List of Investment Sectors With Conditions Applied to Foreign Investors

In general, foreign direct investment is encouraged in Vietnam because the economy growth is depending on the attraction of foreign direct investment.  As member of WTO, Vietnam has opened up the economy and welcome investment in most of areas.  There are non conditional investment areas and there are conditional investment areas. The conditions for investment varies from minimum capital, professional licenses of human resources, conditions of facilities, ownership ratio of local Vietnamese entities or person…When setting up a company in Vietnam, foreign investors need to be aware of investment sectors with conditions applied to foreign investors in Vietnam.

The following sectors are conditional investment sectors regulated under the Law on Investment 2014:

1	Seal production
2	Combat gear trading (including repair)
3	Firecracker trading
4	Pawnshop services
5	Massage services
6	Trading of warning devices of emergency vehicles
7	Security services
8	Paint gun services
9	Lawyer’s practice
10	Notary’s practice
11	Judicial assessment in the fields of finance, banking, construction, antiques, relics, copyrights.
12	Auctioneering services
13	Arbitration services
14	Bailiff’s practice
15	Asset liquidator’s practice
16	Accounting services
17	Audit services
18	Tax agent services
19	Customs brokerage services
20	Duty-free goods trading
21	Bonded warehouse services
22	Domestic LCL consolidation services
23	Gathering services and customs inspection services inside and outside border checkpoint areas
24	Securities trading
25	Securities registration, depository, offsetting, and liquidation services by Vietnam Securities Depository/organizations trading in listed securities and other securities.
26	Insurance
27	Reinsurance
28	Insurance brokerage
29	Insurance agency
30	Insurance agency training services
31	Price verification services
32	Consulting services serving company values for equitization
33	Lottery business
34	Electronic games of chance for foreigners
35	Debt collection services
36	Debt trading services
37	Credit rating services
38	Casino business
39	Betting business
40	Voluntary pension fund management services
41	Oil and gas trading
42	Gas trading
43	Commercial assessment services
44	Industrial explosive trading (including destruction thereof)
45	Explosive precursor trading
46	Business operations using industrial explosives and explosive precursor
47	Blasting services
48	Trading in chemicals except banned chemicals according to Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction
49	Inorganic fertilizer trading
50	Alcohol trading
51	Trading in tobacco products, tobacco materials, machinery and equipment serving tobacco industry
52	Commodity exchange operation
53	Electricity generation, transmission, distribution, wholesaling, retailing, import, and consultancy
54	Trading in foods under the management of the Ministry of Industry and Trade
55	Rice export
56	Temporary import for re-export of goods subject to special excise tax
57	Temporary import for re-export of frozen food
58	Temporary import for re-export of goods on the List of used goods
59	Franchising
60	Coal trading
61	Logistics services
62	Mineral trading
63	Industrial precursor trading
64	Goods trading and activities directly related goods trading of foreign investors
65	Electronic commerce activities
66	Petroleum activities
67	Assessment of conformity of pneumatic tools, industrial lifting devices, chemicals, industrial explosives, equipment serving mineral and petroleum extraction; except for equipment and instruments serving extraction at sea
68	Vocational training
69	Association with foreign vocational training institutions and foreign-invested vocational training institutions in vocational training at intermediate and college levels
70	Fire safety and firefighting services
71	Occupational skill assessment services
72	Quality assessment of joint vocational programs with foreign vocational training institutions and foreign-invested vocational training institutions in Vietnam.
73	Occupational safety assessment services with regard to machinery and supplies with strict occupational safety requirements
74	Occupational safety and occupational hygiene training services
75	Employment agency services
76	Overseas employment services
77	Voluntary drug rehabilitation services
78	Conformity declaration and certification services
79	Outsourcing services
80	Road transport services
81	Car warranty and maintenance services
82	Motor vehicle inspection services
83	Driving school services
84	Traffic safety inspector training services
85	Driving test services
86	Traffic safety inspection services
87	Waterway transport services
88	Building, modifying, repairing inland watercraft
89	Provision of training for crew-members and operators of inland watercraft
90	Ship transport, shipping agency services
91	Multi-level marketing business
92	Ship towing services
93	Importing, dismantling used sea-going ship
