According to Vietnam’s WTO Services Specific Commitments, the 2005 Commercial Law of Vietnam, Decree No. 07/2016/ND-CP dated January 25, 2016 of the Government detailing the Commercial Law regarding representative offices and branches of foreign traders in Vietnam, the following sectors/ subsectors are those in which representative offices and branches of foreign traders are allowed to establish in Vietnam:
Regarding Representative Office:
| Sectors | Sub-sectors |
| Business services | |
| Professional Services | Legal services |
| Accounting and auditing and bookkeeping services | |
| Taxation services | |
| Architectural services | |
| Engineering services | |
| Integrated engineering services | |
| Urban planning and urban landscape architectural services | |
| Veterinary services | |
| Computer and Related Services | |
| Research and Development Services | |
| Rental/Leasing Services without Operators | Relating to aircraft |
| Relating to other machinery and equipment | |
| Other Business Services | Advertising services |
| Market research services | |
| Management consultant services | |
| Services related to management consulting | |
| Technical testing and analysis services | |
| Services incidental to agriculture, hunting and forestry | |
| Services incidental to mining | |
| Services incidental to manufacturing | |
| Related scientific and technical consulting services | |
| Maintenance and repair of equipment | |
| Communication services | |
| Courier Services | |
| Telecommunication Services | |
| Audio-visual Services | |
| Construction and related engineering services | |
| General construction work for building | |
| General construction work for civil engineering | |
| Installation and assembly work | |
| Building completion and finishing work | |
| Other | |
| Distribution services | |
| Commission agents’ services | |
| Wholesale trade services | |
| Retailing services | |
| Franchising services | |
| Educational services | |
| Secondary education services | |
| Higher education services | |
| Adult education | |
| Other education services | |
| Environmental services | |
| Sewage Services | |
| Refuse disposal services | |
| Other services (Cleaning services of exhaust gases & Environmental impact assessment services) | |
| Financial services | |
| Insurance and Insurance-Related Services | |
| Banking and Other Financial Services | |
| Securities | |
| Health related and social services | |
| Hospital services | |
| Medical and dental services | |
| Tourism and travel related services | |
| Hotel and restaurant | |
| Travel agencies and tour operator services | |
| Recreational cultural and sporting services | |
| Entertainment services | |
| Electronic games business | |
| Transport services | |
| Maritime Transport Services | |
| Internal Waterways Transport | |
| Air Transport Services | |
| Rail Transport Services | |
| Road Transport Services | |
| Services Auxiliary to all Modes of Transport | |
*Please note representative offices are dependent units of foreign enterprises established according to the laws of Vietnam and are not allowed to engage in any direct profit-making activities.
Regarding branch of foreign traders:
| No. | Sectors/ sub-sectors |
| 1 | Legal services |
| 2 | Computer and related services |
| 3 | Management consultant services |
| 4 | Services related to management consulting |
| 5 | Construction and related engineering services |
| 6 | Franchising service |
| 7 | Financial services:
– Insurance and insurance-related services – Banking and other financial services – Securities services |
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Please do not hesitate to contact Mr. Oliver Massmann under omassmann@duanemorris.com if you have any questions on the above. Oliver Massmann is the General Director of Duane Morris Vietnam LLC.
Thank you very much!