Guides for foreign investors in Vietnam
Short answers to the questions foreign investors ask most, updated for the 2025 Investment Law. Each guide links to the full route and to the tools.
IRC vs ERC in Vietnam: what each certificate does, and why neither lets you start trading
The IRC registers the investment project; the ERC creates the company. How they differ, which order they come in under the 2025 Investment Law, and what else you need before you operate.
Setting up the company before the IRC: Vietnam's 2026 ERC-first option
Since 1 March 2026 a foreign investor may in certain cases form the Vietnam company first and obtain the IRC within 12 months. What that allows, what it does not, and the risks.
Buying shares in a Vietnamese company: when M&A registration is required
A share acquisition does not automatically need a new IRC. Prior M&A registration applies only on one of three Article 21(3) triggers. Worked examples, parallel approvals and payment route.
Investing in a Vietnamese startup as a foreign VC or angel: the legal route
A foreign fund buying or subscribing for shares in a Vietnamese startup follows the share-acquisition routes. When M&A registration applies, why 50% matters, and the payment route.
Representative office, branch or subsidiary in Vietnam: which presence do you need?
What a representative office may and may not do, when a branch of a foreign trader is available, and when you need a Vietnam company instead. Licensing and ongoing duties.