Change of Land Use Purpose in Vietnam for Foreign Investors

For foreign investors, changing the land use purpose in Vietnam is not merely an administrative procedure but a high-risk legal process closely tied to investment approvals, zoning plans, and State discretion. In case you need advice, please contact Apolo Lawyers via email at contact@apolo.com.vn or Hotline (+84) 903 419 479 for the best advice and support.

1. Is Change of Land Use Purpose Allowed for Foreign Investors?

Under Vietnamese law, a change of land use purpose is permitted only with prior approval from competent State authorities and must be consistent with approved land-use planning and master zoning.

For foreign investors, this right is even more restricted and typically applies in cases such as:

• Conversion between permitted commercial or industrial land use purposes;

• Adjustment of land use purpose within an approved investment project;

• Changes aligned with updated zoning or development plans.

Foreign investors cannot freely change land use purposes in the same manner as domestic land users, and any unauthorized change may result in administrative penalties or land recovery by the State.

Change of Land Use Purpose in Vietnam for Foreign Investors

2. Key Legal Risks in Practice

In practice, foreign investors face several critical risks when seeking to change land use purpose, including:

• Rejection due to inconsistency with land-use master plans or sectoral planning;

• Failure to update investment registration certificates in parallel with land approvals;

• Additional land use fees or financial obligations imposed after approval;

• Invalid project structures where land approvals and investment approvals are not legally aligned.

Change of Land Use Purpose in Vietnam for Foreign Investors

3. How Apolo Lawyers Support Foreign Investors

Apolo Lawyers advises foreign investors with a strategic and compliance-focused approach to land use purpose changes, ensuring that legal risks are identified and managed at an early stage.

Our services include:

• Legal assessment of zoning, planning, and land use feasibility;

• Structuring investment and land approvals in a legally consistent manner;

• Advising on land use fees, financial obligations, and regulatory exposure;

• Representing investors in discussions with licensing and land authorities;

• Resolving disputes arising from rejected or revoked land use approvals.

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