Capital Accounts and Repatriation: How Money Moves In and Out of Your Vietnamese Company

When foreign investors set up a company in Vietnam, one of the first practical questions is simple: how does my money actually get into the business, and how do I get profits back out? The answer runs through a specific banking channel and a set of rules that are much easier to follow when you understand them from the start. Getting this right early prevents delays later, particularly when the time comes to remit funds abroad.

Under the Law on Investment 2020 and the Law on Enterprises 2020, a foreign-invested enterprise first obtains an Investment Registration Certificate (IRC) and then an Enterprise Registration Certificate (ERC). Once the company legally exists, investment capital does not move through an ordinary current account. It flows through a dedicated capital account at a licensed bank in Vietnam.

The direct investment capital account (DICA)

A foreign-invested enterprise generally must open a Direct Investment Capital Account, commonly called the DICA, at a licensed bank in Vietnam. This account is the official gateway for foreign direct investment: your charter capital contribution comes in through it, and your profits and returned capital go out through it. Keeping investment flows inside this single channel is what lets the bank, and later the authorities, confirm that the money entered the country as registered investment and may lawfully leave.

A few points are worth holding onto:

• The DICA is for direct investment. Indirect or portfolio investment — for example, a smaller, purely financial shareholding that does not make the company a foreign direct investment enterprise — generally runs through a separate Indirect Investment Capital Account (IICA), opened in the investor's own name.
• The account is typically denominated in the currency of the investment, and a matching account in Vietnamese dong may be opened for related transactions.
• Capital contributions, shareholder loans, profit remittances, and the return of capital should all pass through this account, so the record stays clean and consistent.

The 90-day rule for charter capital

Charter capital is the amount the owners commit to contribute, as recorded in the company charter and on the ERC. The Law on Enterprises 2020 requires that this capital be contributed in full within 90 days from the date the ERC is issued. The clock starts at issuance, not at the moment you decide to transfer funds, so it is wise to plan the contribution early.

If the full amount is not contributed within that window, the company must register a reduction of its charter capital to reflect what was actually paid in. This is more than a formality. Charter capital signals the company's committed resources, affects certain licences, and, in some conditional sectors, must meet a minimum. Contributing the agreed amount on time through the DICA keeps the company's registration accurate and avoids awkward corrections later.

Sending profits and capital abroad

Vietnam allows foreign investors to remit profits and legitimate capital abroad, but only after tax and financial obligations have been met. The principle is straightforward: money that came in as registered investment can go out, once the state has received what it is owed.

In practice, this means:

• Profits are generally remitted after the company has met its corporate income tax obligations and has audited financial statements supporting the distribution. Remittance usually happens after the close of the financial year, and the tax authority is notified in advance.
• Returned capital — for example, on a reduction of capital, a lawful exit, or the sale of your stake — may be remitted once the taxes on the transaction are settled. A capital or share transfer carries its own tax: individuals pay personal income tax on the gain, and corporate sellers pay corporate income tax. Where the transfer increases foreign ownership or involves a conditional sector, the purchase is also generally registered in advance with the provincial authority (now the Department of Finance) before it completes.
• The remittance itself is made through the DICA, with the bank checking supporting documents such as financial statements, tax confirmations, and the corporate resolutions behind the payment.

If you plan to bring capital in through shareholder loans rather than equity, keep in mind that medium and long-term foreign loans have their own registration requirements with the State Bank of Vietnam, and repayments also move through the capital account. Structuring this at the outset, rather than after the money has arrived, saves considerable friction.

None of this is difficult once the framework is clear. Treat the DICA as the single, disciplined channel for investment money, meet the 90-day contribution deadline, and keep tax and accounting current — and repatriation becomes an orderly step rather than an obstacle.

This is general information as of 2026 and is not a substitute for licensed legal advice. Rules on foreign exchange, tax, and investment change, and the treatment of any specific case depends on its facts, so confirm the current position with a qualified adviser before you act.