How to Establish a Joint-Stock Company in Vietnam?

How to Establish a Joint-Stock Company in Vietnam?

In addition to limited liability companies, partnerships, and private enterprises, joint-stock companies are recognized by Vietnamese law. When a Vietnam authority issues a Certificate of Business Registration, a joint-stock company gains legal status. Consult with corporate lawyers in Vietnam to learn about the advantages of various company formations in Vietnam for the owner's efficient management and goals.

As per the meaning of the Law on Undertakings, a business entity is a venture whose sanction capital is separated into two halves called shares. A joint-stock company can have individuals or organizations as its shareholders; the minimum number of shareholders is three. Since there is no maximum number of shareholders, the company will be able to easily expand its operations on a larger scale. In addition, shareholders will only be responsible for the company's debts and other property obligations up to the amount of capital contributed. Due to the level of risk that shareholders must bear, this is an advantage of this type of business. Specifically, business entities reserve the privilege to give offers, bonds and different protections to raise capital, which is a component that different kinds of organizations don't have.

The owner of a business in Vietnam has the option of submitting a set of documents to the Business Registration Office where the intended head office is located on their own or by authorizing another individual, organization, or law firm in Vietnam to do so. These documents include:

1.An application for enterprise registration;

2.The company’s charter;

3.List of founding shareholders and list of shareholders being foreign investors;

4.Copies of the following papers:

a) Legal papers of the individual for the legal representative of the enterprise;

b) Personal legal papers for company members, founding shareholders, shareholders being foreign investors who are individuals; Legal papers of the organization for members, founding shareholders, shareholders being foreign investors being organizations; Legal documents of individuals for authorized representatives of members, founding shareholders, shareholders being foreign investors being organizations and documents on appointment of authorized representatives.

For individuals and investors being unfamiliar associations, duplicates of lawful papers of the association should be authenticated and consularly sanctioned in Vietnam; The owner of a business in Vietnam has the option of submitting a set of documents to the Business Registration Office where the intended head office is located on their own or by authorizing another individual, organization, or law firm to do so. These documents include:

c)Investment registration certificate, in case the enterprise is established or participated in the establishment by a foreign investor or a foreign-invested economic organization in accordance with the provisions of the Investment Law and other legal documents; implementation manual.

The Business Registration Office will process the application within three working days of receiving it.

ANT Lawyers could assist you in establishing a joint-stock company in Vietnam with their highly skilled staff and extensive experience in foreign investment.

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How to Establish a Business in Vietnam

How to Establish a Business in Vietnam?

Lately, Vietnam has turned into an appealing objective for unfamiliar speculation because of its benefits of safety, political soundness, and great geological situation to exchange with the world. This serves as both the gateway to the economies in the western Indochina Peninsula and the region's connection hub. In addition, in order to make it easier for foreign investors to begin doing business in Vietnam, the government of Vietnam has been increasingly implementing more preferential policies.

Investors in Vietnam must first select an appropriate type of business based on the number of capital contributors, amount of capital contributed, and purse size before starting a business in Vietnam. Foreign individuals and organizations are permitted to establish a limited liability company, joint stock company, partnership, or private enterprise under Vietnam law.

The business line is the next issue to take into consideration. The company must register the appropriate business lines related to business activities in order to continue operating. On the off chance that the chose line of business doesn't need conditions, the venture can go into activity after the foundation of the organization. The majority of businesses would engage in this non-conditional business activity. However, if the investor selects a conditional business line, the company must first meet the necessary requirements, submit an application for a business license in accordance with the requirements, and then begin operations. This is regarded as a conditional investment area, with restrictions such as a license requirement, minimum charter capital, and foreign ownership ratio...

Investors must also select a location for their business that is legally permissible for business operations. The address of the business must be on Vietnam's territory and meet the requirements of the business's purpose, such as not being in a dormitory or apartment building solely for living; The factory must be in the right area for business...

Newly established businesses must have their own proper name, which cannot be the same as or similar to a business that has already been registered in order to serve the management of the state and facilitate business activities. When naming an organization, businesses are not permitted to use the names of functional agencies or state management agencies. The proper name and type of business must be included in the business's name. Businesses can use abbreviations or English names to avoid competing with other businesses. However, they must ensure that the company name does not create confusion by not including any cultural symbols, prefixes, or suffixes.

In Vietnam, investors must apply for an Investment Registration Certificate at an appropriate authority. All projects wishing to establish a new legal entity in Vietnam must go through this procedure. Depending on the project, an investment certificate application takes about 30 days to process. Foreign individuals and businesses must prepare an application for an Enterprise Registration Certificate at the Department of Planning and Investment within seven days of receiving an Investment Registration Certificate. The enterprise now possesses legal status in accordance with the provisions of the Vietnam Law on Enterprises.

The company could perform monthly compliance services on its own or with the assistance of professionals, such as submitting foreign labor reports, investment reports, tax reports, and health and insurance reports to authorities in order to avoid penalties from the start.

ANT Lawyers is a law firm in Vietnam that will always contact the authorities to obtain legal updates on issues pertaining to investment registration or conducting business in Vietnam.

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TAX OBLIGATIONS FOR FOREIGN ENTITY DOING BUSINESS IN VIETNAM

The applicable taxes including value added tax (VAT), corporate income tax (CIT) and personal income tax (PIT).

On August 6th 2014, the Ministry of Finance issued Circular No. 103/2014/TT-BTC guiding the implementation of tax obligations that are applicable to foreign organizations and individuals doing business in Vietnam or having incomes generated in Vietnam.

