Granting Investment Registration Certificate | ANT Lawyers

As Vietnam integrates further into the global supply chain, foreigners are more and more encouraged to invest in Vietnam in many areas for pursuing profit. The foreign direct investment of the foreigners is required to be registered at Vietnam state authority to protect the rights of the investor.

According to the Law on Investment 2014, investment projects of foreign investors; projects of setting up a economic organization in which foreign investors holding 51% of charter capital or more or the majority of the general partners are foreigners in a partnership; projects of BCC contract between domestic investors and foreign investors or between domestic investors and economic organization which foreign investors holding 51% of charter capital or more or the majority of the general partners are foreigners shall need to conduct the procedure of applying investment registration certificate as regulations of law.

Preparation of dossier

A written request for permission for execution of the investment project;

A copy of the ID card or passport (if the investor is an individual); a copy of the Certificate of establishment or an equivalent paper that certifies the legal status of the investor (if the investor is an organization).

An investment proposal that specifies: investor(s) in the project, investment objectives, investment scale, investment capital, method of capital rising, location and duration of investment, labor demand, requests for investment incentives, assessment of socio-economic effects of the project;

Copies of any of the following documents: financial statements of the last two years of the investor; commitment of the parent company to provide financial support; commitment of a financial institutions to provide financial support; guarantee for investor’s financial capacity; description of investor’s financial capacity;

Demand for land use; if the project does not use land allocated, leased out by the State, or is not permitted by the State to change land purposes, then a copy of the lease agreement or other documents certifying that the investor has the right to use the premises to execute the project shall be submitted;

Explanation for application of technologies to the project which specifies: names of technologies, origins, technology process diagram, primary specifications, conditions of machinery, equipment and primary technological line;

The business cooperation contract (BCC) (if the project is executed under a BCC).

Order and Procedure

Investors submit the dossier at Department of Planning and Investment (or management of economic zones, high-tech zones);

Within 15 working days from the date of receipt of a complete and valid dossier, the competent authority shall grant the investment registration certificate for investors.

In practice, the time duration would be lengthened due to the time for preparation of documents from investor, getting them notarized, legalized and authenticated before being accepted in Vietnam. The documents in foreign languages shall need to be translated into Vietnamese. The actual time for processing paper at the State authority would also last longer in practice when the State authority evaluate the project plan of the investor to ensure that its investment purpose is achievable economically and in accordance to the regulations of Vietnam. It is advised that the client engage professional law firm in Vietnam to assist with advisory and investment registration process.

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Transfer of Investment Projects in Vietnam | ANT Lawyers

Under the current Law on Investment, investors are entitled to transfer part or all of the project to another investor when satisfied the specific conditions and conducting to procedure of project adjustment under the regulation of law.

The conditions of project transfer

The project is not terminated in the cases as prescribed in Clause 1 Article 48 of Law on investment;

Investment conditions applied to foreign investors are satisfied in case the foreign investor receives a project of investment in conditional business lines;

Regulations of law on law, real estate trading is complied with if the project transfer is associated with transfer of land;

Conditions in the Certificate of investment registration or relevant regulations of law are complied with.

Preparation of dossier

A written request for permission for project adjustments;

A report on the project’s progress up to the time of transfer;

The project transfer contractor an other document with equivalent legal value;

Copies of the ID card or passport (if the investor is an individual) or Certificate of Enterprise Registration or another document with equivalent legal value (if the investor is an organization);

Copies of the Investment Registration Certificate or decision on investment guidelines (if any);

Copies of the BCC contract (for BCC projects);

Copies of one of the following documents of the transferee: financial statements of the last 02 years; commitment to provide financial support by the parent company, commitment to provide financial support by a financial institution, the guarantee of transferee’s financial capacity, documents describing the transferee’s financial capacity;

Order and procedure

Investors submit the dossier at Department of Planning and Investment (or Management of Economic Zone or High-tech Zone);

Within a period of 10 working days from the date of receipt the complete and valid dossier for an investment project operating under an investment license and not subject to decision of investment policy (or 28 working days from the date of receipt the complete and valid dossier for an investment project which is subject to investment decision of the provincial People’s Committee; 47 working days from the date of receipt the complete and valid dossier for the investment project subject to the decision of the Prime Minister), the competent authorities consider and decide to adjust the investment registration certificate to the investor transferring the project.

Before transferring an investment project, investors need to evaluate the legal situation, apart from the financial, personnel, and other key issues of the project, which are subject of the transfer. Therefore, to ensure effective transfer, investors often engage law firms with highly qualified lawyers in Vietnam to conduct M&A legal due diligence related to the legal documentation of the owner, capital contribution of the shareholder or member, tangible assets (land use rights, plant and machinery, equipment, etc.) and invisible assets (including industrial property rights), licenses, contracts or transactions of great value, taxes and other legal risks such as litigation or disputes which could significantly impact the project..

The transfer of an investment project is an administrative procedure with a state agencies that is only smooth when the parties reached agreements. In fact, the transfer of the investment project’s timeline depends on the appraisal and evaluation process of the parties involved in the project.

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Foreign Investment | ANT Lawyers

Our foreign investment practice at ANT Lawyers helps clients with the following:

Transactional structuring: advising on the possibility for foreign investors to obtain an investment license in Vietnam and the selection of an appropriate investment vehicle in Vietnam such as a business co-operation contract, a joint venture company or to set up a company in Vietnam as a wholly foreign owned company.

Licensing requirements: drafting and negotiating all documents required for obtaining an investment license for a foreign invested project, following up Vietnamese authorities for obtaining the investment license and assisting to complete all post-licensing procedures.

Regulatory issues: advising on regulatory issues in relation to the operation of foreign invested projects in Vietnam including advertising and promotion of their products. Please contact us for inquiries through email ant@antlawyers.vn or call our partner directly at + 84 912 817 823.

Let ANT Lawyers help your business in Vietnam.

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Securities and Capital Markets | ANT Lawyers

From debt and equity issues through to derivatives and structured finance, our capital markets practice advises on the full range of foreign and domestic laws through our global network of affiliate offices.

A key strength of our practice is the ability to offer a global team combining technical expertise and wealth of experience with regular contact with listing authorities and regulators. With experience of across the Euromarkets, the U.S. capital markets and Asia, we work closely with our clients to meet their expectations of, and need for, a full securities law service. We are one of a few Vietnam law firms that could offer services oversea taking advantage of our international law firm networks. whom are familiar with international capital markets.

We advise on all types of international securities transactions, with our practice covering equity, debt, regulatory capital and equity-linked (convertible and exchangeable) bond issues, structured finance and securitisation transactions and the full range of derivative products. We regularly act for local enterprises and foreign invested businesses in Vietnam.

Please contact us for inquiries through email ant@antlawyers.vn or call our partner directly at + 84 912 817 823.

Let ANT Lawyers help your business in Vietnam.

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