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Get your Vietnam setup estimate

Answer eight questions. See the likely route and what drives the cost, then a specialist sends a written proposal.

Step 1 of 8

What does the business actually do?

Where will your customers be?

Operating company or holding vehicle?

Any preference on city?

Who will the company employ in year one?

What premises will you need?

Do you already know the route you want?

When do you want to be trading?

Department of FinanceBusiness & investment registration
Business registrationForeign-owned entities
ImmigrationWork permits & TRCs
Tax & filingsLocal compliance

How a Vietnam company is set up

A straightforward services or trading company in an open sector typically takes 8–12 weeks from first filing to first invoice. Legalising documents abroad, the registered address and a conditional sector are what most often move it.

  1. 01StartRoute and documentsActivity, ownership, city and premises agreed; the investor’s documents legalised abroad.
  2. 02FilingInvestment registrationThe investment registration certificate (IRC) is applied for with the licensing authority of the city or zone.
  3. 03LicensingEnterprise registrationThe enterprise registration certificate (ERC) follows; its enterprise code is also the tax code.
  4. 04After licensingSeal, tax & e-invoicingThe company seal is made, tax registration completed and e-invoicing set up.
  5. 05After licensingCapital account & contributionThe direct investment capital account opens and the charter capital is contributed within 90 days of the ERC.
  6. 06OperatingPeopleWork permits and residence cards for foreign hires, where the plan needs them.

What impacts cost

Setup costs vary with the route and city, charter capital, premises, the people you employ, conditional-sector approvals, and what recurs in year two.

Route and registration
Starting point
City company, zone-based entity or representative office sets the baseline file.
Relative impact: baseline
Charter capital and premises
Main variable
The capital you commit and the office, factory or warehouse you lease are the largest movers.
Relative impact: high
People
Per hire
Local payroll set-up, and a work permit and residence card for each foreign hire.
Relative impact: variable, per hire
Conditional-sector approvals
Activity-based
Some business lines need a sub-licence or a sector approval, depending on what the company does.
Relative impact: moderate, activity-dependent
Year two
Ongoing costs
Accounting, tax filings, labour reporting and licence maintenance follow their own calendar.
Relative impact: ongoing, recurring

Selected setups by business type

Selling software to clients abroad from a Vietnam team

International clients and a desk-based team usually keep the drivers to registration, premises and payroll.

Setup
Foreign-invested company in Ho Chi Minh City or Da Nang
Customers
International clients, invoiced from Vietnam
People
A local team; foreign hires add work-permit steps
Cost drivers
Charter capital, premises and payroll set-up
Estimate
Confirmed after scope review
  1. ScopingRoute, activity and charter capital agreed in writing
  2. FilingInvestment and enterprise registration lodged
  3. LicensingCertificates issued; seal, tax and bank steps follow
  4. After licensingPayroll, work permits and the compliance calendar

Producing for export from an industrial park

Zone admission and a factory lease come before the company registration, and both shape the estimate.

Setup
Zone-based company in an industrial park or export-processing zone
Premises
Factory or warehouse leased inside the zone
People
Local workforce; foreign managers add work-permit steps
Cost drivers
Zone admission, lease, charter capital and approvals
Estimate
Confirmed after scope review
  1. ScopingZone shortlist, activity and premises agreed
  2. AdmissionZone management board review and lease
  3. FilingInvestment and enterprise registration lodged
  4. After licensingConstruction or fit-out permits, labour and tax registration

Importing and distributing goods inside Vietnam

Domestic distribution is a conditional line for foreign-invested companies, so the activity check comes first.

Setup
Foreign-invested trading company in the city
Customers
Vietnamese buyers and distributors
Approvals
Trading and distribution conditions checked per product line
Cost drivers
Approvals, warehousing and charter capital
Estimate
Confirmed after scope review
  1. ScopingProduct lines checked against the conditional-business list
  2. FilingInvestment and enterprise registration lodged
  3. LicensingTrading licence steps where the line requires them
  4. After licensingCustoms registration, tax and banking

Testing the market before a company

A representative office cannot invoice, which keeps the drivers narrow and the commitment reversible.

Setup
Representative office of the foreign parent
Activity
Liaison and market research, no revenue
People
A chief representative and a small team
Cost drivers
Office lease and staff registrations
Estimate
Confirmed after scope review
  1. ScopingParent documents legalised
  2. FilingRepresentative-office licence application
  3. LicensingLicence, seal and tax code
  4. After licensingWork permits, labour and reporting calendar

Holding a Vietnamese operating company from abroad

The holding sits outside Vietnam; the estimate is for the operating company beneath it.

Setup
Offshore holding above a foreign-invested company
Ownership
Shares held by the parent; capital contributed through the capital account
People
Local management under the operating company
Cost drivers
Operating-company registration, capital and premises
Estimate
Confirmed after scope review
  1. ScopingStructure and capital route agreed
  2. FilingOperating-company registration lodged
  3. LicensingCertificates issued; capital account opened
  4. After licensingCapital contribution, tax and compliance calendar

Talk to a Vietnam specialist

Frequently asked

Why does the Vietnam estimator not show a number?
Because no Vietnam route carries a published package price. Charter capital, premises, headcount and any conditional-sector approval move the cost too far for a calculator figure to be honest. The estimator names the route and the drivers; the number comes in a written proposal after a short scoping call.
What does the assessment take into account?
Activity, customers, purpose, city, people, premises, the route you lean towards and your timing. Each answer changes the drivers and the open points a specialist must confirm.
Does the proposal include work permits and premises?
It depends on the options you select. Work permits, residence cards, premises and government fees are itemised separately in the proposal so you can see what is included and what is not.
Can you review my assessment with me?
Yes. We review the assumptions, identify missing cost drivers, and compare the viable routes before you commit to a structure.

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