ANT Lawyers

Vietnam Law Firm with English Speaking Lawyers

ANT Lawyers

Vietnam Law Firm with English Speaking Lawyers

ANT Lawyers

Vietnam Law Firm with English Speaking Lawyers

ANT Lawyers

Vietnam Law Firm with English Speaking Lawyers

ANT Lawyers

Vietnam Law Firm with English Speaking Lawyers

Thứ Năm, 23 tháng 6, 2016

WHY DA NANG IS A PLACE FOR SETTING UP BUSINESS

Da Nang has been creating flexible policies, good environments attracting foreign investors setting up company, building factory, and developing service business.


Da Nang is a social and economic center of central area of Vietnam with the role as the center of industry, trade and tourism and service.  It is a seaport city, an important transport hub for the transit of domestic and international transportation. Presently, Da Nang has been rising as a comprehensive and sustainability developing city.
With the advantages of geographical location, people and nature, the leader of Da Nang is planning to build the city becoming a major tourist center of the country, developing tourism industry with entertainment centers and luxury resorts in Vietnam.
In practice, Da Nang has been reducing administrative procedures, creating favorable conditions for investors in obtaining certificate for investment.  In the meantime, the city also supports investors understanding the information and maintaining direct dialogue mode with businesses leaders and managers in order to promptly assist any difficulties encountered by investors in the process of project implementation. Da Nang’s leaders are famous in being proactive in providing the latest information about the law in investment, especially information on the process of changing investment certificate… to facilitate the investment plan of the investors whom are investing in Da Nang.  For investment projects in infrastructure construction using ODA capital, the city has been quickly implemented the clearance and compensation in time to hand over the project site to the investors as planned.
To ensure the tourism environment and sustainable development, the city focuses on attracting projects in high technology industry, supporting industry and services with high added value i.e. information technology, education, healthcare and logistics…, especially favouring clean and quality projects rather than large projects but are likely to cause environmental issues.
Along with economic development, Da Nang also has activities and measures for environmental protection by investing in building projects to protect and improve the environment such as: modernization the sewer and wastewater treatment system (JICA), building east-west economic corridor (ADB)… to ensure sustainable and long term development of the economy.
An important element for economic development is the local security. Da Nang has done a great job in maintaining public security in order to guarantee investors a stable and safe political, social environment for investors.
It can be seen that Da Nang converges suitable elements and really is a promising land for investors both domestic and international, to invest in entertainment, real estate, tourism, IT, healthcare, education services.
ANT Lawyers, a law firm in Vietnam offers clients legal service in Da Nang through our affiliate office located in Hoi An (covering Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue City), managed by an experienced corporate lawyers whom bring along extensive experience from leading law firms in Vietnam including Mayer Brown, handling a wide range of corporate and commercial matters with a particular emphasis on foreign investment, mergers and acquisitions and real estate; from planning, consultation to execution.

WHY INVESTORS SHOULD SET-UP BUSINESS IN PHU QUOC

The improvement in infrastructure system along with the preferential policies have stimulated investors to come to Phu Quoc to set-up company and do business.


