How to transfer money from Vietnam abroad?

The Cases of  Transferring Money from Vietnam Abroad

In the context of international economic integration, more and more foreign investors are coming and investing in Vietnam. Besides, many Vietnamese individuals and organizations have also implemented many investment activities, living, traveling… abroad. Therefore, there are needs to transfer money from Vietnam abroad. According to the provisions of Vietnamese laws on foreign exchange management, domestic individuals and organizations are allowed to transfer money  abroad in the following cases:

 

How to transfer money from Vietnam abroad?

For individuals being Vietnamese citizens, they are entitled to buy, transfer or bring foreign currencies overseas according to the State Bank’s regulations for the following purposes: to study and receive medical treatment abroad; traveling; business trip; visiting abroad; to pay charges and fees to foreign countries; allowances for relatives members living abroad; transfer of inheritance money to overseas heirs; transfer money in case of permanent residence abroad; One-way money transfer for other legitimate needs.

For enterprises, they are allowed to transfer money abroad when performing the following cases: Carrying out payment and transferring money related to the import or export of goods and/or services; payment of payments and remittances related to commercial credits and short-term bank loans; make payments and transfers related to direct and indirect investment income; transfer money when being allowed to reduce direct investment capital; payment of debts and interest of foreign loans; make one-way money transfers; payment and other remittance according to regulations of the State Bank of Vietnam.

ANT Lawyers is a Law firm in Vietnam with international standards, recognized by Legal500, IFLR1000. We are an exclusive Vietnam member of Prea Legal, the global law firm network covering more than 150 juridictions. The firm provides a range of legal services as following to multinational and domestic clients.

 

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Trade remedies in Vietnam

When participating in the process of international economic integration, every country voluntarily cut off the trade barriers for goods to easily circulate among each other. However, in the legal framework of World Trade Organization (WTO), the countries are allowed to impose trade remedies if satisfying certain conditions. Vietnam has officially become a member of WTO since July 11 2007 and the imposing of these trade remedies are regulated in Law on foreign trade management 2018.

 

According to Law on foreign trade management 2018, trade remedies includes anti-dumping measure, countervailing measure and safeguard measure. Specifically, (i) Anti-dumping measure imposed on imports into Vietnam is a measure imposed on products that are dumped when being imported to Vietnam, which causes material injury or threaten to cause material injury to domestic industry or retard the establishment of the domestic industry; (ii) Countervailing measure imposed on imports into Vietnam is a measure imposed on products that are subsidized when being imported to Vietnam, which causes the material injury or threat of material injury to the domestic industry or retards the establishment of the domestic industry; (iii) Safeguard measure imposed on foreign products imported into Vietnam is measure imposed on increased imports of particular products to Vietnam, which causes the serious injury or threat of serious injury to the domestic industry.

The domestic industry mentioned above refers to the producers as a whole of the like products within the territory of Vietnam or those whose collective output of the like products constitutes a major proportion of domestic production of those products. Besides, the injury to domestic industry shall be determined on each level: (i) Material injury to domestic industry; (ii) threat of material injury to domestic industry; (iii) material retardation of establishment of a domestic industry; (iv)serious injury to domestic industry; (v) threat of serious injury to domestic industry.

Due to the imposing of these remedies directly affecting to foreign producer/exporter as well as domestic industry, thus, it is required to comply to six following rules when imposing these remedies:

Firstly, impose measures within the reasonable scope and level for a certain period of time to protect domestic industry, prevent or limit the injury to it;

Secondly, only impose measures after the investigation is carried out transparently and fairly in accordance with regulations of law and based on determinations of the investigation;

Thirdly, decisions on the investigation and the imposition of trade remedies shall be published;

Fourthly, if the duty rate of an official trade remedy is higher than those of a provisional trade remedy, the difference of duty will not be collected;

Fifthly, if the duty rate of an official trade remedy is lower than those of the provisional trade remedy, the difference of duty will be returned;

Sixthly, if the Minister of Industry and Trade does not impose an official trade remedy, the duty of provisional trade remedy that has been collected or the amount for ensuring the payment of temporary trade remedy duties shall be returned.

