PROCEDURES FOR ISSUANCE OF A LICENSE FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF A REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE OF FOREIGN TRADERS IN VIETNAM

In the context of increasingly deep international economic integration, the presence and expansion of foreign traders in Viet Nam through the establishment of Representative Offices has become a common practice. Vietnamese law provides specific regulations on the conditions, competent authorities, dossiers, and procedures for the issuance of Licenses for the establishment of Representative Offices to ensure compliance with applicable laws. 

Conditions

• The foreign trader is lawfully established under the laws of a country or territory that is a party to an international treaty to which Vietnam is a member, or is recognized by the laws of such country or territory;
• The foreign trader has been in operation for at least 01 year from the date of establishment or registration;
• In case the business registration certificate has a term of validity, the remaining validity period must be at least 01 year from the date of dossier submission;
• The operational scope of the Representative Office must be consistent with Vietnam’s  commitments under international treaties to which Vietnam is a member;
• In case the operational scope is inconsistent with such commitments, or the foreign trader does not originate from a country or territory that is a party to an international treaty to which Vietnam is a member: Needs the approval of the competent line Ministry is required. 

Competent Authorities 

• The Department of Industry and Trade of the province or centrally governed city where the Representative Office is expected to be located, if the office is situated outside industrial zones, export processing zones, economic zones, or high-tech zones; 
• The Management Board of the industrial zone, export processing zone, economic zone, or high-tech zone, if the Representative Office is located within such zones and where its establishment is not regulated by specialized legal normative documents.

Dossier 

• Application for the issuance of a License for the establishment of a Representative Office; 

• Business Registration Certificate or equivalent document (The consular legalization, the notarized copy and translation into Vietnamese); 

• Document appointing or designating the Head of the Representative Office 
  (The notarized copy and translation into Vietnamese); 

• Audited financial statements or a document certifying the fulfillment of tax and financial obligations in the most recent fiscal year (The notarized copy); 

• Legal documents of the Head of the Representative Office:  

– If Vietnamese: Passport or Citizen Identity Card (The notarized copy); 

– If foreigner: Passport (The notarized copy and translation into Vietnamese); 

• Documents regarding the proposed location of the Representative Office:  

– Memorandum of Understanding, lease agreement, or documents proving the right to use or exploit the premises (The notarized copy); 

– Documents indicating that the proposed location satisfies requirements on security, public order, occupational safety and hygiene, and other relevant conditions (The notarized copy). 

Procedures 

• The foreign trader submits the dossier directly, by post, or online to the competent authority; 

• Within 03 working days, the competent authority examines the dossier and requests supplementation (no more than once); 

• Within 07 working days, the competent authority issues or refuses to issue the License for the establishment of the Representative Office; 

• In cases where the scope of operation of the Representative Office is inconsistent with Viet Nam’s commitments, or the foreign trader is not from a country or territory that is a party to an international treaty to which Viet Nam is a signatory, and where the establishment of the Representative Office is not regulated by specialized legal normative documents: 

– Within 03 working days, the licensing authority sends a written request for opinions to the competent line ministry; 

– Within 05 working days, the line ministry issues a written opinion approving or disapproving the issuance of the License; 

– Within 05 working days from receipt of the ministry’s opinion, the competent authority issues or refuses to issue the License for the establishment of the Representative Office. 

PROCEDURES FOR ISSUANCE OF LICENSES FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF FOREIGN BRANCH IN VIETNAM↗

PROCEDURES FOR ISSUANCE OF FOREIGN CONTRACTOR LICENSE↗