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Vietnam foreign-investor legal decisions

In plain termsStart from the legal consequence you cannot afford to miss. Then open the page for that exact decision.

Cluster pillars

90-day capital contribution deadlineERC vs IRC clocks, late-contribution risk, and what to file first.Import-export and restaurant licensing stackStructure first, then sector permits and post-licensing obligations.Director and expert work-permit requirementsRole tests, experience evidence, and filed exemptions under NĐ 219.Representative office scope and dissolutionPermitted activity edge and shutdown consequences in one flow.Overstay and TRC expiry penaltiesWhat happens when stay status fails while work or tax continues.

Stay crisis and short-stay work

Overstay fine brackets 2026Decree 282 penalty bands.Overstay self-report playbookFirst 24 hours preparation.TRC expiry: new cardNot a light renewal.Under-90-days work ruleCumulative calendar-year count.

Setup, capital, and licensing

ERC-first, IRC-later window12-month risk before project rights lock.90-day vs project capitalTwo clocks founders confuse.Trading vs distributionScope words that trigger rework.Founder first 30 daysERC/IRC/DICA milestone checklist.

Work permit edge cases

Expert evidence qualityAccepted vs weak proof patterns.ICT 12-month proofGroup transfer evidence gate.Capital under 3bn directorFDI founder edge case.Work permit evidence packRole dossier checklist.

Representative office and tax residency

RO permitted activitiesDecree 07 scope table.RO vs company for salesStructure before legal spend.183-day residency testsCalendar year vs 12-month window.Visa ≠ tax residencyFoundational misconception fix.

Checklists and calendars

Teacher first monthWork permit + LĐ path.Remote worker checklistNo remote visa + tax triggers.Annual compliance calendarVisa, TRC, work, tax cadence.Sponsor change playbookVisa/TRC/work spillover.