Project Advisory Vietnam: Investment & Infrastructure Projects

Project advisory Vietnam means one legal team for the whole project lifecycle: feasibility, licensing, land, financing, construction and exit. Project advisory services in Vietnam require one thing above all: a team that can carry a project from the first feasibility question to a successful exit. IVLF Advisors LLC advises developers, foreign investors and lenders across the entire project lifecycle – investment licensing, land, financing, construction contracts, operational compliance and project transfer – under one roof, in English and Vietnamese. Our project advisory practice takes investors from site selection to operation with one accountable team.

Who we advise

Foreign investors and developers entering Vietnam with industrial, energy, real estate or infrastructure projects
Domestic corporates expanding or restructuring project portfolios
Banks, funds and private credit providers financing Vietnamese projects
Buyers and sellers in project M&A and distressed-asset transactions

What our project advisory covers – 5 stages

Feasibility & Structuring

Market-access analysis, choice of investment vehicle, capital and shareholder structure, incentive mapping (CIT, land rent, customs) and a bankable licensing roadmap.

Licensing & Approvals

Land & Site

Financing & Contracts

Credit facilities, security packages over land and assets, DICA structuring, and negotiation of EPC, O&M and offtake contracts that lenders will accept.

Stage 5 – Operation, Restructuring & Exit: ongoing licensing compliance, project company governance, and – when the time comes – project transfer.

Inside a project advisory mandate

Project advisory work at IVLF is organised around decision gates. Before land is committed, we verify planning status, land-use rights and zoning against the investment intention. Before licensing, the project advisory team pressure-tests the financial model against the conditions regulators will actually impose – capital contribution schedules, environmental requirements, construction permits and fire safety approvals. Before construction, we align the EPC and supervision contracts with the licence conditions so progress payments, variations and defects liability all reference the same milestones.

This gate-by-gate project advisory method exists for one reason: most project losses in Vietnam are locked in early, by commitments made before the legal position was verified. A structured project advisory process catches those issues while they still cost a memo instead of a renegotiation. Clients receive a single tracker covering every approval, contract and deadline, updated weekly, with a partner accountable for the whole picture rather than fragments of it.

Whether your project is an industrial plant, a residential development, a renewable energy facility or a logistics hub, the project advisory team scales the same discipline to the size and risk of the investment.

The new legal framework for projects (2024–2026)

Investment licensing – the sequence of company establishment and investment registration has changed, so project timelines should be planned around the current path
Conditional sectors – the list of conditional business lines has been revised, and some sectors are now easier to enter
PPP projects – approval timelines and risk allocation have been refined, which affects bids, contracts and lender discussions
Land and construction – land, environment and construction permits should be sequenced together to avoid delays

Why investors choose IVLF project advisory

One accountable team instead of five separate advisors. Commercial answers, not just legal memos. Transparent fixed or capped fees agreed before we start.

How long does project licensing take in Vietnam?

A standard foreign-invested project typically obtains its IRC and ERC within 25–35 working days. Projects requiring investment policy approval take longer; fast-track zone projects can be significantly quicker under the 2026 rules.

Can a foreign investor buy an existing project instead of licensing a new one?

Yes. Project M&A – acquiring the project company or the project itself – is often faster than greenfield licensing.

Do you work alongside our existing bankers and technical consultants?

Always. We routinely coordinate with lenders, tax advisors and engineering consultants, acting as the single legal point of accountability for the project timetable.

What does an initial consultation cost?

Nothing. Send us your project outline and we will respond within 24 hours with a preliminary assessment, a licensing roadmap and a fee proposal.

What licences does a renewable energy project in Vietnam need?

A project typically needs investment registration, land and planning approvals, environmental and construction permits and grid connection arrangements. We sequence these steps to avoid delays.

How are PPP and infrastructure projects structured in Vietnam?

They are built around the concession terms, risk allocation, lender requirements and step-in rights. We advise sponsors and lenders on each of these points.

Does a foreign contractor need a licence to work on a construction project in Vietnam?

In most cases a foreign contractor needs a construction activity licence for the specific package, and often has to work with a Vietnamese partner or subcontractors. IVLF reviews the package and prepares the licence dossier.

How do I set up a project executive office in Vietnam?

A foreign contractor typically registers a project executive office where the project is located, then completes tax registration, a bank account, seals and hiring. We coordinate these steps so site mobilisation is not delayed.

Project advisory Vietnam: what has changed in 2026

project advisory Vietnam - IVLF Advisors legal services

Project advisory Vietnam is shaped by recent changes to investment licensing, the list of conditional business lines and public-private partnership procedures. Investors can sometimes establish the project company earlier than before, but the investment registration still has to be completed within the allowed period. Sponsors and lenders should re-check licensing, land, environment and financing assumptions together, so that no single approval holds up the rest of the project.

Construction law Vietnam: foreign contractors and project offices

Foreign contractors entering Vietnam usually need more than a contract: depending on the package, they may need a construction activity licence, a project executive office in the project location, local tax and bank registrations and a compliant mix of foreign and local staff. Getting the sequence right avoids stalled mobilisation and penalties.

Foreign contractor licence Vietnam – assessment of whether a construction activity licence is required for the package, dossier preparation, partner and subcontractor arrangements, and licence amendments
Project executive office – establishment of a project office in the project location, registration, tax code, bank account, seals and local hiring
Construction permits – construction permits, design and technical approvals, inspection and acceptance steps
Construction contracts – EPC, design-build, turnkey and subcontract agreements, payment terms, variations, delay claims and performance security
Foreign workers on site – work permits, visas and secondments for foreign engineers and managers
Tax and customs for contractors – contractor tax obligations, import of equipment and temporary import arrangements
Disputes and claims – extension of time, liquidated damages, defects liability and construction arbitration

Project advisory Vietnam: scope of support

Project development – feasibility, site selection, investment registration and licensing roadmap
Renewable energy Vietnam – solar, wind and offshore wind, power purchase agreements, grid connection and permitting
PPP and infrastructure – PPP structuring, concession terms, bidding, step-in rights and risk allocation
Data centres and industrial parks – land, lease and utility arrangements for technology and manufacturing projects
Construction contracts – EPC, design-build and subcontractor agreements, delay and variation claims
Project financing support – common terms agreements, security and lender due diligence
Energy and LNG projects – LNG-to-power projects, hydropower, waste-to-energy and yield-co structures for solar
Infrastructure and transport – ports, rail, rolling stock and aircraft or vessel projects
EPC and risk allocation – EPC risk allocation in PPP projects, liquidated damages and completion guarantees
Refinancing – post-COD refinancing of infrastructure projects and sukuk for infrastructure funding