If Client needs any more information or request for legal advice or potential dispute regarding trade remedies measures including, anti-dumping, countervailing duty and safeguard measures or international trade dispute matters, our competition, anti-dumping, and countervailing duty lawyers in Vietnam of International trade and tax practice at ANT Lawyers, a law firm in Vietnam always follow up anti-dumping cases and its development to update clients on regular basis.

 

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Contract Dispute in Vietnam

Disputes occur during contract performance are beyond the control of the entity entering contractual relations. In developed countries, lawyers always invited to advise customers to identify potential disputes, and provide solutions, support and provide legal advice and to accompany the enterprises solve disputes in accordance with the provisions of the law, which help businesses to focus on its business activities. The contract should be carefully reviewed by lawyers. Foreign companies when entering Vietnam mostly follow suit to engage dispute or litigation dispute lawyers in Vietnam at early stage of the transactions. 

 

Contract Dispute

Contractual disputes in Vietnam shall be construed as conflicts, disagreements, conflicts between the parties regarding the implementation or non-implementation of rights and obligations in the contract. Disputes could arise in failure to collect the payment from debtor in sales agreement, construction contract disputes between investor and contractor, labour dispute between employer and employee, insurance disputes between ship owner and insurance company.

Contract disputes must satisfy the following factors:

First, there is a contract between the parties. The contract would be in different for ms therefore, there is a need to clearly define if the contractual relationship has been formed or not.

Second, there is a breach of obligations or duties that are in violation of a party in the contractual relationship.

Third, there is disagreement between the parties about the handling of infringement or the consequences of such violations.

It should be noted, the contract disputes arise from the breach. However, not all breaches of contract also lead to disputes.

How to settle the contract disputes in Vietnam?

Contractual disputes can be resolved by the following methods:

Negotiation is the process or behavior in which the two sides conduct exchanges, agreement on common interests and characteristics of disagreement and come to a unified agreement. The negotiation is without the presence of third parties. However, if the contract dispute lawyers in Vietnam would be involved during the negotiation process, at the role of representing or advising, counseling, then the negotiations tend to be more effective and parties would reach agreement.

Mediation is one of the options for disputing parties to end the conflict. Mediation is different from negotiating with the intervention of a third party. Mediator will help parties to achieve agreement and resolve conflict.

Court or arbitration: The settlement of the dispute in court would take time. The court’s ruling can be appealed. It should be noted that, per Vietnam laws, only Vietnam litigation or dispute law firms could represent the client at court. Commercial arbitration is available only in commercial-business sector. The advantage of this method is fast and efficient. However, compare with disputing at court, this method of handling dispute would take higher costs.

Disputes and dispute resolution matters are natural and inevitable in any countries including Vietnam. It is important that parties involved need to identify, anticipate disputes can occur. Contract or agreement should be reviewed by lawyers. When there is a dispute, the dispute lawyers in Vietnam will be able to help parties to with advice to reasonable solution to address the disputes effectively.

ANT Lawyers have litigation  and dispute  lawyers in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang cities that help clients dealing with dispute resolution and alternative dispute resolution in Vietnam.

 

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Dispute between Foreign Investor and Host State in Vietnam

What Need to Know About Dispute between Foreign Investor and Host State?

In the globalization and international integration in general as well as economic integration in particular, foreign investment including foreign direct investment (FDI) and indirect foreign investment in countries are increasing significant. This trend also comes along with the growth of international investment dispute between foreign investor and host state (or related state agencies). This dispute is often complex with huge amount of compensation demanded by the investor.