Taxpayers: foreign contractors, foreign subcontractors; organizations established and operated under the law of Vietnam, organizations register to operate under the law of Vietnam, other organizations, individuals producing and trading.

The applicable taxes including value added tax (VAT), corporate income tax (CIT) and personal income tax (PIT).

Taxable income of foreign contractors and foreign subcontractors is income derived from the provision and distribution of goods; provision of service, service in association with goods in Vietnam on the basis of the contractor contract and subcontractor contract.

CIT Payable

=

Revenue subject to CIT

x

CIT rate calculated on taxable turnover

Subjects liable for VAT: services or services associated with goods provided by foreign contractors, foreign subcontractors on the basis of the contractor contract, subcontractor contract to use for manufacturing, trading and consumption in Vietnam.

Incomes arising in Vietnam of foreign contractors and foreign subcontractors are earnings received in any forms on the basis of the contractor contract, subcontractor contract (except for cases specified in Article 2, Chapter I of this Circular), regardless of the place conducting business operations of foreign contractors and foreign subcontractors.

Circular specifically instruct the following cases:

1. Pay VAT by deduction method; pay CIT on the basis of cost and revenue declaration to determine taxable income.

2. Pay VAT and CIT by percentage on turnover.

3. Pay VAT by deduction method; pay VAT by percentage on turnover.

Issued together with Circular 103 is the tax declaration form for foreign contractor.

This Circular takes effect from October 1st 2014, replaces Circular No. 60/2012/TT-BTC dated April 12th2012 of Ministry of Finance guiding the implementation of tax obligation applicable to the foreign organizations and individuals doing business in Vietnam or having income in Vietnam.

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TOP 10 CHALLENGES OF DOING BUSINESS IN VIETNAM

Expanding gross domestic product (GDP), modern infrastructure and a dramatic increase in foreign direct investment (FDI) are signs that Vietnam has transformed into an attractive investment destination, but there are still barriers to doing business which are best navigated with local help on board.

Since 1988, there have been 13,544 foreign investment projects with a total registered capital of US$213 billion in Vietnam, building a large overseas investment sector which occupies about 17% of GDP and 43.4% of industrial product value. Overseas firms are attracted by Vietnam’s 87 million-strong population which supports a large and young workforce and that has also seen an increase in disposable income in recent years.

Strong economic growth rates have been a common feature of the Vietnamese economy since the 1990s, and even though the high levels slumped slightly during the global financial crisis, the country has rapidly returned to pre-crisis growth trends and is expected to continue on this path. Infrastructure, tourism development, and related real estate and retail sector development in urban areas are all attracting large amounts of FDI, and overseas firms are increasingly attracted by the country’s move from a centralised to a market-orientated economy.

However, The World Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC) rank Vietnam in 99th place in the world for ease of doing business, which means it is essential to seek local help when expanding in the country.

Starting a Business

There are 10 procedures to undertake when starting a business in Vietnam, making it among the most complex start-up environments in the world. What’s more, many tasks facing new corporate entities may be unfamiliar to overseas companies, making the task far more rigorous. Registration of the seal-sample at the Police Department, for example, or publically announcing the formation in a local newspaper are procedures most companies generally don’t have to complete.

Dealing with Construction Permits

It takes 110 days and 11 procedures to get permits for construction in Vietnam, once again requiring interaction with several official departments. Inspections must be carried out by the Department of Construction and the municipality, and certificates should be obtained from the Firefighters Prevention Department, the Department of Construction and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

Getting Electricity

Getting electrical connection is among the most rigorous tasks facing startups in Vietnam, taking 115 days to complete and costing a significant percentage of income per capita. Inspections by the local power corporation are required before completing processes with the Traffic and Transport Department and the Firefighters Prevention Department.

Registering Property

Registering property takes 57 days to complete, which is far higher than the OECD norm but around average for East Asia and Pacific. Contracts between the transferor and the transferee are signed before taxation is paid and registration for the right to use land is complete.

Getting Credit

Vietnam is home to quite a stable credit environment, and obtaining capital is a relatively smooth process for businesses. However, the lack of a private credit bureau can make the process a little trickier for overseas firms.

Protecting Investors

Investor protection is an area in which Vietnam fails miserably. It is ranked in 169th place by the World Bank and IFC, with a weak director liability index and shareholder suits index.

Paying Taxes

There are a massive 32 corporate tax payments to be made each year which takes an average of 872 company hours to complete. Compared to the OECD norm of 176 and the East Asia and Pacific average of 209, taxation is one of the most burdensome processes of doing business in Vietnam.

Trading Across Borders

Given its strong manufacturing base and reliance on interconnectivity, trading across borders is a cheap endeavour. However, that isn’t to say the process is not complicated, and the stream of documentation required for both importing and exporting highlights that cross-border trade can be difficult at the best of times.

Enforcing Contracts and Resolving Insolvency

Enforcing contracts takes 400 days to complete and 34 procedures. Resolving insolvency is a far more laborious process, taking five years on average to complete and with a low recovery rate.

Culture

The Vietnamese believe in the teachings of the early Chinese philosopher Confucius which emphasise the importance of relationships, responsibility and obligation. Vietnam is also a collectivist country and community concerns will almost always come before business or individual needs.

ANT Lawyers

We have the local knowledge to help you navigate these minefields. Whether you want to set up in Vietnam or just want to streamline your Vietnamese operations,

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