In this article
FDI company reporting goes beyond that of domestic companies in two ways: annual financial statements must be independently audited, and there are additional reports on the investment project. This article lists the reports you definitely have to prepare, the statutory deadlines that are clearly established, and how to organize the work. It is compiled by the accounting team at ACCA Consulting Vietnam from experience working with foreign-invested companies.
1. Overview of FDI company reporting
An FDI company is a Vietnamese legal entity, so first and foremost it bears the same accounting and tax obligations as a domestic company. In addition, because it has foreign investment capital and a registered project, it also has audit and investment reporting obligations. These can be grouped as follows.
| Group | Type of report | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Periodic tax | VAT return; PIT withholding return (when applicable) | Monthly: 20th of the following month. Quarterly: last day of the first month of the following quarter |
| Provisional CIT | Quarterly provisional payment, no quarterly return | 30th of the first month of the following quarter |
| Annual finalization | CIT finalization, PIT finalization by the income payer, annual financial statements | Last day of the 3rd month after the financial year-end (calendar year: 31 March) |
| Audit | Annual financial statements audited by an independent audit firm | Under current regulations |
| Investment | Report on investment project implementation | Periodically under current regulations |
The deadline column shows only the dates clearly established in Law on Tax Administration 38/2019/QH14 and Decree 126/2020/ND-CP. For audit reports and investment project reports, the specific deadlines should be checked against the latest regulations and your company's project. Note that the 2025 Law on Tax Administration takes effect from 1 July 2026, so new guidance needs to be followed.
2. Periodic tax returns: monthly or quarterly?
Newly established companies file value-added tax (VAT/GTGT) returns quarterly. From the following year, companies whose total revenue from goods and services in the preceding year was VND 50 billion or less may file quarterly; above VND 50 billion they file monthly. Personal income tax (PIT/TNCN) withholding returns follow the same period as VAT; no PIT return is required for a month or quarter with no tax withheld.
For corporate income tax (CIT/TNDN), companies do not file quarterly returns but must make quarterly provisional payments. Total provisional payments for the four quarters must not be less than 80% of the CIT payable per the annual finalization. FDI companies often have expenses involving the parent company, so profit should be estimated carefully to make sufficient provisional payments.
- 31 Jan
VAT and PIT (if any) returns for Q4 of the previous year (Q4 provisional CIT due 30 Jan)
- 31 Mar
CIT finalization, PIT finalization, previous year's financial statements
- 30 Apr
VAT and PIT (if any) returns for Q1; Q1 provisional CIT
- 31 Jul
VAT and PIT (if any) returns for Q2 (Q2 provisional CIT due 30 Jul)
- 31 Oct
VAT and PIT (if any) returns for Q3 (Q3 provisional CIT due 30 Oct)
- During the year
Periodic investment project implementation reports as required
3. Audited annual financial statements
This is the biggest difference. FDI companies must have their annual financial statements audited by an independent audit firm, even if they are small or have no revenue yet. The accountant prepares the financial statements; the audit firm issues an opinion. The two roles are separate: the firm that keeps the books cannot audit those same books.
Auditors usually focus on: capital contributed through the DICA (direct investment capital account), balances with the parent company, year-end revenue and expenses, fixed assets, payroll and social insurance. If the books are not reconciled regularly during the year, a large number of adjusting entries pile up at year-end and there is a risk of a qualified opinion.
- Full-year statements for the DICA and current accounts
- Balance confirmations with customers, suppliers and the parent company
- Contracts and purchase and sales e-invoices that match the books
- Payroll, employment contracts and social insurance payment records
- Fixed asset register and depreciation schedule
- Filed tax returns and notices from the tax authority
4. Reporting costs for FDI vs. domestic companies
FDI companies involve more work: bilingual documents, foreign currency transactions, liaising with auditors and reporting to the parent company. Monthly accounting fees are therefore higher. The chart below compares ACCA's fees for companies with fewer than 5 employees.
ACCA Consulting Vietnam 2026 fee schedule. Over 100 invoices and documents: trading – services from VND 4,000,000, FDI from VND 6,400,000 (≈ USD 250, approximate, at VND 25,500/USD). Headcount surcharge from 5 employees.
View as table
| Trading – services | FDI | |
|---|---|---|
| No transactions | 399,000 VND | 640,000 VND |
| 1–15 inv./docs | 800,000 VND | 1,280,000 VND |
| 16–30 inv./docs | 1,200,000 VND | 1,920,000 VND |
| 31–50 inv./docs | 1,800,000 VND | 2,880,000 VND |
| 51–100 inv./docs | 2,800,000 VND | 4,480,000 VND |
5. Common risks in FDI company reporting
- Late returns: under Decree 125/2020/ND-CP and its amendments and supplements, an organization filing a tax return 1–30 days late may be fined VND 2–5 million; penalties increase with the number of days late.
- Insufficient provisional CIT: the four quarters total less than 80% of the finalized amount.
- Late tax payment: late-payment interest of 0.03% per day on the overdue tax.
- Loss of VAT deduction: invoices of VND 5 million or more paid in cash.
- Books that don't match the audited financial statements: figures declared for tax differ from post-audit figures, requiring supplementary returns.
- Incomplete record-keeping: documents used for bookkeeping and financial statements must be kept for at least 10 years under the 2015 Law on Accounting.
6. How to organize so no report is late
- 1Build an annual calendar
Put every tax, finalization, audit and investment reporting date into one shared calendar.
- 2Close the books monthly
Reconcile bank accounts, invoices and balances before the 10th of the following month.
- 3Internal reporting
Send the parent company a summary of revenue, expenses and taxes paid.
- 4Mid-year review
Estimate profit to adjust provisional CIT payments.
- 5Prepare for the audit
Complete reconciliations and files before the auditors begin fieldwork.
A good accounting service proactively sends reminders and regular internal reports rather than waiting for you to ask. ACCA Consulting VN is not an audit firm; we keep the books, prepare reports and returns, and coordinate with the audit firm of your choice.
FAQ
Does an FDI company with no revenue still have to file reports?
Yes. The company must still prepare annual financial statements, have them audited as required and file reports related to its investment project. VAT returns are still filed each period under current regulations; PIT returns, however, are not required for periods with no tax withheld.
When are an FDI company's financial statements and CIT finalization due?
No later than the last day of the 3rd month after the financial year-end. For a calendar financial year, that is 31 March.
Does ACCA audit financial statements for FDI companies?
No. ACCA provides accounting and prepares reports and returns, then coordinates with the independent audit firm chosen by the company.
When is the investment project implementation report due?
This report is filed periodically under current investment regulations. Deadlines and forms should be checked against the latest documents; ACCA can help review the requirements for each project.
Hand over your FDI reporting to ACCA
ACCA Consulting Vietnam provides accounting services for FDI companies in Ho Chi Minh City: tax returns, finalization, bilingual financial statements and audit coordination. Call +84 938 847 699 for a quotation.
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