Company Registration
in Vietnam.
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.
Register your company without the guesswork.
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.
We advise on LLC vs JSC, foreign ownership limits, and sector-specific licensing before you commit.
We prepare, translate, notarise, and submit every required document. Nothing gets returned for missing paperwork.
A named Forra advisor manages your case from first consultation to post-establishment handover.
Choose the right structure for your business.
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).
Most common structure for foreign investors setting up operations in Vietnam.
- Can trade commercially
- Single or multiple members (owners)
- 100% foreign-owned or joint venture
- Legal representative required in-country
- Simpler management structure than JSC
For investors who require complex corporate structures or plan to issue shares.
- Can trade commercially
- Minimum of 3 shareholders required
- 100% foreign-owned or joint venture
- Board of Directors required
- Can issue shares publicly (if licensed)
For foreign companies researching the Vietnam market before committing to full incorporation.
- Cannot trade or generate revenue
- No shareholders or partners
- 100% owned by the head office
- Chief Representative required
- Faster and lower cost to establish
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.
Six steps to a registered company.
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.
- Lease agreement — a lease or pre-lease for the registered address must be in place before application
- Proof of financial capacity — bank statements or financial records demonstrating sufficient funds for the investment commitment
- Investor documents — notarised and legalised identity and corporate documents from the investor's 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 Finance (DoF) or Zone Management Boards and is equivalent to Foreign Investment Approval in other jurisdictions. Without the IRC, the ERC application cannot begin.
Under the Law on Investment 2025, foreign investors may obtain an ERC before applying for an IRC while meeting market‑access conditions at incorporation. However, the practical application of this process remains uncertain and will depend on forthcoming implementing regulations.
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. Once the Enterprise Registration Certificate is issued, the Enterprise Code assigned to the company also serves as its official VAT identification number for all tax filings and invoicing purposes.
Immediately after the ERC is issued, several administrative steps must be completed before the company is operational.
- Engraving the company seal
- Register the digital signature and e-invoice
- Register the VNeID account for company
- Declare initial tax registration
- Register the social insurance unit code
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.
Everything needed to get your company operational.
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.
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 authority'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.
What clients typically ask us.
How long does the full registration process take?
What documents do I need to provide?
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.
For individual investors:
- Notarised passport (certified by Notary Office in Vietnam or legalised)
- Legalized original bank statement or bank letter confirming financial capacity
- Lease contract for the registered address
- Documentation confirming the landlord's right to lease
For corporate investors:
- Legalised company documents (Certificate of Incorporation, Charter, Business profile)
- Legalised original bank statement, bank letter, or audited financial statements
- Notarised passport of the legal representative of the Vietnam company
- Notarised passport of the legal representative of the investing company
- Notarised passport of any authorised representative of the investing company
- Lease contract and landlord documentation
What is a legal representative and do I need one in Vietnam?
What can I use as a registered address?
When and how must charter capital be contributed?
Can a foreign company own 100% of a Vietnam entity?
Ready to register your company in Vietnam?
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.
Book a free consultation