1
Company Name
The company name shall comply with local laws and regulations and must not duplicate the names of registered enterprises. Generally, the name needs to contain words indicating the nature of the business, and shall be written in Vietnamese or English.
2
legal representative
At least one person is required, with no nationality restrictions.
3
Shareholders and Directors
There shall be at least one shareholder, who may be a natural person or a legal entity; and at least one director shall be appointed.
4
Registered Capital
It is recommended to set the registered capital above 200,000 US dollars.
5
paid‑in capital requirements
Both domestically‑funded and foreign‑invested companies are required to complete capital contribution within three months after registration.
6
Registered Address
A valid local address in Vietnam is required (a leased commercial office is acceptable).
7
Business Scope
Except for sensitive and special industries such as banking, real estate and pawnshops, ordinary trading, technology and service companies may be 100% foreign‑owned.
8
taxation
Vietnam imposes strict tax regulations on physically operating companies. It is necessary to confirm the actual office premises in advance to prepare for on‑site inspections by the tax authority.
1
Vietnamese Limited Liability Company（LLC）
It is one of the common corporate types in Vietnam. Shareholders are liable for the company’s obligations within the scope of their capital contributions. The registration process is relatively straightforward; the company can be established by a single shareholder with no nationality restrictions. Shareholders assume limited liability for corporate debts, which effectively protects personal assets, making this form suitable for small and medium‑sized enterprises as well as start‑ups.
2
Vietnam Joint‑Stock Company（JSC）
The minimum number of shareholders is three with no nationality restrictions. It is allowed to issue stocks and get listed on stock exchanges. This corporate form is suitable for medium‑sized and large enterprises as well as multinational groups investing in Vietnam.
3
Vietnam Branch Office （BO）
It is a branch of the parent company without an independent corporate name or legal person status. Its financial statements shall be consolidated and declared together with those of the parent company, and the establishment procedures are relatively complicated. A foreign enterprise that has operated overseas for no less than five years may set up a branch in Vietnam, whose business scope must be consistent with that of the parent company. This form is applicable to enterprises with established overseas parent companies that intend to expand their business in Vietnam.
4
Vietnam Representative Office（RO）
It may only conduct market research and promote the business of its parent company, and is prohibited from engaging in production‑related commercial activities in Vietnam. A foreign enterprise with more than one year of operating history is eligible to establish a representative office in Vietnam. The office shall appoint a resident representative and submit annual reports to the competent department of industry and trade, and may be wholly foreign‑owned.
Target applicants: enterprises that only need to carry out market research and client liaison work.
5
Recommendation
Most foreign‑invested enterprises prefer LLCs, which can operate independently while enjoying the dividends of local policies.
1
Individual Shareholder
1. Scanned copy of passport (requiring notarization plus double authentication / Hague Apostille);
2. Bank statement issued within three months showing the current balance;
3. Office lease contract (applicable when the client provides the registered address independently);
4. Scanned passport copies of the director and legal representative of the Vietnamese company (requiring notarization plus double authentication / Hague Apostille)
2
Corporate Shareholder
1. Registration Certificate (subject to notarization and double authentication / Hague Apostille);
2. Bank statement of the company showing the current balance and issued within three months;
3. Office lease contract (if the client provides the address on its own);
4. Financial statements of the shareholder company for the latest two years;
5. Scanned passport copy of the corporate legal representative (subject to notarization and double authentication / Hague Apostille);
6. Scanned passport copies of the director and legal representative of the Vietnamese company (subject to notarization and double authentication / Hague Apostille).
