Setting up a company in Vietnam for a 100% foreign-owned enterprise

It is estimated that every month, tens of thousands of new companies are established in Vietnam. The need to learn about the procedures for establishing a company is very large. So, How to start a business in Vietnam? In the article below, S4B Vietnam will provide detailed instructions on the steps to carry out this procedure for 100% foreign-owned enterprises.

1. Investment Certificate

For the first time, foreign investors must have an investment project before being granted an investment certificate. The investment certificate also serves as a business registration certificate. The investment certificate will be issued as part of the investment registration and/or assessment process based on (i) the type of project, (ii) the scale of investment capital and (iii) whether the project is in a conditional investment sector or not.

The investment certificate for a foreign investment project shall have a fixed term of no more than 50 years, which by law may be extended up to 70 years with the approval of the Government.

The investment certificate shall specify the scope of specific business activities that the foreign investor is setting up a company in Vietnam, the investment capital, the location and area of land to be used, and any related incentives (if any). The investment certificate shall also indicate the progress of project implementation for the investment.

How to Open A 100 % Foreign Owned Company in Vietnam?

2. Procedures

The licensing authority shall issue the investment certificate within 15 working days (in the case of a foreign project subject to the registration process) or 30 working days (in the case of a foreign project subject to the assessment process) from the date of receipt of a complete and valid dossier.

Vietnam business registration process applies to foreign-invested projects with investment capital of less than VND300 billion and not included in the list of conditional business sectors. The assessment process applies to the following two cases:

Foreign projects with capital of at least VND300 billion: the assessment process will focus on the project’s compliance with the master plan for infrastructure, land use planning, and master plan for raw materials and other natural resources. Other factors considered include land use requirements, project implementation progress, and environmental impact.

Foreign projects included in the list of conditional business sectors regardless of the size of the investment capital: The assessment process will focus on compliance with the applicable industry conditions. If the cost of starting a business in Vietnam or the project has capital exceeding VND300 billion, other factors as discussed above will also be considered.

Vietnam corporate tax rates 2025 is 20% as a standard. In some specific industry, Vietnam corporate tax rates 2025 can go up to 50%.

3. Licensing Authority

The licensing authority continues to be decentralized to the provincial people, the Management Committee and the Management Board of Industrial Parks, Export Processing Zones and High-Tech Parks. For some important or sensitive business sectors, the issuance of investment certificates by the provincial People’s Committee or the Board of Directors must be based on the investment policy or economic plan approved by the Prime Minister.

a. Approval by the Prime Minister

(i) Construction and commercial operation of airports; air transport;

(ii) Construction and commercial operation of national seaports;

(iii) Oil and gas exploration, production and processing; mineral exploration and exploitation;

(iv) Radio and television;

(v) Commercial activities of casinos;

(vi) Tobacco production;

(vii) Establishment of university training institutions;

(viii) Establishment of industrial parks, export processing zones, high-tech zones and economic zones.

Vietnam business registration process 2025

b. Provincial People’s Committee

The Provincial People’s Committee has the right to consider and grant investment certificates for any investment project within its provincial territory regardless of the investment capital or intended investment activities. In particular, a provincial people’s committee is authorized to grant licenses for:

Investment projects located outside industrial parks, export processing zones and high-tech zones;
Investment projects to develop infrastructure for industrial parks, export processing zones and high-tech zones where the Board of Directors in that province has not been established.

The provincial Department of Planning and Investment is responsible for receiving applications for investment certificates for and on behalf of relevant persons.

c. Board of Directors

The Board of Directors shall consider and grant investment certificates for investment projects implemented in industrial parks, export processing zones and high-tech zones.

4. S4B Vietnam supports the fastest company establishment procedures

Established in 2007, S4B Vietnam has been known by many people specializing in professional accounting and payroll administrator. Currently, S4B Vietnam is developing a Corporate Legal service to support businesses setting up a company in Vietnam throughout their life cycle, first of all in the company establishment procedures.

With a team of legal experts and a system of partner lawyers, S4B Vietnam supports customers in company establishment procedures, specifically:

  • Consulting on business registration, branches, representative offices, business households, business locations;
  • Consulting on changes to business registration contents, branches, representative offices, business locations and business households: Business name, members of a partnership company, charter capital, notice of change in business lines, notice of change in tax registration contents, change in company type…
  • Consulting on temporary business suspension procedures;
  • Fastest complete company establishment procedures. According to regulations, the minimum time for company registration procedures is 03 working days, however, in reality, the time may be extended due to the large number of business registration applications in localities. However, when using S4B Vietnam’s services, customers will be supported to complete the procedures as quickly as possible at the most optimal cost;
  • Support for online company establishment procedures on the National Business Registration Information Portal.

In addition, S4B Vietnam also provides consulting services on other issues regarding:

If you have any questions, please contact the hotline for support.

S4B Vietnam

  • Address: Unit 701B-701C, Tower A, Handi Resco, 521 Kim Ma Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, Vietnam
  • Tel: + 84 24 3974 4181
  • Email: service@s4b.com.vn

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