statements for the last two years; commitment of a parent company to provide financial support; commitment of a financial institution to provide financial support; guarantee for the investor’s financial capacity; other document proving the investor’s financial capacity;

iv) Proposal for the investment project including the following main contents: investor or method of investor selection, investment objectives, investment scale, investment capital and plan for raising capital, location, duration and schedule of the investment project, information about the current use of land in the location of the project and proposed demand for land use (if any), demand for labor, proposal for investment incentives, impact and socio – economic efficiency of the project and preliminary assessment of environmental impact (if any) in accordance with regulations of law on environmental protection.

If the law on construction requires formulation of a pre-feasibility study report, the investor is entitled to submit the pre-feasibility study report instead of a proposal for the investment project.

v) If the project does not require the State to allocate or lease out land or to permit land repurposing, a copy of the document regarding the land use rights or other document identifying the right to use the location for execution of the investment project is required to be submitted;

vi) Contents of the explanation for the technology to be used in the investment project if the project requires appraisal and collection of opinions on the technology in accordance with the Law on Technology Transfer;

vii) The business cooperation contract if the investment project is executed under a business cooperation contract;

viii) Other documents relating to the investment project, and requirements on the eligibility and capacity of the investor in accordance with regulations of law (if any).

After having the project, the investor needs to apply for Enterprise Registration Certificate, the dossier included:

i) An application for enterprise registration;

ii) The enterprise’s charter;

iii) A list of members of a limited liability company with two or more members or a list of general partners;

iv) A notarized copy of identity card or valid passport of individual member;

v) A notarized copy of the Enterprise Registration Certificate of the organization’s member;

vi) A notarized copy of valid identity card or passport of the organization’s legal representative;

vii) The copy of Investment Registration Certificate.

The time for applying the investment project is 15 working days and the time for applying the company is 03 working days after the date of submitting the valid dossier.