In recent years, Vietnam's foreign investment attraction policy has shown a growing focus on the quality, efficiency, and sustainability of investment projects. Besides factors such as capital and business sectors, regulatory bodies are increasingly paying attention to the practical implementation, effectiveness, and contribution of projects to Vietnam's socio-economic development.
I. Important Information
Circular No. 55 / 2026 / TT-BTC Effective from May 15, 2026, the regulations have added many new contents to the application dossier for an Investment Registration Certificate (IRC), aiming to facilitate the assessment of the socio-economic impact and effectiveness of investment projects by foreign investors.
Accordingly, in addition to the information previously required, the project needs to prepare the following:
- Labor demand;
- The cash inflow and outflow calculation table for the investment project includes: projected project-related costs (including production, management, and operating costs, etc.), projected project revenue, and projected project profit;
- Calculate and analyze economic indicators to ensure the feasibility of the project, such as: IRR, NPV, and the project's investment payback period;
- The estimated amount of tax to be paid to the state budget;
- The number of jobs created as a result of the project;
- The project's disbursement schedule is consistent with the project implementation schedule,...
These points show that investment dossiers should not only present basic project information, but investors also need to prepare a relatively complete, reasonable, and factual investment plan/project to demonstrate the feasibility of implementation and operational efficiency in Vietnam.
This is a noteworthy new development as it shows that investment project appraisal is expanding towards a deeper assessment of operational efficiency, financial feasibility, and the project's actual contribution to the socio-economic landscape.
II. Application
New content follows Circular No. 55 / 2026 / TT-BTC This is applied in the process of applying for an Investment Registration Certificate in Vietnam.
Effective date: From May 15, 2026.
Applicable objects:
- Foreign investors carry out investment activities in Vietnam by establishing economic organizations.
- These projects are subject to the IRC issuance procedure as stipulated in the Investment Law.
Information regarding cash flow, payback period, labor requirements, and budget contributions, etc., will be used by the investment registration authority to review and assess the socio-economic impact and effectiveness of the project.
III. How to do it
To meet the new requirements according to Circular No. 55 / 2026 / TT-BTC When making investments in Vietnam, foreign investors should prepare investment dossiers that are more in-depth and have clearer supporting data right from the initial stages.
Some points to note:
- Develop a financial model for the project;
- Projected investment costs, operating costs, and revenue for each phase;
- Prepare a cash flow analysis report for the project;
- Calculate financial indicators such as IRR, NPV, and payback period;
- Assess and determine labor needs and actual operational capacity;
- Assess the socio-economic impact in terms of job creation or projected tax revenue.
- Plan the project's disbursement schedule to align with the project's implementation schedule,...
In the context of increasingly detailed project evaluation criteria, thorough preparation of business plans, financial analyses, and operational reports not only supports the assessment process by government agencies but also helps investors proactively review the feasibility of their projects before implementation in Vietnam.