Guidance on grant of licenses for establishment of Vietnam-based representative offices of foreign publishing houses

According to Clause 1 Article 7 of Decree No. 195/2013/NĐ-CP of Vietnam’s Government, the grant of a representative office establishment license is as follows:

A dossier of application for a representative office establishment license (in Vietnamese, enclosed with the notarized English translation) addressed to the Ministry of Information and Communications comprises:

+ An application for the license; a written certification of the lawful operation of the concerned publishing house or publication distribution organization in the country where it is headquartered, issued by a competent foreign authority;

+ Papers proving the availability of office space for the reprehensive office or the office space lease contract for the representative office;

+ Certified copies of the university or higher decree, judicial report and civil status book of the head of the representative office or papers proving that he/she is permitted to permanently reside in Vietnam, issued by a competent Vietnamese agency;

- Time limit: Within 30 days after receiving a complete dossier, the Ministry of Information and Communications shall grant a representative office establishment license; in case of refusal to grant a license, it shall issue a reply clearly stating the reason.

Note: A representative office establishment license is valid for 5 years from the date of grant and may be extended with each extension not exceeding 5 years.

Besides, Decree No. 195/2013/NĐ-CP also stipulates the re-grant or extension of a representative office establishment license as follows:

- Within 5 days after its representative office establishment license is lost or damaged, a foreign publishing house or publication distribution organization shall submit a dossier of application for re-grant of the license. A dossier addressed to the Ministry of Information and Communications comprises an application for re-grant of the license and a copy of the license (if available) or the damaged license;

- At least 30 days before its representative office establishment license expires, a foreign publishing house or publication distribution organization may apply for extension of the license. A dossier addressed to the Ministry of Information and Communications comprises an application for extension of the license and the granted license;

- Within 15 days after receiving a complete dossier, the Ministry of Information and Communications shall re-grant or extend the license; in case of refusal, it shall issue a written reply clearly stating the reason.

View more details at Decree No. 195/2013/NĐ-CP of Vietnam’s Government, effective from March 01, 2014.

Ty Na

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