Setting up a company in Vietnam
Setting up a company in Vietnam involves several registrations for the business and, for you, the right to live here. Each step depends on the one before, and the order matters. This article covers the main steps, how the investor visa fits in and what to think about on tax.
The main steps for the company
Opening a company in Vietnam usually involves:
- An investment registration certificate
- Enterprise registration
- A company seal
- Tax registration
- A company bank account
Register the company correctly the first time, with the right business lines.
Your own residence: investor visa or work permit
Alongside the company, you need your own right to live in Vietnam. For founders, that usually means an investor visa or a work permit, and a residence card.
The investor visa is for founders and investors who put capital into a Vietnamese company. It suits people opening a company in Vietnam, investors buying into an existing Vietnamese company and people who want to run their own business rather than work for an employer.
Investor visa tiers
| Tier | Investment | Visa | Residence card (TRC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ĐT1 | VND 100 billion or more | Up to 5 years | Up to 10 years |
| ĐT2 | VND 50 billion to under 100 billion | Up to 5 years | Up to 5 years |
| ĐT3 | VND 3 billion to under 50 billion | Up to 3 years | Up to 3 years |
| ĐT4 | Under VND 3 billion | Up to 12 months | No TRC |
Two points matter most when you plan:
- The capital must be contributed to a Vietnamese company. Money sitting in a bank account does not count.
- The ĐT4 tier gives a one-year visa but no residence card. For smaller businesses, plan the size of your capital contribution with your residence in mind.
A residence card usually takes a few weeks once your investment certificate is ready. Document preparation is normally the longest part. Spouses and children of investor visa holders can usually apply for family visas and residence cards too.
Prepare your documents early
Most documents issued abroad, such as degrees, criminal record checks and marriage certificates, must be legalised and translated before Vietnamese authorities accept them. The most common reasons applications are delayed are:
- Missing legalisation
- Inconsistent names or dates across documents
- Expired health or criminal record certificates
Vietnamese immigration rules change often, so always confirm the current requirements before you apply.
Plan your tax structure before you move
If you run a business, your tax position depends on how your income is structured. A Vietnamese company pays corporate income tax, with 20% as the standard rate, and you are taxed separately on the salary or dividends you take out. Income from a foreign company can be taxed differently again.
Getting the structure right before you move is where early planning makes the biggest difference. Tax rules change, so talk to a qualified tax adviser about your own situation.
How XploreVietnam can help
We map the full route with you, file each step with the right office and keep you updated until your business and your residence are both in place. See our page for entrepreneurs, the investor visa section of our visa guide and the business owners section of our tax guide. You can also use Navigator, our free planning portal, for visa checklists and a cost of living calculator.