FDI Accounting and Tax Guide for Hai Phong
This FDI accounting and tax guide for Hai Phong explains what a foreign-invested company has to file, report and keep after it receives its licences. It is written for directors and finance managers of FDI companies in Hai Phong city, its industrial zones and the former Hai Duong province, which merged into Hai Phong on 1 July 2025.
FDI accounting and tax in Hai Phong at a glance
A foreign-invested company in Hai Phong keeps its books in Vietnamese under the Vietnamese accounting regime, files VAT and PIT returns monthly or quarterly, pays provisional CIT each quarter, and files the annual CIT and PIT finalisations. Its financial statements must be audited every year, and related-party transactions with the parent group must be disclosed.
1. Who manages your company after the 2025 merger
Since 1 July 2025, district-level tax branches have been replaced by local tax offices called Thuế cơ sở. Hai Phong has 14 of them. Offices 1 to 8 cover the former Hai Phong area and offices 9 to 14 cover the former Hai Duong province. Your tax code does not change; returns are still filed online. You can find your office in our tax office lookup (Vietnamese).
Investment procedures for projects inside industrial and economic zones are handled by the Hai Phong Economic Zone Authority. Projects outside these zones deal with the Hai Phong Department of Finance.
2. FDI accounting and tax basics: the accounting rules
- Accounting regime: from financial years starting on or after 1 January 2026, companies apply the enterprise accounting regime in Circular 99/2025/TT-BTC, which replaces Circular 200/2014/TT-BTC.
- Language: accounting records are kept in Vietnamese. Where a foreign language is also needed, Vietnamese and the foreign language are used together, as set out in the Law on Accounting 2015.
- Currency: the accounting currency is normally the Vietnamese dong. A company that mainly receives and pays in a foreign currency may choose that currency, but must still present statements in VND for filing.
- Chief accountant: companies must appoint a chief accountant or a person in charge of accounting who meets the legal requirements, or hire a qualified accounting service.
3. Monthly and quarterly tax filings for FDI companies
Most of the routine FDI accounting and tax workload sits in these regular filings.
| Tax | What to file | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| VAT | Monthly or quarterly return, depending on revenue | 20th of the following month, or last day of the first month of the next quarter |
| Personal income tax | Return for tax withheld from employees, including expatriates | Same as VAT, when tax is withheld |
| Corporate income tax | Provisional payment each quarter, no quarterly return | 30th of the first month of the next quarter |
| Foreign contractor tax | Return for each payment to an overseas contractor | 10th day after the payment, or monthly by agreement [kiểm tra lại] |
The standard VAT rate is 10%. Many goods and services are taxed at a reduced 8% until 31 December 2026 under Resolution 204/2025/QH15. The standard CIT rate is 20%, with lower rates of 15% and 17% for small companies by revenue under the 2025 CIT Law [kiểm tra lại: điều kiện áp dụng cho doanh nghiệp FDI].
4. Year-end FDI accounting and tax obligations
The year end is the busiest period for FDI accounting and tax work, because the audit and the finalisations depend on each other.
Close the books and prepare financial statements
Prepare the financial statements under the Vietnamese accounting regime.
Statutory audit
Have the financial statements audited by an independent audit firm licensed in Vietnam. This is mandatory for foreign-invested companies every year.
CIT and PIT finalisation
File the annual CIT finalisation, including the related-party disclosure form where applicable, and the PIT finalisation for employees.
Submit audited statements
Submit the audited financial statements to the tax office, the statistics office and the investment authority, generally within 90 days after the year end [kiểm tra lại].
5. Related-party transactions and transfer pricing
Purchases, sales, loans, management fees or royalties with the parent company or other group companies are related-party transactions. They must be disclosed with the CIT finalisation and priced at arm’s length under Decree 132/2020/ND-CP. Larger groups may also need transfer pricing documentation. Planning this during the year is much easier than rebuilding it at year end.
6. Common FDI accounting and tax mistakes
- Assuming no activity means no filing. Returns are due from the first period after registration, even with no revenue.
- Paying overseas suppliers without checking foreign contractor tax. Unpaid withholding tax is assessed later with late-payment interest.
- Mixing capital contribution and loans. Capital must go through the direct investment capital account and match the investment certificate.
- Invoices in the wrong name or without valid e-invoices. Costs without valid invoices may not be deductible.
- Late filing. Penalties for late tax returns range from a warning to VND 25 million for an organisation, plus late-payment interest of 0.03% per day on tax paid late.
How we help FDI companies in Hai Phong
Our accounting and tax package covers the monthly filings, books, financial statements and year-end finalisation, and our team works with your auditor. As a licensed tax agent, we also deal with the local tax office for you. See pricing or request a quote below.
FDI accounting and tax: frequently asked questions
Must an FDI company in Vietnam have its accounts audited?
Yes. Financial statements of foreign-invested companies must be audited by an independent audit firm every year.
Can an FDI company keep its books in English?
Accounting records must be in Vietnamese. Where a foreign language is needed, Vietnamese and the foreign language are used together.
Does an FDI company file tax returns monthly or quarterly?
It depends on revenue. Companies with revenue up to a set threshold in the previous year file VAT and PIT quarterly; larger companies file monthly. New companies usually file quarterly in their first year.
Who is my tax office in Hai Phong?
One of the 14 local tax offices of Hai Phong city, based on the ward or commune of your registered address.