Phu Quoc, an island in Kien Giang of Vietnam is in the top of three islands having tourism potential in Southeast Asia comparable to Phuket in Thailand and Bali in Indonesia.  Phu Quoc has become a magnet for attracting huge investment flows from foreign investors in the area of real estate, entertainment, casinos, restaurant or food and beverage service business.
Phu Quoc has temperate weather throughout the year. There are also fresh and friendly forest – sea ecology and the modern transport system on the island with international airport and international hospital. Moreover, many infrastructure projects and international schools are under construction, which are necessary and favorable conditions to invite and attract investors to the Pearl Island for doing business.
Capital inflows to Phu Quoc have really exploded after the “knots” in investment were removed. The new airport went into operation that can welcome larger aircraft and serve more flights, in which there are more international direct flights from China, Singapore, Russia and Cambodia. The 51km long radial route on the island has been basically completed; the road around the island and the branch roads are also being deployed. The power grid was pulled from the mainland to the island, replacing the very high cost gasoline power in the past.
The real estate and tourism consultants all agree that Phu Quoc fully convergent elements of an attractive beach for tourist with year-round sunshine, many beautiful beaches such as Long Beach, Truong Beach, Khem Beach and immense virgin forest. Moreover, Phu Quoc has a strategic location with just 1-2 hours flight to the key tourism markets in Southeast Asia.
Both investment and tourism in Phu Quoc have entered the acceleration phase. By the end of July 2015, Phu Quoc has attracted nearly 200 investment projects, including 136 projects that are being implemented in the area of over 5,100 ha with total registered capitals of 6.5 billion USD. Just one part of those projects become reality then it will make Phu Quoc to become a leading tourist destination in Vietnam, ahead of Da Nang and Nha Trang, competing with the top destinations in the area as Phuket and Bali.
Some of the largest Vietnam corporations such as Vingroup, Sun Group, CEO Group, BIM Group are implementing the huge projects that could alter the appearance of the island. In which the giant in real estate sector – Vingroup has invested projects as: Vinpearl Resort on an area of 300 ha in Long Beach, the combining of golf course and safari zoo on an area of more than 2,000 ha, and the 80 ha commercial complex.
The improvement in infrastructure system along with the preferential business and legal environments i.e. favourable land rental rates, corporate income tax, exemption of visa for foreign tourists make Phu Quoc island of Kien Giang, Vietnam a new attractive place for investment.
ANT Lawyers, a law firm in Vietnam could offer service to set-up company in Phu Quoc through its affiliate office.  We assist clients needing legal service in obtaining investment certificate, business registration, or other  licensing procedures in Phu Quoc, Kien Giang Province, Vietnam.

CONDITIONS FOR ESTABLISHING REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE IN VIETNAM

Decree No. 07/2016 / ND-CP regulating the Commercial Law regarding representative offices and branches of foreign traders in Vietnam that have recently been issued by the Government.


Accordingly, foreign traders can establish their representative offices and branches in Vietnam under Vietnam’s commitments in international treaties to which Vietnam is a member. A foreign trader cannot establish more than one representative office or branch with the same name within a province or city under central authority.
Foreign traders are licensed to establish representative offices when they meet five conditions:
– Foreign traders can establish and register for business in accordance with law of nation and territories participating in international treaties in which Vietnam is a member, or recognized by the law of those nations and territories.
– Foreign traders that have been in operation for at least one year from the date of establishment or registration.
– In case the certificate of business registration or papers with equivalent value of the foreign traders have prescribed the time limit for operation, then the duration must be at least 1 year from the date of submitting record.
– The operation of the representative office must match the commitment of Vietnam in the international treaties in which Vietnam is a member.
– The case where the operation of the representative office is inconsistent with Vietnam’s commitments or foreign traders do not belong to any nations and territories participating in the international treaties in which Vietnam is a member, the establishment of representative offices must be approved by the Minister of specialized management.
The Decree also stipulates the conditions for foreign traders to be granted licenses to establish their branches. Specifically, foreign traders will be licensed for the establishment of branches when they meet 5 conditions:
– Foreign traders can establish and register for business in accordance with law of nation and territories participating in international treaties in which Vietnam is a member, or recognized by the law of those nations and territories.
– Foreign traders that have been in operation for at least five year from the date of establishment or registration.
– In case the certificate of business registration or papers with equivalent value of the foreign traders have prescribed the time limit for operation, then the duration must be at least 1 year from the date of submitting record.
– The operation of the branch office must be consistent with the market-opening commitments of Vietnam in the international treaties in which Vietnam is a member, and in line with the business lines of the foreign trader.
– If the content of the branch operation is inconsistent with Vietnam’s commitments or foreign traders do not belong to any nations and territories participating in the international treaties in which Vietnam is a member, the establishment of branches must be approved by the Minister of specialized management.


The license for the establishment of representative office and branch of foreign traders have a term of 5 years but does not exceed the remaining term of the certificate of business registration or papers of equivalent value of the foreign trader in the case that those papers contain provisions on the term.

Thứ Năm, 2 tháng 6, 2016

WHICH AUTHORITY APPROVES BUSINESS SETTING UP IN VIETNAM?

Investment projects in Vietnam could be evaluated and approved for business setting-up at top level of the government, at ministerial levels or at the provincial levels.

