How to start a business in Vietnam as a foreign investor?

How to start a business in Vietnam as a foreign investor?

Vietnam is one of the fastest-growing economies in Southeast Asia, with a young and dynamic population, a favorable business environment, and a strategic location. Additionally, Vietnam's government has been increasingly enacting more preferential policies to facilitate foreign investors' entry into the country to do business in Vietnam. If you are interested in starting a business in Vietnam, here are some steps you need to follow:

Step 1: Choose a business entity type

There are different types of business entities in Vietnam, such as limited liability company joint-stock company partnership, branch office, representative office, etc. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages, depending on your business goals, capital, and legal requirements. You should consult a local law firm in Vietnam to help you decide which entity type suits your needs best.

Step 2: Register your business in Vietnam

After chosing your business entity type, you need to register your business with the relevant authorities in Vietnam. This involves submitting various documents, such as: business name, address, charter capital, shareholders, directors, tax code, etc. Depending on the type and scope of your business, you may also need to obtain additional licenses or permits from other agencies, such as the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, etc.

Step 3: Open a bank account in Vietnam

You need to open company’s bank account after registering your business. You will need to provide your business registration certificate, tax code certificate, and other documents to the bank. You can choose from various local or foreign banks operating in Vietnam, depending on your preferences and needs.

Step 4: Hire staff and set up your office in Vietnam

The next step is to hire staff and set up your office in Vietnam. You will need to comply with the labor laws and regulations in Vietnam, such as: minimum wage, social insurance, health insurance, working hours, etc. You will also need to find a suitable location for your office and equip it with the necessary facilities and equipment.

Step 5: Start your operations and marketing

You will need to develop a business plan and strategy that suits the local market and culture in Vietnam. You will also need to build relationships with customers, suppliers, partners, and authorities in Vietnam. You can use various channels and methods to promote your products or services, such as: social media,online platforms, events, etc.

Starting a business in Vietnam can be challenging but rewarding. By following these steps and seeking professional advice from the law firm in Vietnam when needed, you can successfully establish and grow your business in Vietnam.

ANT Lawyers is the reliable law firm in Vietnam that will always contact the authorities to obtain legal updates on issues pertaining to do business in Vietnam. 

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Vietnam is an attractive destination for startups

 According to Bloomberg, Vietnam is an attractive destination for startups in 2023

The international press reported that Vietnam's economy has been struggling domestically and internationally in 2023. However, there are still encouraging signs regarding the economy's potential for growth. In the meantime, Vietnam is also focusing on long-term economic growth to encourage startups to start businesses, invest, and do business in Vietnam.

As the boom period of reopening following COVID-19 comes to an end in 2023, the economy is returning to a long-term growth trajectory. Vietnam wants to spend 7% of GDP on infrastructure this year to support economic growth and ensure that FDI will continue to flow into the country for years to come.

In the future, Vietnam's economy is being strengthened by foreign direct investment. Vietnam is an ideal location for tourists and foreign investors to set up company in Vietnam due to its favorable business climate, stable political environment, sustainable macroeconomic development, abundant labor force, and low cost.

According to experts, the situation is very bad all over the world, but Vietnam has been recovering and getting back on track with its development. There will still be obstacles, such as the possibility of a recession and global protectionism, which reduces export demand. However, there will still be many advantages, and foreign investment, investment in human resources, and infrastructure, will drive growth in a variety of ways. In addition, the recovery of consumer and business confidence is expanding rapidly. Domestic demand has returned to normal.

According to Bloomberg, Vietnam is a desirable location for startups due to its abundance of skilled engineers, low labor costs, and rapidly expanding economy. By 2030, Vietnam wants to make Ho Chi Minh City a "magnet" for technology investments and a digital economy.

Vietnam is now a major hub for manufacturing and a crucial link in the global supply chain. As a result, increasing automation is crucial for economies and businesses. One of the primary drivers is the rapid improvement in labor productivity and digitization of the value chain. Vietnam's economy has great potential for rapid growth and digital transformation across all sectors.