 

Subjects of this dispute include foreign investor (plaintiff) and host state or related state agencies (defendant). In particular, Vietnam laws stipulate that foreign investor means an individual holding a foreign nationality or an organization established under foreign laws an making business investment in Vietnam. The second subject is state, a “special” subject because this subject is the beneficiary of “jurisdictional immunity”. Specifically, jurisdictional immunity is a right of a state which do not be judged by any international or national jurisdiction without the consent of such state.

Subjects of this dispute include foreign investor (plaintiff) and host state or related state agencies (defendant). In particular, Vietnam laws stipulate that foreign investor means an individual holding a foreign nationality or an organization established under foreign laws an making business investment in Vietnam. The second subject is state, a “special” subject because this subject is the beneficiary of “jurisdictional immunity”. Specifically, jurisdictional immunity is a right of a state which do not be judged by any international or national jurisdiction without the consent of such state.

This dispute shall relate to the investment of foreign investor in host state according to regulation of (i) investment law of host state; (ii) treaty of promotion and protection of investment (bilateral investment treaty – BIT) or investment chapter in bilateral/regional trade agreements; or (iii) contract relating to investment of foreign investor and competent state agencies.

To promote foreign investment and to protect investors, countries around the world as well as Vietnam have signed and will sign bilateral agreements on promotion and protection of investment (BIT), agreement between countries on promotion and protection of investment (international investment agreement – IIA), free trade agreement (FTA) having investment chapter. Accordingly, investor holding the nationality of a signatory to investment agreement (chapter) is entitled to have full protection and security, fair and equitable treatment, non-discrimination, no expropriation… of investment according to regulation of such investment agreement (chapter) in host state. Besides, to ensure that dispute between foreign investor and host state will be fairly and properly settled and to prevent the case of refering to jurisdictional immunity to avoid being sued, there are provisions on dispute settlement mechanisms between foreign investorand host state in most of these agreements.

Through investment agreement (chapter), the host state abandons its right of jurisdictional immunity to be sued and judged at competent jurisdiction. If the host state violates and harms the foreign investor, such country shall compensate according to judgement of that jurisdiction. Jurisdictions being competent to resolve disputes between foreign investor and host state may be arbitration, court of the host state; international arbitration; or other jurisdictions by agreement between the parties.

Behaviours which state violates commitment on investment protection may be very broad, including: (i) expropriation such as: requisition or nationalization without compensation; “indirect” requisition or “according to regulation” without reasonable compensation; (ii) no fair and equitable treatment; (iii) no full protection and security; (iv) there is discrimination such as violation of most favoured nation and national treatment; (v) and/or other violations such as: legal obligation/commitment, right of withdrawing investment and interest, compensation due to war or riot.

Dispute resolution process between foreign investor and host state usually takes place with three stages, including (i) conflict management stage means carrying out resolving complaints and consultation, mediation; (ii) dispute resolution stage; and (iii) implementation stage. In above process, consulting with international trade dispute lawyers in Vietnam to for resolution of international investment disputes is a very important and necessary.

Law firm in Vietnam with Litigation and Dispute lawyers in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang cities that help clients dealing with dispute resolution and alternative dispute resolution in Vietnam. For advice or service request, please contact us via email ant@antlawyers.vn, or call us +84 24 730 86 529

 

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Effective Date of the Contract and the Time of Ownership Transfer

What is the Effective Date of the Contract and the Time of Ownership Transfer?

One of the most common disputes in contract disputes is the dispute on the effective date of the contract. In order to avoid these disputes, parties should refer to the nature of the validity of the contract as well as distinguish the difference between effective date of the contract and the time of ownership transfer.

 

Contract dispute lawyers in Vietnam

Regarding the effective date, contract shall take effect when contract meets all condition of participants in contract, condition of purpose and contents of contract and condition of form (in case there is regulation). Specifically, participants in contract shall have legal capacity in conformity with such contract and the participation shall base entirely on voluntariy will. For the second condition, the purpose and contents of the contract will not be contrary to the law and social ethics. When there are enough conditions met, a contract legally entered into shall take effect from the time when it is entered into, unless otherwise agreed or otherwise provided by law. From the effective date of the contract, parties shall mutually exercise rights and perform obligations as agreed. A contract may be amended or terminated as agreed by the parties or prescribed by law.