94	Sea-going ship building, modification, repair services
95	Sea port operation
96	Air transport business
97	Design, production, maintenance, testing of aircraft, aircraft engines, propellers, and equipment thereof in Vietnam
98	Airport operation
99	Aviation services at airports
100	Air navigation services
101	Flight crew training services
102	Rail transport business
103	Rail infrastructure business
104	Rail transport business
105	Multimodal transport business
106	Transport of dangerous goods using road or waterway vehicles
107	Pipeline transport services
108	Maritime navigation services
109	Real estate trading
110	Provision of training in real estate brokerage, real estate valuation, and operation of real estate exchanges
111	Provision of training in apartment building management and operation
112	Provision of training in construction project management
113	Project management consultancy services
114	Construction survey services
115	Construction design assessment services
116	Construction supervision services
117	Construction services
118	Investment project planning and assessment services
119	Foreign investors’ construction
120	Project management consultancy services
121	Construction work conformity assessment and certification services
122	Lighting and greenery system operation services
123	Shared infrastructure operation services
124	Construction planning development services
125	Urban planning development services provided by foreign entities
126	Trading in white asbestos of Serpentine group
127	Postal services
128	Telecommunications services
129	Import of radio transmitters and transceivers
130	Digital signature authentication services
131	Establishment and operation of publishers
132	Printing services
133	Publication release services
134	Social network services
135	Online games business
136	Pay radio/television services
137	News website development services
138	Processing, recycling, repair, refurbishment of used IT products on the list of used IT products banned from import for foreign partners
139	Pay-per-view television services
140	Provision of information and IT services on mobile network or the Internet
141	Trading in mobile phone jammers
142	Provision of information security products and services
143	Operation of higher education institutions
144	Operation of foreign-capitalized educational institutions, representative offices of foreign educational institutions in Vietnam, branches of foreign-capitalized educational institutions
145	Operation of continuing education institution
146	Operation of students’ education centers
147	Operation of compulsory education institutions
148	Vocational training
149	Operation of specialized schools
150	Operation of preschool education institutions
151	Educational cooperation with foreign partners
152	Extra classes
153	Fishing
154	Trading in fishing instruments
155	Fish trading
156	Trading in aquatic feed
157	Trading in biological preparations, microorganisms, chemicals, environmental remediation agents serving aquaculture
158	Aquatic breed testing services
159	Aquatic feed testing services
160	Breeding, raising, propagating  wild animals and plans according to CITES Appendix
161	Breeding, raising, propagating endangered or rare wild animals and palns according to CITES Appendix
162	Breeding, raising normal wild animals
163	Export, import, re-export, transit wild specimens according to CITES Appendix
164	Export, import, re-export bred, raised, propagated specimens according to CITES Appendix
165	Pesticide trading
166	Processing items required to undergo plant quarantine
167	Pesticide testing services
168	Plant protection services
169	Trading in veterinary medicines, biological preparations, vaccines, microorganisms, chemicals serving veterinary medicine
170	Veterinary services
171	Animal surgery, animal testing services
172	Vaccination, diagnosis, prescription, treatment, and healthcare services for animals
173	Trading in veterinary medicines, biological preparations, vaccines, microorganisms, chemicals serving veterinary medicine
174	Concentrated breeding, breed production services; slaughtering; quarantine of animals and products thereof; production of animal-derived materials for animal feed production; preparing, processing, preserving animals and products thereof; trading in animal products; preparing, processing, packaging, preserving animal products
175	Trading in foods under the management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
176	Trading, testing organic fertilizers
177	Trading in plant varieties, animal breeds
178	Manufacture of animal feeds
179	Import of animal feeds
180	Exporting, importing rare, endangered terrestrial wild animals and plants according to CITES Appendix
181	Trading in forest plants, animals restricted from trading
182	Trading in ornamental plants, shade trees, ancient trees from Vietnam’s natural forests
183	Trading in firewood from timber or from Vietnam’s natural forests
