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From 1 July 2026, 38 conditional business lines will no longer be required to obtain business licenses. Instead, a post-inspection mechanism will be applied, with the aim of promoting freedom of enterprise and reducing market entry barriers.
Businesses should consider consult with a renowned Vietnam business law firm for Legal Advice on Business in Vietnam in order to receive consultations tailored to their specific circumstances and development orientation.
On the morning of 11 December, the National Assembly passed the amended Law on Investment with an approval rate of nearly 90% of participating deputies.
Under the new regulations, the number of conditional business lines will be reduced to 196, representing a cut of 38 lines compared to the previous framework. The business lines removed from licensing requirements are mainly in the fields of finance and accounting, agriculture, forestry and fisheries, construction, and transport. In addition, approximately 20 other business lines will be reviewed to adjust management methods in a more appropriate manner.
During the legislative finalization process, the National Assembly’s Economic and Financial Committee recommended that the Government continue reviewing and eliminating business lines that are not truly necessary, retaining only those sectors with a direct impact on national defense, security, social morality, and public health.
At the same time, the Committee proposed developing criteria to assess “good” business lines and publicly disclosing information on minimum compliance costs for enterprises.
In its explanatory report, the Government stated that ministries and agencies would be tasked with studying new management approaches for business lines subject to the abolition or amendment of business licenses, based on technical standards and specifications. The objective is to shift decisively from pre-licensing to post-inspection, and from licensing mechanisms to registration or notification regimes.
With respect to outward investment activities, the amended Law on Investment abolishes the requirement for approval of investment policy for oversea investment projects with capital below a threshold to be determined by the Government, except for specific sectors such as banking, insurance, securities, press, and real estate business. Instead, investors will only be required to complete foreign exchange registration procedures with the State Bank of Vietnam in order to transfer capital abroad.
According to data as of the end of June, Vietnam has 1,916 valid outward investment projects with total registered capital exceeding USD 23 billion. Of these, more than 67% are projects with capital of less than VND 20 billion, while projects with larger capital account for up to 98% of the total investment value. On this basis, the Government will develop regulations on capital thresholds requiring approval for outward investment in a manner more consistent with practical conditions.
The amended law also narrows the scope of domestic projects required to undergo investment policy approval procedures, thereby reducing administrative burdens on both investors and regulatory authorities.
Several types of projects are removed from this requirement as they are already governed by specialized legislation, including offshore investment in technical infrastructure of industrial clusters, mineral exploitation through auction mechanisms for emergency works, and housing and urban development projects where investors already hold lawful land use rights.
The amended Law on Investment will officially take effect from 1 March 2026, while the provisions relating to conditional business lines for enterprises doing business in Vietnam will be applied from 1 July 2026.
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