Through definition of the effective date of the contract, basic difference between dealing with breaches of contracts which have taken effect and dealing with breaches of invalid contracts can clearly be seen. In invalid contracts, the general remedy rule is restoring everything to its original state and returning to each other what have received. Dealing with breaches of contracts, which have taken effect, must be based on the terms of contract on how to handle such violations. If the contract does not stipulate, the provisions of law on such violation will be applied. It should be noted that there are many regulations from time to time, so the law must be properly applied.

Specially, a contract violating conditions of form validity shall be invalid, except that a party or the parties have fulfill at least two third of the obligations in the contract. A court, at their request, shall issue a decision on recognition of the validity of such contract. It is understood that the contract takes effect after the Court’s judgments or decisions take effect. After the contract takes effect, regulation of law will be applied to determine time of ownership transfer. Contract which can be recognized as valid does not mean that such contract will naturally take effect at the time of fulfilling two third of the obligations. Recognition of the Court is to force parties to continue to execise the obligations of the contract or resolve later disputes according to valid contract.

Time of ownership transfer normally belongs to stage of contract enforcement, which is after the effective date of the contract. Except for special contracts (such as contracts for gift), whose time of ownership transfer can be a condition of making contract be valid. With respect to other normal contract, time of ownership transfer is not related to validity condition of contract, which does not make the contract be valid or invalid. It should be noted that time of ownership transfer is stipulated differently with respect to different contract, different property and different specific time. According to Vietnam law of transfer of ownership rights by owner, when an owner transfers ownership rights to another person through a contract for sale and purchase, exchange, gift or loan, other contract of ownership transfer or through inheritance, the ownership rights of the owner shall terminate from the time when the ownership rights of the transferee arise.

The law stipulates that the time of establishing ownership rights and other property-related right shall be determined according to Civil Code 2015 and relevant laws. If there is no relevant regulations of law, the agreement of the parties shall be applied. If there is no either relevant regulations of law or agreement of the parties, the time of establishing ownership rights and other property-related rights shall be the time when the property is transferred. The time when the property is transferred is the time when the obligee or his or her legal representative possesses the property. In case where the property which has been not transferred and there are yield or income arise from that property, such yield or income shall belong to the transferor, unless otherwise agreed.

Legal significance of determining time of ownership transfer is to determine who is responsible for the risk and property. According to law, owner shall bear all risks of the property under his or her ownership, unless otherwise agreed or unless otherwise prescribed by laws. The holder of other property-related rights shall bear risks of the property within his or her right scope, unless otherwise agreed with the owner of the property or unless otherwise prescribed by laws.

ANT Lawyers - a Law firm in Vietnam with international standard, local expertise and strong international network. We focus on customers’ needs and provide clients with a high quality legal advice and services. For advice or serive request, please contact us via email ant@antlawyers.vn, or call us +84 24 730 86 529. 

 

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What Documents Required to File Petition by Arbitration in Vietnam?

Dispute resolution methods are litigation, negotiation, mediation and arbitration. Handing disputes requires litigation law firm with dispute lawyers in Vietnam having experience and knowledge to provide resolutions to complex cross-border issues, commercial and civil disputes.

 

Arbitration lawyers in Vietnam

According to Article 30 of Vietnam Laws on Commercial Arbitration, petitions and enclosed documents for initiating dispute by arbitration in Vietnam will be submitted as following instructions:

When a dispute is settled at an arbitration center, the plaintiff shall file a petition at the arbitration center as agreed. When a dispute is settled by ad hoc arbitration, the plaintiff shall make a petition and send it to the defendant.

