Vietnam and the Netherlands at a glance
- Stamp
- Apostille, Hague Convention in force for Vietnam since 11 September 2026
- Issued by
- From 11 September 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues apostilles, on paper or electronically
- Language
- Vietnamese, sworn translation
- Register
- National Business Registration Portal (Ministry of Finance) (online)
- Tax treaty
- Signed 1995, in force 1995 (Rijksoverheid, 1 October 2026)
- EU trade
- Free Trade Agreement, 2020
- Moving here
- Residence permit needed
- Notary checks
- Enhanced, with a source-of-funds note (EU high-risk list, Delegated Regulation 2016/1675)
Documents from Vietnam
Passport copy, certified by a notary in Vietnam.
Proof of address in Vietnam, at most three months old.
Power of attorney. Sign the power of attorney before a Vietnamese notary (phòng công chứng). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs authenticates the notary’s signature.
Ownership statement, one page from us.
The apostille. From 11 September 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues apostilles, on paper or electronically. You apply at the Consular Department in Hanoi or the Department of Foreign Affairs in Ho Chi Minh City. Before that date, documents needed legalisation by the Consular Department and then by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Hanoi.
Good to know. Vietnam is on the EU high-risk list, so every file gets personal handling and a source-of-funds statement. A document legalised before 11 September 2026 stays valid. From that date, ask for the apostille instead.
If a company from Vietnam becomes a shareholder
Register extract, at most three months old: National Business Registration Portal (Ministry of Finance). Order the enterprise registration certificate. For a limited company, it shows the members and the legal representative. Plus articles, signing authority and ownership chart.
Trade between Vietnam and the EU
Vietnam was the 14th biggest partner of the European Union (EU) for trade in goods in 2025. In the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, it was the EU's largest partner for trade in goods. Trade in goods reached €76 billion in 2025.
EU imports from Vietnam consist mainly of machinery and appliances, footwear and hats, and textiles. EU exports to Vietnam consist mainly of machinery and appliances, chemicals and transport equipment. In 2024, trade in services reached €9 billion, and the EU's outward stock of foreign direct investment in Vietnam was €13.1 billion.
The EU and Vietnam signed a Free Trade Agreement and an Investment Protection Agreement on 30 June 2019. The Free Trade Agreement entered into force on 1 August 2020. As of June 2024, 18 EU Member States had ratified the Investment Protection Agreement.
Relations rest on the EU-Vietnam Framework Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation, in force since October 2016.
Import duties: Access2Markets.
Sources: European Commission [1].
Your next step from Vietnam
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