Procedures for grant of a representative office registration certificate of a non-governmental organization in Vietnam

According to Article 12 of Decree No. 12/2012/ND-CP of Vietnam’s Government, a foreign non-governmental organization wishing to set up a representative office in Vietnam must:

- Have obtained an operation registration certificate under Article 6 of this Decree.

- Have committed long-term operation through programs and projects approved by competent Vietnamese authorities.

- Have operated effectively in Vietnam for at least two years.

- Base its representative office only in Hanoi, Da Nang or Ho Chi Minh City.

A foreign non-governmental organization applying for a representative office registration certificate shall submit directly, by post or through a foreign-based Vietnamese representative mission to the Committee for Foreign Non-Governmental Organization Affairs a dossier (a dossier in a foreign language must be enclosed with a lawfully certified Vietnamese translation), which comprises:

- An application for establishment of a representative office, containing the following major details: necessity to establish the representative office; planned location of the office; expected numbers of foreign and Vietnamese employees of the office.

- The original operation registration certificate or a photocopy of the project office registration certificate (in case a project office has been set up in Vietnam).

- A document on programs or projects in Vietnam and the original or a certified true copy of the written approval of a competent Vietnamese authority.

- The original or a copy of the judicial record of the nominated representative office chief issued by a competent authority of the country of citizenship of that person, which is consularly legalized. The original judicial record issued by a competent Vietnamese authority, if this person has resided in Vietnam for over 6 months.

- A biography of the nominated representative office chief and a letter of nomination of the representative in Vietnam issued by the head of the foreign non­governmental organization.

- A report on the organization's activities in Vietnam of at least 2 (two) latest years.

Note: Within 45 (forty five) working days after receiving a complete and valid dossier, the Committee for Foreign Non-Governmental Organization Affairs shall notify in writing the result to the concerned foreign non-governmental organization.

More details can be found in Decree No. 12/2012/ND-CP of Vietnam’s Government, which takes effect from June 01, 2012.

Le Vy

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