The petition contains the following details:

1.Date of its making;

2.Names and addresses of the parties; names and addresses of witnesses, if any;

3.Summary of the circumstances of the dispute:

4.Grounds and evidence for initiating the lawsuit, if any:

5.Specific requirements of the plaintiff and the value of the dispute:

6.Name and address of the person whom the plaintiff selects as arbitrator or requests to be designated as arbitrator.

Enclosed with the petition shall be the arbitration agreement and the originals or copies of relevant documents.

Arbitration lawyers in Vietnam at ANT Lawyers - Law firm in Vietnam with accreditation in national and international arbitration practice could help providing legal advice in disputed matters, and guide the clients throughout the process. The arbitration lawyers could also advise the clients on various matters from choice of arbitrator, choice of arbitration rules, ad-hoc or institutional arbitration, place of arbitration, enforcement of arbitral award.

 

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What Laws Will be Applied for Dispute Settlement by Arbitration in Vietnam?

Dispute resolution methods are litigation, negotiation, mediation and arbitration. Handing disputes requires litigation law firm with dispute lawyers in Vietnam having experience and knowledge to provide resolutions to complex cross-border issues, commercial and civil disputes.

 

Arbitration Lawyers in Vietnam

Under Article 14 of Law on Commercial Arbitration, applicable laws for dispute settlement by arbitration in Vietnam will be Vietnamese if the case involve no foreign element. If dispute involving foreign invested enterprise, parties need to agree on language. If parties do not have such language agreement for arbitration, the arbitration council will decide. In particular:

For a dispute involving no foreign element, the arbitration council shall apply Vietnamese law for settling the dispute.

For a dispute involving foreign elements, the arbitration council shall apply the law selected by the parties. If the parties have no agreement on the applicable law, the arbitration council shall decide to apply a law it sees the most appropriate.

When the Vietnamese law or law selected by the parties contains no specific provisions concerning the dispute, the arbitration council may apply international practices for settling the dispute, provided such application or consequence of such application does not contravene the fundamental principles of Vietnam law.

Arbitration lawyers in Vietnam at ANT Lawyers with accreditation in national and international arbitration practice could help providing legal advice in disputed matters, and guide the clients throughout the process. The arbitration lawyers could also advise the clients on various matters from choice of arbitrator, choice of arbitration rules, ad-hoc or institutional arbitration, place of arbitration, enforcement of arbitral award.

 

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Languages in Arbitration Proceedings in Vietnam

What are Languages in Arbitration Proceedings in Vietnam? 

Dispute resolution methods are litigation, negotiation, mediation and arbitration. Handing disputes requires litigation law firm with dispute lawyers in Vietnam having experience and knowledge to provide resolutions to complex cross-border issues, commercial and civil disputes.

 

Arbitration lawyers in Vietnam

According to Article 10 of Vietnam Law on Commercial Arbitration, language used in arbitration proceedings resolving dispute is Vietnamese if both parties are Vietnamese or foreign language as agreed by parties if one of the parties is foreign owned enterprise.  In particular:

For disputes involving no foreign element, the language to be used in arbitral proceedings is Vietnamese, except disputes to which at least one party is a foreign-invested enterprise. When a disputing party cannot use Vietnamese, it may use an interpreter.

For disputes involving foreign elements or disputes to which at least one party is a foreign-invested enterprise, the parties shall reach agreement on the language to be used in arbitral proceedings. If they have no such agreement, the arbitration council shall decide on the language to be used in arbitral proceedings.

Arbitration lawyers in Vietnam at ANT Lawyers - Law firm in Vietnam with accreditation in national and international arbitration practice could help providing legal advice in disputed matters, and guide the clients throughout the process. The arbitration lawyers could also advise the clients on various matters from choice of arbitrator, choice of arbitration rules, ad-hoc or institutional arbitration, place of arbitration, enforcement of arbitral award.

 

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Requirement on Sending Notices in Arbitration Proceedings in Vietnam

What are Requirement on Sending Notices in Arbitration Proceedings in Vietnam?

