{"id":346,"date":"2025-05-23T15:01:15","date_gmt":"2025-05-23T08:01:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/?p=346"},"modified":"2025-07-29T15:48:33","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T08:48:33","slug":"lap-van-phong-dai-dien-cong-ty-nuoc-ngoai-tai-viet-nam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/en\/lap-van-phong-dai-dien-cong-ty-nuoc-ngoai-tai-viet-nam\/","title":{"rendered":"Establishing a Representative Office of a Foreign Company in Vietnam"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In the context of Vietnam\u2019s economy increasingly integrating with the global market, establishing a representative office for foreign companies has become a strategic move for many international businesses. A representative office not only enhances brand presence but also lays the groundwork for market research and long-term investment activities in Vietnam. The following article will help foreign enterprises understand the necessary steps to establish a representative office in Vietnam \u2014 with the trusted support of APEX PARTNERS.<\/p>\n<h2>What is a Representative Office of a Foreign Company?<\/h2>\n<p>According to Vietnamese law, a representative office is a dependent unit of a foreign trader, permitted to operate in Vietnam to perform functions such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Promoting commercial activities<\/li>\n<li>Seeking investment and cooperation opportunities<\/li>\n<li>Conducting market research<\/li>\n<li>Supporting the parent company in transactions with Vietnamese partners<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It is important to note that a representative office is not allowed to engage in profit-generating activities (such as selling goods or signing commercial contracts). However, it plays a crucial role in expanding the parent company\u2019s business network in Vietnam.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-518\" src=\"https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/7.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"499\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/7.jpg 800w, https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/7-300x187.jpg 300w, https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/7-768x479.jpg 768w, https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/7-18x12.jpg 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Conditions for Establishing a Representative Office of a Foreign Company<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Must be a legally established business under the laws of the country of origin.<\/li>\n<li>Must have been operating for at least one year from the date of issuance of the Business Registration Certificate.<\/li>\n<li>The business activities must align with the intended scope of operation in Vietnam.<\/li>\n<li>Must not fall under the list of entities restricted or prohibited from opening representative offices according to Vietnam\u2019s laws or international commitments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Application Dossier for Establishing a Representative Office of a Foreign Company<\/h2>\n<p>A complete application submitted to the licensing authority typically includes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>An application form for the License to Establish a Representative Office (in the prescribed format).<\/li>\n<li>A notarized copy of the parent company\u2019s Business Registration Certificate.<\/li>\n<li>A letter of appointment for the head of the representative office.<\/li>\n<li>A copy of the passport or identification document of the appointed head.<\/li>\n<li>The most recent annual financial statement of the parent company.<\/li>\n<li>The lease agreement for the office location in Vietnam.<\/li>\n<li>Other documents as required by the Department of Industry and Trade of the relevant province or city.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> Foreign documents must be consular legalized and translated into Vietnamese with notarized certification, in accordance with Vietnamese law.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-427\" src=\"https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0x0.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"1350\" height=\"900\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0x0.webp 1350w, https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0x0-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0x0-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0x0-768x512.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1350px) 100vw, 1350px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Procedure for Establishing a Representative Office of a Foreign Company<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Step 1:<\/strong> Prepare the application dossier<\/li>\n<li><strong>Step 2:<\/strong> Submit the dossier to the Department of Industry and Trade in the province\/city where the office is intended to be located<\/li>\n<li><strong>Step 3:<\/strong> The licensing authority reviews and evaluates the application<\/li>\n<li><strong>Step 4:<\/strong> Receive the Operation License (within 7\u201310 working days)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Step 5:<\/strong> Register the office seal and tax code<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2>Important Notes When Establishing a Representative Office<\/h2>\n<h3>Not allowed to conduct profit-generating commercial activities<\/h3>\n<p>A representative office is only permitted to carry out functions such as market research, brand promotion, and supporting the parent company in transactions with partners in Vietnam. According to regulations, a representative office does not have independent legal status and is not allowed to sign commercial contracts, trade goods, issue invoices, or directly perform financial obligations with customers in Vietnam.<\/p>\n<h3>Must comply with management and periodic reporting requirements<\/h3>\n<p>The representative office operates under the supervision of local authorities, especially the Department of Industry and Trade where the office is based. Therefore, the office must fulfill obligations such as submitting annual activity reports, updating changes (if any), and maintaining records and documentation as required by law.<\/p>\n<h3>Monitor license validity and renew in a timely manner<\/h3>\n<p>The license for a representative office is typically valid for a maximum of five years. Before the license expires, the enterprise must proactively prepare renewal documents and submit them on time to avoid disruption in operations.<\/p>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>Establishing a representative office of a foreign company is a strategic move that allows international businesses to expand their presence in the promising Vietnamese market. However, to ensure a smooth, efficient, and legally compliant process, choosing a professional consulting firm is essential. With a team of experienced lawyers, a transparent and effective working process, APEX PARTNERS is committed to accompanying you from the very first step until all procedures are completed, helping you establish a strong and sustainable presence in Vietnam.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trong b\u1ed1i c\u1ea3nh n\u1ec1n kinh t\u1ebf Vi\u1ec7t Nam ng\u00e0y c\u00e0ng h\u1ed9i nh\u1eadp s\u00e2u r\u1ed9ng v\u1edbi th\u1ecb tr\u01b0\u1eddng qu\u1ed1c t\u1ebf, vi\u1ec7c l\u1eadp v\u0103n ph\u00f2ng \u0111\u1ea1i di\u1ec7n c\u00f4ng ty n\u01b0\u1edbc ngo\u00e0i \u0111ang tr\u1edf th\u00e0nh b\u01b0\u1edbc \u0111i chi\u1ebfn l\u01b0\u1ee3c c\u1ee7a nhi\u1ec1u doanh nghi\u1ec7p to\u00e0n c\u1ea7u. V\u0103n ph\u00f2ng \u0111\u1ea1i di\u1ec7n kh\u00f4ng ch\u1ec9 gi\u00fap t\u0103ng c\u01b0\u1eddng hi\u1ec7n di\u1ec7n th\u01b0\u01a1ng hi\u1ec7u&#8230;<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":551,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-346","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dau-tu-nuoc-ngoai","category-dich-vu"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/346","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=346"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/346\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":705,"href":"https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/346\/revisions\/705"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/551"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=346"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=346"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apexpartnerslaw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=346"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}