Business Setup

Company registration in Vietnam for foreign companies

Incorporation of a 100%-foreign-owned company or a joint venture: IRC, ERC, sector sub-licences, and post-licence registrations. End-to-end setup.

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Overview

Company registration in Vietnam for a foreign investor requires an Investment Registration Certificate (IRC) and an Enterprise Registration Certificate (ERC), followed by sector sub-licences (where applicable) and post-licence registrations (tax, SI, seal, bank). We handle the full process, working with local counsel to manage the licensing authority engagement.

Who needs this service

  • Foreign investors setting up a new entity in Vietnam
  • Joint ventures requiring a local partner
  • Holding companies that need a regional operating entity
  • Startups that need a Vietnam footprint

Legal requirements

IRC

Investment Registration Certificate from the Department of Planning and Investment, recording the project, capital, and scope.

ERC

Enterprise Registration Certificate establishing the legal entity. Issued after the IRC.

Sector sub-licences

Conditional sectors (telecoms, education, certain logistics, etc.) require sub-licences from the relevant ministry.

Post-licence registrations

Tax code, social insurance, seal, bank account, and (for FDI) SBV capital registration.

Pricing

Indicative fees

ItemFee
Government fees (IRC + ERC)from VND 5 million
Professional fees (legal, secretarial)from USD 5,000
Sector sub-licence (if applicable)from USD 3,000

Fees are indicative and depend on transaction volume, complexity, and reporting requirements. Request a tailored proposal.

Timeline

Typical engagement timeline

Phase 1 · Week 1–2

Pre-engagement

Document preparation, project proposal, sector advice.

Phase 2 · Week 3–6

IRC submission

Submission to DPI, queries, and final issuance.

Phase 3 · Week 7–8

ERC

Submission to DPI for the ERC.

Phase 4 · Week 9–12

Post-licence

Tax code, SI, seal, bank account, SBV capital registration.

Watch out

Common mistakes we help you avoid

  • 01Underestimating the project capital and triggering a query from the DPI
  • 02Not engaging a local counsel with experience in the licensing authority
  • 03Choosing the wrong entity type for the sector
  • 04Missing the sector sub-licence and starting operations without it
Why us

What you get

End-to-end

From document preparation to post-licence registrations. One engagement, one fee.

Local expertise

We work with local counsel who has the relationships and the track record with the licensing authority.

Predictable timeline

A clear timeline with weekly status updates. We manage the queries and the revisions.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How long does company registration take?
Standard timeline: 4–8 weeks for a 100% foreign-owned company. Pre-engagement with the Department of Planning and Investment, document preparation, IRC review, ERC issuance, and post-licence registrations (tax, SI, seal, bank) all factor in.
What is the minimum capital for a foreign company?
There is no universal statutory minimum, but the IRC approval typically requires a capital amount consistent with the project. Capital-intensive sectors (manufacturing, real estate) have higher practical floors.
What documents are needed for incorporation?
Commonly required: parent-company documents (certificate of incorporation, articles, audited financials), passport copies of the legal representative, the investment project proposal, the company's charter, and a proof of address for the planned office.
Can a foreign company hold 100% ownership?
Yes, in most sectors Vietnam permits 100% foreign ownership. Conditional sectors (e.g. telecommunications, certain logistics, certain media) have foreign-ownership caps or require a local partner.
Get Started

Ready to discuss company registration?

Free 30-minute consultation. We'll review your situation and outline a fixed-fee engagement.

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