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Importing and exporting products can be quite a challenge for businesses in Vietnam. Vietnam Briefing outlines a broad step-by-step guide for import and export measures in Vietnam. Additionally we examine registration, license permit requirements, customs procedures, and duties applied.

Vietnam doesn’t require a firm to have a separate import or export license to get familiar with import and export activities in the country.

The most common entity for investors seeking to engage in import and export activities, in addition to take part in domestic distribution of items, is to establish a trading company. It is deemed an inexpensive establishment option without minimum capital contribution required.

However, in the event an importer would like to sell imported products to Vietnamese consumers, they must get an additional trading license must be obtained to legalize the process. Generating a trading company takes approximately ninety days while obtaining a trading license will take 1-3 months.

n practice, companies which need to import to Vietnam without generating a local legal entity can utilize an importer of record to facilitate the task. This tactic allows foreign companies that have plenty of time constraints, desire to test the market industry, or only import a few times to cope with logistical, regulatory, and language barriers.

Certain goods require companies to obtain permits from the government. Additionally, petroleum oil is banned from exports while goods banned from imports include cigars, tobacco, petroleum oils, newspapers and journals, and aircraft.

Customs procedures

All goods imported or exported in Vietnam are subject to the Vietnam customs clearance standards, which effectively look into the quality, specifications, quantity, and level of items. Of these, certain imported goods are at the mercy of inspection.

By way of example, imported pharmaceuticals must undergo testing and will include documents detailing product use, dosage, and expiration dates (coded in Vietnamese), which must also be included in or about the presentation.

Customs documents required by Vietnam

Companies which import or export goods must submit a dossier of documents, which include at the very least the company’s business registration certificate and import/export business code registration certificate for the customs authorities. With respect to the imports or exports involved, authorities may request the subsequent additional documents:

Documents needed for importing goods include:

Bill of lading;

Import goods declaration form;

Import permit (for restricted goods);

Certificate of origin;

Cargo release order;

Commercial invoice;

Customs import declaration form;

Inspection report;

Packing list;

Delivery Order (for goods imported through seaports);

Technical standard/health certificate; and

Terminal handling receipts.

The documents required for exporting goods include:

Electronic Export Customs Declaration (E-Form HQ/2015/XK);

Bill of lading;

Contract;

Certificate of origin;

Commercial invoice;

Customs export declaration form;

Export Permit;

Packing list; and

Technical standard/health certificate.

Export shipments might be completed on the day that while import shipments typically take around one to three days to complete for full container loads (FCL) much less than container loads (LCL), respectively.

Optimizing your customs experience

Vietnam’s customs procedures are complex and be subject to change with hardly any warning. For up-to-date information on clearance regulations, processing times, or obtaining the priority program, it is advised to consult with government officials or a professional service firm that will guide the business with any cumbersome procedures and legalities.

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