Register your company in Vietnam with a team that handles everything — from Investment Registration Certificate through to post-establishment compliance. Clear pricing, fixed timelines, real support.
Vietnam's company registration process involves multiple government agencies, bilingual documentation, sequential approvals, and a series of post-establishment steps that most first-time investors don't anticipate. A missed document or incorrect structure choice at the start can add weeks to your timeline.
Forra manages the full process on your behalf — from assessing your ownership structure and sector restrictions to submitting your IRC and ERC applications and handling every post-licensing requirement. You receive a fixed-fee quote upfront, a named advisor throughout, and a complete document set at the end.
Vietnam's Investment Law and Enterprise Law provide several corporate structures for both foreign and domestic investors. The two most common for foreign-owned or joint-venture companies are the Limited Liability Company (LLC) and the Joint Stock Company (JSC).
Book a free consultation. We'll review your business plan, sector, and ownership requirements and recommend the right structure before any paperwork begins.
100% foreign ownership: Under Vietnam's WTO commitments, a wide range of business sectors allow 100% foreign ownership. However, certain industries carry restrictions — conditional, restricted, or uncommitted sectors — that limit the level of foreign participation. Forra verifies your intended business activity against current sector regulations before the application begins.
For foreign-owned companies, the registration process involves two sequential certificate applications — the IRC and the ERC — followed by a series of post-establishment requirements. Forra manages every step.
Before any application is submitted, three core documents must be in place. We guide you through each requirement and advise on the legalisation process for your home country.
The IRC is the first approval required for any foreign-owned company. It registers the investor's "investment project" with the Department of Planning and Investment (DPI) and is equivalent to Foreign Investment Approval in other jurisdictions. Without the IRC, the ERC application cannot begin.
Authorities are required to issue the IRC within 15 working days of receiving a complete application. Forra prepares the full application file and liaises with the DPI throughout the review period.
The ERC is the certificate of incorporation — required for all companies in Vietnam, both local and foreign-owned. Once issued, the company's details are published on the National Enterprise Registration Portal. The Business Registration Division is required to issue the ERC within 3 working days of a complete application.
Immediately after the ERC is issued, several administrative steps must be completed before the company is operational.
Depending on your business activity, additional sector-specific licenses or sub-licenses may be required before operations can commence. Common examples include conditional business lines such as education, healthcare, food & beverage, logistics, and financial services. Forra identifies these requirements during the initial assessment and manages the applications as part of your engagement.
Charter capital — the amount that members or shareholders commit to contribute — must be fully paid into the company's Direct Investment Capital Account (DICA) within 90 days of the ERC issue date. For foreign investors, funds must be transferred from an overseas bank account into the DICA before being moved to the company's operating account.
Failure to meet the 90-day deadline can trigger penalties and requires a formal amendment to the ERC. Forra tracks this deadline and advises on the transfer process.
Our company registration service covers the full process — from initial advice to post-establishment handover. The following services are included as standard or available as add-ons depending on your package.
Included in all company registration engagements
Full preparation and submission of your Investment Registration Certificate and Enterprise Registration Certificate, including all supporting documentation, translations, and authority liaison.
We review your proposed lease agreement, liaise with your landlord on documentation requirements, and confirm the address meets the DPI's registration criteria. Registered address services are available if you don't yet have a premises.
Handling of all post-ERC requirements: company seal, public notification, Director appointment, tax registration, VAT and e-invoice setup, bank account opening, and labour registration.
We assist with opening both the Direct Investment Capital Account (DICA) and the company's operating account with a suitable bank, and advise on the charter capital transfer process.
If you require a resident legal representative in Vietnam, Forra can act in this capacity — signing documents, maintaining statutory obligations, and safeguarding shareholder interests. Often combined with ongoing corporate secretarial services.
The exact document list depends on whether you're investing as an individual or through a corporate entity. Note that most foreign documents need to be notarised and legalised — the process varies by country, and typically involves the Vietnamese Embassy in your home country.
After the ERC is issued, several immediate steps are required before the company can operate and meet its obligations.
All of the above are handled by Forra as part of the standard registration service.
Book a free 30-minute consultation. We'll confirm the right structure, outline exactly what's needed, and give you a fixed-fee quote — no commitment required.