Dispute resolution methods are litigation, negotiation, mediation and arbitration. Handing disputes requires litigation law firm with dispute lawyers in Vietnam having experience and knowledge to provide resolutions to complex cross-border issues, commercial and civil disputes.

 

Arbitration Lawyers in Vietnam

According to Article 12 of Vietnam Law on Commercial Arbitration, unless otherwise agreed by the parties or provided by the arbitration center’s rules of proceedings, the mode and order of sending notices in arbitral proceedings for dispute are specified as follows:

Each party’s written explanations, correspondence papers and other documents shall be sent to the arbitration center or arbitration council in sufficient copies so that every member of the arbitration council and the other party has one copy, and one copy is filed at the arbitration center;

Notices and documents to be sent by the arbitration center or arbitration council to the parties shall be sent to the addresses or to their representatives at the correct addresses notified by the parties;

Notices and documents may be sent by the arbitration center or arbitration council directly, in registered or ordinary mails, by fax. telex, telegram, email, or other modes which acknowledge such sending;

Notices and documents sent by the arbitration center or arbitration council will be regarded as having been received on the date the parties or their representatives receive them or if such notices and documents have been sent to addresses or to their representatives at correct address notified by the parties;

The time limit for receiving notices and documents shall be counted from the date following the date such notices and documents are regarded as having been received. If the following date falls on a holiday or day off under regulations of the country or territory in which the notices and documents have been received. This time limit shall be counted from the subsequent first working day. If the last day of this time limit falls on a holiday or day off under regulations of such country or territory, the time of expiration is the end of the subsequent first working day.

Arbitration lawyers in Vietnam at ANT Lawyers - a Law firm in Vietnam with accreditation in national and international arbitration practice could help providing legal advice in disputed matters, and guide the clients throughout the process. The arbitration lawyers could also advise the clients on various matters from choice of arbitrator, choice of arbitration rules, ad-hoc or institutional arbitration, place of arbitration, enforcement of arbitral award.

 

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What are Forms of Arbitration Agreement under Vietnam Laws?

Under Article 16 of Vietnam Law on Commercial Arbitration, forms of arbitration agreement resolving disputes are in written form.  In particular:

 

Arbitration Lawyers in Vietnam

An arbitration agreement may be made in the form of an arbitral clause in a contract or in the form of a separate agreement.

An arbitration agreement must be in writing. The following forms of agreement may also be regarded as written form:

1.Agreement made through communication between the parties by telegram, fax, telex, email or other forms provided for by law;

2.Agreement made through exchange of written information between the parties;

3.Agreement recorded in writing by a lawyer, notary public or competent institution at the request of the parties:

4.In their transactions, the parties make reference to a document such as a contract, document, company charter or other similar documents which contains an arbitration agreement;

5.Agreement made through exchange of petitions and self-defense statements which reflect the existence of an agreement proposed by a party and not denied by the other party.

In case multiple arbitration agreements are reached on the same dispute, the latest lawful agreement shall apply.

If the contents of an arbitration agreement are not clear or could be understood in more than one way, regulations of the Civil Code shall apply.

When there is a handover of rights and obligations under a transaction or contract which contains a lawful arbitration agreement, such agreement is still applicable to the transferee and the transferor, unless otherwise agreed by the parties concerned.

Multiple legal relationships to resolve the same case shall be combined if the parties agree to combine multiple legal relationships to resolve the same case, or the arbitration rules allow for combination of multiple legal relationships to resolve the same case.

Arbitration lawyers in Vietnam at ANT Lawyers - Law firm in Vietnam with accreditation in national and international arbitration practice could help providing legal advice in disputed matters, and guide the clients throughout the process. The arbitration lawyers could also advise the clients on various matters from choice of arbitrator, choice of arbitration rules, ad-hoc or institutional arbitration, place of arbitration, enforcement of arbitral award.

 Source ANTLawyers: https://antlawyers.vn/qa/what-are-forms-of-arbitration-agreement-under-vietnam-laws.html

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