Foreign-Owned Restaurant Company Setup and Licensing in VietnamSupport for a Belgian couple of investors, from the initial feasibility study through to the operational launch of their café-restaurant.
Client Objective
A Belgian couple relocated to Vietnam with the ambition of building a long-term business in the country.
After evaluating several investment opportunities, including real estate and hospitality, they decided to establish a foreign-owned café and restaurant. Before launching operations, they required comprehensive support to assess the project’s feasibility, establish the company, obtain the necessary licences, and regularize their legal status as foreign investors living and working in Vietnam.
Challenges
Setting up a restaurant in Vietnam as a foreign investor involved navigating both investment regulations and industry-specific licensing requirements.
The clients needed to understand:
- Which business activities were legally accessible to foreign investors
- Whether their initial investment concepts were feasible under Vietnamese regulations
- How to structure a wholly foreign-owned food and beverage business
- Which licences and registrations were required before opening
- How can both foreign shareholders legally reside and work in Vietnam
Having recently relocated, they also needed a trusted local partner to coordinate the various legal, administrative, and regulatory procedures throughout the project.
Solution
MoveToAsia provided end-to-end support throughout the project, from the initial investment assessment to company incorporation, operational licensing, and immigration procedures.
Foreign-Owned Restaurant Setup and Licensing
The project included:
- Reviewing the clients’ proposed business concepts and advising on investment restrictions applicable to foreign investors
- Recommending the most suitable investment and corporate structure
- Establishing a 100% foreign-owned company
- Obtaining the Investment Registration Certificate (IRC) and Enterprise Registration Certificate (ERC)
- Supporting company seal registration, tax registration, and corporate bank account opening
- Securing the required food safety, hygiene, and restaurant operating licences
- Assisting with alcohol-related licensing and regulatory procedures
- Registering the restaurant’s trademark to protect its brand
- Preparing work permit applications for both foreign shareholders
- Supporting business visa applications and Temporary Residence Cards (TRCs)
By coordinating these procedures under a single project, MoveToAsia enabled the clients to complete company formation, regulatory compliance, and immigration requirements through one streamlined implementation process.
Results
The clients successfully established and launched their foreign-owned café and restaurant in Vietnam with a fully compliant legal and operational structure.
As a result:
- A 100% foreign-owned food and beverage company was successfully incorporated
- All required operational registrations and licences were obtained before the business opened to customers
- The restaurant’s brand was legally protected through trademark registration
- Both foreign shareholders obtained the necessary work authorization and long-term residency support
- The founders were able to focus on renovating the premises, recruiting staff, and preparing daily operations while MoveToAsia managed the administrative process
- The business successfully built a local team of 16 employees, with many remaining with the company for more than one year
One of the founders later described MoveToAsia as “very, very important” during the early stages of the project, highlighting the value of having a trusted local partner while navigating Vietnam’s investment, licensing, and administrative procedures for the first time.