184	Trading in sperms, embryos, eggs, and lavas
185	Trading in biological preparations, microorganisms, chemicals, environmental remediation agents serving aquaculture
186	Testing biological preparations, microorganisms, chemicals, environmental remediation agents serving aquaculture
187	Trading in genetically modified food
188	Provision of training in bidding
189	Bidding agency services
190	Project assessment consultancy services
191	Provision of training in project assessment
192	Medical examination and treatment services
193	HIV testing services
194	Tissue bank services
195	Childbirth assistance, sperm preservation, embryo preservation services
196	Medicine trading
197	Medicine testing services
198	Cosmetics production
199	Infectious microorganism testing services
200	Vaccination services
201	Trading in medical and household anti-insect and antibacterial chemicals
202	Opioid replacement therapy services
203	Trading in foods under the management of the Ministry of Health
204	Plastic surgery services
205	Surrogacy services
206	Bioavailability and bioequivalence assessment services
207	Clinical trial of medicines
208	Trading in medical equipment
209	Medical equipment classification
210	Medical equipment testing services
211	Industrial property verification services
212	Radiological work services
213	Atomic energy application ancillary services
214	Export, import, and transport of radioactive materials
215	Technological conformity assessment services
216	Inspection, calibration, testing of measuring instruments and measurement standards
217	Motorcycle helmet trading
218	Technology assessment, valuation, and examination services
219	Intellectual property representation services
220	Film production
221	Antique examination services
222	Monument protection or renovation project planning, execution, supervision services
223	Karaoke, dance club business
224	Travel services
225	Sports business
226	Art performance, fashion show, beauty contest, model contest services
227	Trading in audio and video recordings of art performances
228	Festival organization services
229	Trading in art or photography works
230	Accommodation services
231	Advertising services
232	Trading in relics, antiques, national treasures
233	Museum services
234	Electronic games business (except for electronic casino games for foreigners and online electronic casino games)
235	Export of relics, antiques other than those under the ownership of the state, political organizations, socio-political organizations; import of cultural commodities under the management of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
236	Verification of copyright and relevant rights
237	Land survey and assessment services
238	Land planning services
239	IT infrastructure and software infrastructure development services
240	Land database development services
241	Land pricing services
242	Land use right auction services
243	Geodesy and cartography services
244	Underground water drilling services
245	Underground water survey services
246	Water supply, processing, and extraction services
247	Underground water drilling services
248	Mineral exploration services
249	Mineral extraction
250	Harmful waste management services
251	Scrap material import
252	Environmental monitoring services
253	Strategic environment assessment, environmental impact assessment, environmental protection scheme consultancy services
254	Trading in biological preparations
255	Collection, transport, processing of refuse
256	Business operation of commercial banks
257	Business operation of non-bank credit institutions
258	Business operation of cooperatives, people’s credit funds, microfinance institutions
259	Provision of payment services
260	Credit information service provision
261	Foreign exchange activities
262	Trading in gold bullion
263	Manufacture of gold bullion, export raw gold and import raw gold for manufacture of gold bullion
264	Manufacture of gold jewelry
265	Import of commodities under the management of the State bank (money vault door)
266	Money printing, molding
267	Trading in military clothing and equipment of the armed forces, military weapons, technologies, devices, vehicles for the military and police; parts, components, supplies, specialized equipment, and technologies for manufacture thereof

The investment conditions applicable to foreign investors with investment projects in the fields of investment provided with this list shall be in accordance with the provisions of the international treaties to which Vietnam is a member.

At ANT Lawyers, a law firms in Vietnam with offices in law office Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, our lawyers are available to assist clients in licensing and post-licensing matters to help clients with all questions and services in setting up company, and managing the compliance of the company or other form of business entities in Vietnam during the operation in Vietnam.

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