The licensing authorities for business setting up in Vietnam has been divided to distribute workloads at different state agencies with aim to speed up the process and attract more quality investment projects in Vietnam.
In practice, the process for establishing companies or executing investment projects in Vietnam would take from one month for simple project, three to six month for areas categorized under conditional investment areas, requiring sub-licenses, or additional time for more complicated projects.  At the provincial levels, there might be inconsistency between cities and provinces due to different interpretation of laws.  For investment project with difficulty to manage, the provincial levels would need to consult with technical department of central government agencies, as such the time taken to process the investment certificate would be lengthen.
Understanding the mechanism and the work division of Vietnam authorities that evaluate and approve business licensing at different government agencies would help foreign investors to smoothen the process and improve their experience in Vietnam.
It is notable that, the government level will be focusing on significant projects, in special area at large investment capital with impact on social economic situations.  Most of the investment licensing procedures will be carried out at the provincial levels where the investment projects exist.
The following will point out directions for foreigners to approach respective agencies based on the particular area of interests, scale, and nature of the investment.  However, to avoid delay and increase effectiveness, it is advisable that the foreign clients would consult with Vietnam law firms to help advise and represent them in preparing and executing the investment in Vietnam.
I. Projects evaluated and granted investment licensing at government level
Depending on the business nature, industry sector, investment scale, and investment policy, the Vietnam Prime Minister, on behalf of the government will evaluate and approve investment licensing for setting up business.
1. The investment project in Vietnam the government will evaluate and approve regardless of funding, the scale of investment are in the following areas:
a) Development and commercialization of airports and air transport;
b) Development and commercialization of national port;
c) Exploration, mining and processing of oil and gas; exploration and exploitation of minerals;
d) Radio, television;
e) Casino;
f) Production of cigarettes;
g) Establishment of university level educational institute;
h) Establishment of industrial zones, export processing zones, high-tech zones and economic zones.
2. Although investment projects which do not fall under the cases listed above, but the government of Vietnam also evaluates and approves investment project with investment capital of VND 1,500 billion (around USD 75 mil) upwards regardless of funding and in the following areas:
a) Sales of electricity, mineral processing, metallurgical;
b) Construction of railway infrastructure, roads, inland waterways;
c) Production, sales of wine and beer.
3. Further, the government of Vietnam also evaluates and approve investment projects with foreign investment in the following areas:
a) Maritime transport;
b) Establishment of networks and provision of postal services, courier, telecommunication and internet; network setup and signal transmission;
c) Printing and distribution of newspapers; publication;
d) Establishment of independent scientific research.
4. Where the investment projects specified in the above cases are in the plan which the Prime Minister has approved or authorized other agencies to approve, and that the investment projects meet the conditions prescribed by law and treaties to which Vietnam Nam is a member, the agency granted investment certificates perform the procedure for issuance of investment certificates is not required to submit to the Prime Minister to decide on the investment policy.
5. Where the investment projects specified in the above case is not in the plan which has been approved by the Vietnam Prime Minister or authorized other agency to approve, and that the projects do not meet the conditions for market access provisions in international treaties which Vietnam is a member, the agency granted investment certificates shall consult with other of relevant industries and submit to the Prime Minister for investment policy decision.
II. Projects evaluated and granted investment licensing at ministerial level
1. The Vietnam Ministry of Planning and Investment shall evaluate and approve licensing for investment projects in the form of BOT, BTO, BT.
2. Other ministries will be evaluating and granting license for investment in some sectors.
a.Vietnam Ministry of Commerce and Industry shall evaluate and approve licensing for investment project in oil and gas sector;
b. Vietnam State Bank shall grant licensing for financial institutions;
c. Vietnam Ministry of Finance shall be responsible for issuing license for investment project of insurance business.
III. Projects evaluated and granted investment licensing at provincial levels
1. Department of Planning and Investment shall be the single point of contact that receive the application and evaluate the investment plan of the foreign investors wishing to establish business in Vietnam for projects
a. Outside of Industrial Zone, Industrial Processing Zone;
b. Infrastructure development project for Industrial Zone, Industrial Processing Zone which management board of industrial zone and industrial processing zone are not yet established.
2. The management board of Industrial Zone, and Industrial Processing Zone:
a. For investment projects within the Industrial Zone, and Industrial Processing Zone which are not under the authority of the Prime Minister;


b. Infrastructure development project to for industrial zone and industrial processing zone.