Guidance on registration procedures for foreign direct business e-commerce platforms doing business in Vietnam

Pursuant to the provisions of Decree 248/2026/ND-CP:

• Subjects of application: Foreign traders and organizations operating e-commerce platforms to sell goods/services directly to Vietnamese consumers with the function of ordering online and fall into 01 of 03 cases: (1) Displaying the interface in Vietnamese; (2) Use the .vn national domain name; or (3) Reaching 100,000 transactions/year or more from buyers in Vietnam.
• Required submission deadline: Within 60 days from the time the trading threshold is reached or the activation criteria are met.
• Key documents: In addition to the Declaration Form No. 02 and the Conditional Business License (if any), it is mandatory to have a document appointing a legal entity representing/authorizing in Vietnam.
• Agency & Processing time: The Ministry of Industry and Trade appraises and returns the results within 07 working days via the National Public Service Portal (Note: The dossier of request for clarification will be automatically terminated after 60 days if the enterprise does not respond/supplement on time).

Cross-border direct sales activities conducted by foreign traders in the Vietnamese market are now subject to stricter regulatory oversight pursuant to Decree No. 248/2026/ND-CP. For foreign corporations and brands, failure to complete the registration procedures or establish the required legal representative structure in Vietnam according to the 60-day deadline not only leads to the risk of administrative sanctions or suspension of the operation of the platform, but also raises complex problems with cross-border tax obligations. CDLAF Law Firm has prepared the following guide on the conditions for determining the subjects, components of the mandatory dossier and the online application process for foreign direct business e-commerce platforms with online ordering function in Vietnam.

1. Applicable Entities

The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall process registration applications, amendments, supplements, and registration termination to registration, and confirm termination of registration of foreign direct business e-commerce platforms with online ordering functions.

Applicable entities include foreign traders and organizations that set up e-commerce platforms to directly sell their own goods and services to consumers in Vietnam (do not permit third parties to establish online stores), have the function of ordering online, and fall into one of the following cases:

• The platform provides a Vietnamese-language interface;
• The platform uses the national domain name “.vn”;
• The platform records at least 100,000 transactions from buyers in Vietnam within a year.

2. Registration Deadline

The platform owner must complete the registration procedures within sixty (60) days from the date on which the applicable threshold is reached. The number of transactions with buyers in Vietnam on the platform is determined based on transaction data declared by the platform owner or data determined by the competent state authority.

3. The Sequence of Steps

The process of registering an integrated e-commerce platform and an e-commerce platform with foreign elements follows the following 02 steps:

Step 1. Log in to the National Public Service Portal, declare information according to the form and attach documents as prescribed.

Step 2. Within 07 working days from the date of submission of a complete and valid dossier, the platform manager shall receive feedback on one of the following contents:

• Confirmation of registration dossiers; platform information is publicized in the List of e-commerce platforms that have been confirmed for registration on the e-commerce operation management system connected to the National Public Service Portal. The platform administrator receives the registered electronic confirmation symbol to be attached to that platform; When selecting this icon, users are directed to the information published at the e-commerce operation management system connected to the national public service portal.
• Request for clarification of registration dossier information. The platform administrator re-implements Step 1. Within 60 days from the time of first receiving the request to clarify the registration dossier information, if the platform administrator does not respond or provides incomplete or invalid information, the application will be automatically terminated.
• Refuse the declaration dossier and clearly state the reason. The platform administrator re-implements Step 1.

4. Documents Required and Prepared

Enterprises managing overseas e-commerce platforms with the function of online ordering in Vietnam will need to prepare the following documents:

• An information declaration made according to Form No. 02 in Appendix II of Decree No. 248/2026/ND-CP;
• Photocopies of licenses, certificates, certificates, written certifications and approvals of competent agencies or other similar documents when trading in goods and services on the list of business lines subject to conditional business investment in accordance with the law on investment.
• In case the above-mentioned papers and documents have electronic data that ensure legal validity and can be exploited through connection and sharing between the Information System for Settlement of Administrative Procedures and national databases, specialized databases, the shared information system and the National Public Service Portal are not required to be re-provided;
• Documents designating a legal entity in Vietnam under the authorization of the foreign e-commerce platform manager.

5. Legal Recommendations from CDLAF Law Firm

The procedure for registering a foreign direct business e-commerce platform requires initiative in managing operational data and the representative legal structure in Vietnam, so the platform owner needs to pay attention to the following points:

• Risks from the 60-day mark & 100,000 transactions: Foreign enterprises need to proactively set up a system to track transaction data from buyers in Vietnam. Delays in submitting documents for more than 60 days from reaching the threshold of 100,000 transactions or using a .vn domain name/Vietnamese interface will cause the platform to face the risk of tax inspection and suspension of access.
• Representative in Vietnam: The appointment of an authorized legal entity in Vietnam is required to be accompanied by a Written Power of Attorney (POA) that is consular legalized and properly notarized translated. The scope of authorization must clarify accountability to the Ministry of Industry and Trade and coordinate in handling complaints of domestic consumers.
• Tax & Personal Data Protection (PDP) Joint Risk: Registration of an e-commerce platform will simultaneously trigger the obligation to declare tax on foreign suppliers (ETAX) and the obligation to comply with Vietnamese user data protection. Businesses need to review the entire data flow and payment terms before officially submitting the application.

Consulting services for registration of foreign e-commerce platforms at CDLAF

CDLAF Law Firm provides a comprehensive representation solution, supporting foreign traders and corporations to legally penetrate and operate in the Vietnamese market:

1. Review the e-commerce platform and advise on compliance obligations (transactions, languages, domain names).
2. Drafting and standardizing documents of appointment and authorization dossiers for representative legal entities in Vietnam.
3. The representative submits the dossier, explains and receives the official registration confirmation from the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

📩 BOOK A CONSULTATION WITH CDLAF’S LEGAL TEAM

Do not let procedural errors disrupt your business plans. Contact CDLAF today to receive a preliminary risk assessment from our team of Lawyers and E-commerce Legal Experts:

Hotline/Zalo: [+84 909 668 216]

Email: info@cdlaf.vn

You can refer for more information:

• Transferring Employees to Perform Other Works: Key Considerations for Enterprises
• Lawful Labor Discipline: Procedures and Key Notes for Enterprises
• Non-Compete Agreements In Employment Relationships: Are They Enforceable In Vietnam?
• Determining “Serious Damage” in Disciplinary Dismissal
• What Must Social Networks and Online Platforms Do to Comply with the Personal Data Protection Law 2025?