Applicaiton to register for foreign loan

Foreign loan registration is a mandatory administrative process at the State Bank, applied to businesses when they need to borrow medium or long-term capital from foreign funding sources or when short-term loans are extended, with the total term increasing to over a year.

At this time, the need for loans from credit institutions, investment funds, foreign enterprises, or FDI enterprises is increasing in Vietnam. This reflects the international trend of leveraging global financial resources to support business development and expand operations. In this article, Siglaw Law Firm would like to share basic knowledge about the legal matters related to foreign loan registration documents.

Who must register for a foreign loan?

The law stipulates 05 subjects that must register for foreign loans, specifically as follows:

  • The borrower enters into an agreement of foreign loan with a non-resident lender
  • The Party is obliged to pay debt issued outside the territory of Vietnam to non-residents
  • The organization is responsible for paying the debt directly to the entrusting party in case a credit institution or foreign bank branch signs an entrusted on-lending contract with the entrusting party who is a non-resident
  • The organization that inherits the obligation to repay foreign loans is subject to new registration and registration of changes according to the provisions of this Circular No. 12/2022/TT-NHNN in case the borrower is taking out a foreign loan, it shall divide and separation, consolidation or merger
  • The borrower in a financial leasing contract with the lessor is a non-resident

Dossier to register for a foreign loan

Stt Detail Type Note
Registering form Appendix 01, circular No. 12/2022/TT-NHNN Original
Enterprise/Business registration certificate Copy
Documents proving loan purpose

  • For purpose of implementing investment project: Investment Registration Certificate or Investment Approval according to the provisions of investment law and current legal regulations related;
  • Implement production and business plans other than investment projects: Prepare plans to use approved foreign loans (or other documents prescribed by law)
  • Restructuring the borrower’s foreign debt: The plan to restructure the borrower’s foreign debt is approved by competent authorities in accordance with the provisions of the Enterprise Law and enterprise charter, Cooperative Law and cooperative charters and other relevant legal documents;
  • Loans must be registered with the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), short-term loans have the principal repayment period extended but the total loan term is over 1 year, Short-term loans do not have an extension agreement but have outstanding balance. principal at the time of 1 year from the date of first capital withdrawal: prepare a report on the use of the initial short-term foreign loan that meets the regulations on short-term foreign loan conditions with a plan for using foreign loan capital. of the borrower, foreign debt restructuring plan.
Copy
  1. 4
Vietnamese translations of foreign loan agreement and agreement to extend short-term loans to medium or long-term Copy
  1. 5
Vietnamese translation of Guarantee commitment document Copy and Vietnamese translation If guaranteed
  1. 6
Documents from competent authorities approving and approving foreign loans according to the provisions of law on decentralization of rights, responsibilities, and obligations of state owners Copy
  1. 7
Report on compliance with the SBV’s regulations on safety limits and ratios in the operations of credit institutions and foreign bank branches. This report includes an assessment of compliance with foreign loan conditions by self-borrowing and self-payment during the period from the end of the last 03 months before the date of signing the loan agreement to the end of the latest month before the time of submitting complete documents. Apply for a foreign loan. If there is a violation, the report also describes the measures approved by the Prime Minister or the Governor of the State Bank (if any) for the credit institution or foreign bank branch. Copy
Confirmation from the bank on providing service Copy In case borrowers open loan accounts and repay foreign debt at banks providing account services
Documents proving profits from direct investment activities of foreign investors, legally exchanged in Vietnamese Dong, along with confirmation from the bank on the division and transfer of profits Copy
Documents explaining the need for foreign loans in Vietnamese Dong must be approved by the Governor of the State Bank according to the State Bank’s current regulations on conditions for foreign loans in Vietnamese Dong. Original

 

Where to register for foreign loan?

Step 1: Declare on the website: https://qlnh-sbv.cic.org.vn/qlnh/. Then print out the form and certify with a competent signature and company seal.

Step 2: The borrower sends the application to the competent authority to confirm registration within the time limit:

  • Within 30 days from the date the guarantee is signed, in case of guaranteed loans.
  • Within 30 days from the date of signing the medium and long-term foreign loan agreement.
  • Within 30 days from the date of signing the written capital withdrawal agreement (if any) and before withdrawing the capital.
  • Within 30 days from the date the short-term loan turns 01 year, from the date of first capital withdrawal.
  • Within 30 days after signing the extension agreement, for short-term self-borrowing loans.
  • Within 60 working days, for short-term loans being extended its principal repayment period, if the total loan term is over 01 years, starting from the date of first capital withdrawal to 1 year later. 1 year from the date of first capital withdrawal for the  short-term loans without extension agreement, and there is still principal debt (including principal interest).

Step 3: The SBV receives and reviews the application

Step 4: The SBV approve or refuse in written paper

Competent authorities

The competent receiving agents specifically as follows:

  • The Foreign Exchange Management Department – the SBV, if the loan amount is over 10 million USD (or another currency of equivalent value);
  • Submit registration documents to a Department of the SBV in the province or city where the borrower is headquartered if the loan amount is up to 10 million USD (or another currency of equivalent value). In the case of foreign loans in Vietnamese Dong, the Governor of the State Bank will consider and make a decision of approval or not.

Siglaw Law Firm

Phone: (+84) 961 366 238

Email:

Headquarters: No.44/A32-NV13, Gleximco A, Le Trong Tan street, An Khanh, Hoai Duc, Ha Noi, Vietnam.

Southern branch: A9.05 BLOCK A, SkyCenter Building, 5B Pho Quang Street, Ward 2, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Central branch: 177 Trung Nu Vuong, Hai Chau District, Da Nang City

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Expert advice on articles:

Lawyer Dung Le (Elena)

CEO of Siglaw Law Firm

Lawyer Le Dung has more than 10 years of experience providing legal advice to investors from more than 10 countries such as the US, Singapore, Canada, Denmark, Japan, Korea, China…