What does a company formation dossier include? Checklist by company type
Checklist of documents to form a single-member LLC, multi-member LLC, joint stock company or private enterprise in 2026, with tips to get it right the first time.
Company formation documents vary by company type, but all revolve around three groups: the application form, the charter and legal documents of the founders. The table below helps you check quickly.
What does a company formation dossier include?
- Enterprise Registration ApplicationOn the form for each company type
- Company charterSigned by the owner, members or founding shareholders
- List of Members and ShareholdersMulti-member LLCs and joint stock companies
- Legal DocumentsID card, passport, certificate of an organization
- Beneficial OwnerMandatory declaration from 1 Jul 2025
- Power of AttorneyWhen someone else files on your behalf
Document Checklist by Company Type
| Documents | Private Enterprise | Single-Member LLC | Multi-Member LLC | JSC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise Registration Application | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Company charter | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| List of members | – | – | ✓ | – |
| List of founding shareholders | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Copies of personal legal documents | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Beneficial owner information | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Legal Documents of Individuals and Organizations
- Vietnamese individuals: a valid ID card or passport of the owner, members, shareholders and legal representative.
- Contributing organizations: Enterprise Registration Certificate or equivalent document; a document appointing an authorized representative, with that person’s legal documents.
- Foreign investors: passport, consularly legalized organization documents and an Investment Registration Certificate (where required).
When Someone Else Files for You
If the person filing is not the legal representative, a power of attorney and the legal documents of the authorized person are required. When using a law practice organization, the dossier includes the service contract and an introduction letter.
Tips to Get It Right the First Time
5 mistakes that get a dossier sent back
- Personal information mismatchDiffers from the National Population Database
- Confusing nameDiffers from an existing company only by numbers, symbols, “new” or similar words
- Wrong industry codeNot a level 4 industry, or missing details
- Missing beneficial ownerNot declared as required by the new rules
- Charter missing signaturesMissing signatures of members or founding shareholders
- Personal information in the dossier must match the National Population Database exactly.
- Industry codes are entered at level 4; conditional business lines require detailed content as required by sector-specific laws.
- From 1 Jul 2025, fully declare beneficial owner information.
- The charter must be signed by the owner, members or founding shareholders.
Don’t want to spend time preparing? With our company formation service, you only send a photo of your ID card – our lawyers prepare the entire dossier the same day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do copies of ID cards need to be notarized?
When filing online, you attach scans of the originals. When filing in person, prepare certified copies or present the originals for comparison.
Content reviewed by Lawyer Đoàn Minh Đức (Director – Managing Lawyer); updated 20 Oct 2026.
This article is for reference only, based on regulations as of the update date. For advice on your specific case, please contact a lawyer.
