VietnamRepresentative-office closure pack
In plain termsClosing an RO (representative office) fails when each authority gets a different story. This pack is one dated set: notice, labour, tax, bank, licence. Hand the same index to every desk.
Start here — three checks
- Put the 30-day notice and the declared last operating day on page one of the index
- Collect labour endings and tax filings next. Do not start with the licence-return form.
- Keep the chief’s authority alive until the last signature is done
Decision map
| Signal | Lock now | If skipped |
|---|---|---|
| Notice not yet sent | Draft and file it before you empty the office. The pack starts there. | Every later exhibit is late against the first clock. |
| Employees still active | Termination or transfer papers with dates that fit the notice window. | Tax and bank ask who still works there; you have no answer. |
| Tax clearance not in hand | PIT, any RO tax filings, and the closure request to tax — before the bank remittance. | Funds leave or freeze while tax still sees a live code. |
| Bank residual balance | Parent remittance proof and a zero-balance letter as a late exhibit, not the first. | You close the account and cannot pay a final tax or lease bill. |
| Licence return attempted with a thin folder | Refuse to file until the index is complete. A rejected return wastes the notice clock. | HQ believes Vietnam is closed; the register disagrees. |
Common wrong movesWhere people lose time on this exact question.
- Giving tax, bank, and licensing three different last-operating dates.
- Letting the chief resign on day one of the pack.
- Shipping the chop home before the licence is returned.
If this fails, do this nextRecovery order — not a generic legal memo.
- Rebuild the index around one last-operating date and the real notice date.
- Complete labour and tax exhibits before touching bank close.
- If the licence is already at revocation risk, say so in the pack; do not pretend this is a routine renewal.
Evidence to prepareChecklist before you file or walk in.
- RO licence (original) and establishment decision.
- 30-day termination notice with proof of filing/receipt.
- Chief of RO ID, appointment, and current authority to sign.
- Employee list, contracts, termination or transfer papers, PIT withholdings.
- Lease, handover, and landlord confirmation.
- Tax-code documents, final filings, and clearance correspondence.
- Bank statements, remittance instructions, and account-close request.
- Chop/seal control log and plan to return or destroy as required.
- Parent board resolution authorising closure.
- Index of dates: notice, last operating day, last payroll, last tax file, bank close, licence return.
Closure sequenceThe order this pack is built to follow.30-day noticeExhibit one in the pack.RO and dissolution hubWhether closure was the right call vs conversion.
Common questions
What documents do I need to close a representative office in Vietnam?
Notice, authority to sign, labour endings, tax clearance trail, bank close papers, lease handover, and the licence itself. Sequence them; do not dump a zip file.
Who should keep the pack?
Someone still authorised — usually the chief of RO or a parent attorney with a live POA — until the licence is actually returned.
Can the parent close the RO from abroad with scans only?
Some steps allow representation. Chop, bank, and inspections often still need a person in Vietnam. Do not assume a Drive folder finishes it.