Legal Procedures for Investing in an International Conference and Exhibition Center in Vietnam
Vietnam is becoming an attractive destination for international investors in the event, conference, and exhibition sector thanks to its strong economic growth, young population, and increasing trade demand. Investing in the construction of an international conference and exhibition center not only opens up long‑term growth opportunities, but also helps enhance the local image on the economic‑tourism map. However, to implement a project of this scale, investors need to clearly understand and comply with the complex—but essential—legal procedures in Vietnam.
Conditions for investors to implement a conference and exhibition center project
Investing in a specialized real estate project such as a conference and exhibition center requires the investor to satisfy many conditions in terms of financial capacity, management experience, and construction planning.
Requirements for the investor and the investment project
Under the current Investment Law and Land Law, the investor must have a financial capacity appropriate to the project’s scale and commit to using land for the correct purpose. Specifically:
Must have audited financial statements demonstrating sufficient equity capital to carry out the project.
If the investor is foreign or a joint venture, must have a document confirming the capital contribution ratio and meet market access conditions for business lines under WTO and Vietnamese law.
Land use planning must conform with local master plans, approved by the competent authority.
Legal issues related to land use rights
For projects requiring change of land‑use purpose, the investor must obtain approval of investment policy, prepare a dossier to request land allocation or land lease, and fulfill land finance obligations under regulations.
Additionally, projects located in sensitive areas such as near airports, seaports, or defense‑security zones may need to obtain further opinions from relevant ministries. This may affect project timeline if the preparation is not done thoroughly.
Legal process for investing and constructing conference & exhibition center
Implementing the project requires following a sequence of legal procedures related to investment, construction, land, and environment. Below are the basic steps investors need to undertake:
Applying for investment policy approval and obtaining Investment Registration Certificate
This is the first and most important step for foreign investors or for projects that require policy approval under the Investment Law 2020.
Prepare dossier including: project proposal, notarized legal documents of investor, financial capacity report, planning documents, preliminary environmental impact assessment, etc.
Submit the dossier to the Provincial People’s Committee or the Prime Minister depending on scale of the project.
Carrying out land and environmental procedures
After getting investment policy approval, the investor must:
Request decision for land allocation or lease (if not already available).
Sign land lease contract and pay land use fees, land rent, as required by law.
Prepare and submit an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment for approval.
Large‑scale conference and exhibition centers usually fall under projects that require a detailed EIA.
Applying for construction permit and proceeding with construction
Once having lawful land use rights and environmental procedures completed, the investor must:
Submit application for construction permit to the Department of Construction, including basic design, construction drawings, contractor capability documents, etc.
Ensure the project meets planning requirements, building height, setbacks, fire safety, traffic standards, etc.
Once permit is granted, legally commence construction according to the committed schedule.
Obtaining operational licenses and event organization permits
An international conference & exhibition center is a service business type organizing events. After construction is completed, the investor needs to get:
Business license for conference, exhibition, event organization.
Fire prevention and fighting permit, security & public order, hygiene and food‑safety permits if there are catering or hosting of international delegations.
Register tax code, open bank accounts, report labor and do other administrative procedures.
Notes to help investors save time and legal cost
Many investors face delays or fines because of planning corrections, missing legal documents, or misunderstanding of permission application procedures. Below are some recommendations to reduce risk:
Proactively hire legal advisory firms with deep experience in commercial real‑estate investment and understanding of project special features.
Conduct early legal due diligence on land: check dispute status, planning, ownership documents, etc.
Prepare complete legal dossiers step by step to avoid repeated supplementation.
Work directly with local authorities to understand procedures and get support more quickly.
Contact DEDICA Law Firm for expert legal consultation!
📞 Hotline: (+84) 39 969 0012 (Available via WhatsApp, WeChat, and Zalo)
🏢 Head Office: 144 Vo Van Tan Street, Vo Thi Sau Ward, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
🕒 Business Hours: Monday – Friday (8:30 AM – 6:00 PM)
Contact us now to receive your first free consultation with our team of professional lawyers!