Concerning the factors that ensure Vietnam's growth, there is a consensus. These elements incorporate speeding up primary and institutional changes, profoundly taking part in new-age economic alliances, improving unfamiliar speculation fascination, speeding up computerized financial change, and profound mixing into the worldwide store network.

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How an International Organization Could Set up Branch Office in Vietnam?

 How an International Organization Could Set up Branch Office in Vietnam?

An unfamiliar business substance or an unfamiliar dealer is permitted to set up a branch office in Vietnam to direct business exercises.

A branch in Vietnam is distinct from a representative office in that it is granted the authority to carry out business activities and generate revenue. While a foreign-owned company established in Vietnam exists independently, a branch is dependent on the foreign business entity that established the branch. The establishment of a branch office in Vietnam will be approved by the Vietnam Department of Industry and Trade, and the Vietnam Ministry of Planning and Investment will be the state agency in charge of coordinating company formation in Vietnam.

In particular, the term "Branch" refers to a subsidiary unit of a foreign business entity that has been established in accordance with Vietnamese law to be able to enter into contracts and engage in the purchase and sale of goods and other commercial activities in accordance with its license for establishment granted in accordance with Vietnamese law and any international treaty to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam belongs.

The establishment license must be applied for and obtained by the Branch; and have a seal with the branch's name on it.

1. Rights of the Branch in Vietnam

-To rent offices and to lease or purchase the equipment and facilities necessary for the operation of the branch.

-To recruit Vietnamese and foreign employees to work for the branch in accordance with the law of Vietnam.

-To enter into contracts in Vietnam in accordance with the activities stated in the license for establishment of such branch and in accordance with the Vietnam Law.

-To open Vietnamese dong and foreign currency accounts at banks which are licensed to operate in Vietnam.

-To remit profits abroad in accordance with the law of Vietnam.

-To have a seal bearing the name of the branch in accordance with the law of Vietnam.

-To conduct activities being the purchase and sale of goods and other commercial activities consistent with its license for establishment in accordance with the law of Vietnam and any international treaty to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a member.

2. Requested Conditions to Set Up a Branch Office in Vietnam

An unfamiliar organization which has viability business exercises will be permitted to open branch office in Vietnam in the event that this organization has genuine interest to open the market in Vietnam and meet a few circumstances as underneath:

-Being a trader recognized by the law of the country where it has been lawfully established or made its business registration;

-Having been operating for at least five years after its lawful establishment or business registration.

3. Issuance the Certificate of Branch:

The Department of Industry and Trade Department will carry out the issuance of the Certificate of Branch once the foreign company satisfies all Vietnam legal requirements.

The responsible period will be inside 20 working-days after the date of presenting the full substantial records as mentioned.

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What Are the Benefit of setting up business in Vietnam?

What Are the Benefit of setting up business in Vietnam?

Vietnam has a coastline that is more than 3,000 kilometers long, and it is situated in a significant region of Southeast Asia. Vietnam's diverse geography includes mountainous, highland, and coastal areas that are suitable for general economic zones, making it an ideal location for the growth of the tourism and trade sectors. Investors can benefit from incentives for land finance, import and export taxes, and corporate income tax when setting up business in Vietnam.

Tax incentives for businesses: The corporate tax rate (CIT) in Vietnam has been gradually decreasing over the past few years. In the 2004-2008 period, CIT was 28%, in the 2009-2013 period it was 25%, from 2014 to 2015, 22% and from January 1, 2016 up to this point, 20%. In addition, the provision of high corporate income tax incentives for a number of essential fields that need to be encouraged for investment has contributed to the attraction of investment, the encouragement of business, the creation of favorable conditions for enterprises to increase accumulation, the increase in investment in the economy, and the promotion of growth, thereby encouraging investors to start businesses in Vietnam.

Tax incentives for imports and exports: Regulations have been added to the 2016 Import and Export Tax Law to exempt high-tech businesses, science-tech businesses, and science-tech organizations from paying import taxes on raw materials, materials, and components that cannot be produced domestically within five years of the start of production. There are also import and export tax incentives being applied such as:

(i)Goods imported for foreign processing are exempt from import tax, and products exported and returned to foreign parties are exempt from export tax;

(ii)The tax payment deadline can be extended to 275 days from the date of filing the customs declaration for goods that are imported for the purpose of processing and are exempt from tax, goods that are temporarily imported for re-export, and goods that are raw materials and supplies used in the production of exported goods; Taxes on goods temporarily imported for re-export may be paid 15 days after the expiration date;

(iii)The creation of fixed assets for investment projects in areas of special investment encouragement, investment promotion fields, and locality with difficult socio-economic conditions is exempt from import tax on goods.

Incentives on land finance: The general land rent can be reduced from 1.5 percent to 1 percent for foreign investors investing in Vietnam. Furthermore, the State likewise specifies the utilization of the land cost change coefficient in deciding the land cost to compute the land lease, consequently, making Vietnam progressively turning into a good objective to draw in unfamiliar speculation and company foundation in Southeast Asia.

In the spirit of the state ensuring the rights of the investors' ownership, investment capital, and other interests of foreign organizations and individuals, creating favorable conditions, and simplifying procedures for such organizations and individuals to invest in Vietnam, the development of a transparent and consistent investment legal system is also increasingly becoming a useful tool to promote inflows of foreign direct investment into Vietnam.

The international public considers Vietnam's foreign investment law to be more open and appealing than those of some of the countries in the region. For instance, the law allows for 100% foreign capital ownership, administrative procedures are simplified, and there is no discrimination between Vietnamese and foreign-invested businesses. The law has been changing to see investment and business as matters between businesses and investors, with investors having full authority to make decisions about everything from investment projects to the company's formation and operations, and the government only guiding, creating an open legal environment with favorable mechanisms and procedures, supervising, and enforcing the law.

ANT Lawyers - a law office in Vietnam will continuously circle back to experts for legitimate update on issues pertinent to venture enrollment or business setting-up in Vietnam.

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Forms of Setting up company in Vietnam

 Forms of Setting up company in Vietnam

According the Vietnam Law on Enterprises, there are four common types of companies:

-Private enterprise

-Partnership

-Joint stock company

-Limited liability company

-Private enterprise is a business run by a single person who is responsible for all of its operations and owns all of its assets;

-Partnership is an organization in which (i) at least two partners co-own the business and operate jointly under a single name; There may be limited partners in addition to general partners; ii) A partnership's general partners must be individuals who are fully responsible for the partnership's obligations with their entire property: iii) Limited partners are only responsible for the partnership's debts up to the amount of their capital contribution;

-Joint stock company is an enterprise where i) Its contract capital is partitioned into equivalent bits known as shares; ( ii) Shareholders may be individuals or organizations; the base number of investors will be three and will not be confined to a specific most extreme number; ( iii) Its shareholders are only responsible for the debts and other property obligations of the company up to the value of their capital contribution; ( iv) Shareholders will be free to transfer their shares in accordance with the law;

-Limited liability company (also known as a single-member or multi-member limited liability company). A one-member limited liability company is an enterprise which is owned by one organization or individual (hereinafter referred to as the company owner); Within the company's charter capital, the owner is responsible for the company's debts and other property obligations. A business is a limited liability company if: i) Members may be individuals or organizations; The number of members in total cannot be more than fifty; ( ii) Individuals are answerable for obligations and other property liabilities of the undertaking inside how much capital that they have resolved to add to the endeavor; ( iii) The members' capital shares can only be transferred in accordance with the law.

ANT Lawyers is a law firm in Vietnam with international standards, recognized by IFLR1000 on Financial and Corporate practice. The firm provides a wide range of legal services, including M&A, corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory, dispute resolution for multinational and domestic clients.

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