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Importing and exporting products can be quite a challenge for businesses in Vietnam. Vietnam Briefing outlines a general step-by-step guide for import and export process in Vietnam. We take a look at registration, license permit requirements, customs procedures, and duties applied.

Vietnam doesn’t need a company to have a separate import or export license to engage in import and export activities in the nation.

The commonest entity for investors planning to embark on import and export activities, and also participate in domestic distribution of items, is placed a trading company. It is really an inexpensive establishment option with no minimum capital contribution required.

However, in the event an importer want to sell imported products to Vietnamese consumers, they need to get an additional trading license must be obtained to legalize the procedure. Starting a trading company takes approximately 90 days while obtaining a trading license can take one to three months.

n practice, businesses that desire to import to Vietnam without establishing a local legal entity can utilize an importer of record to facilitate the method. This tactic allows foreign firms that have time constraints, desire to test the market, 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 be subject to the Vietnam customs clearance standards, which effectively look at the quality, specifications, quantity, and level of the goods. Of these, certain imported items are subject to inspection.

As an example, imported pharmaceuticals must undergo testing and can include documents detailing product use, dosage, and expiration dates (coded in Vietnamese), which must also be contained in or around the presentation.

Customs documents necessary in Vietnam

Companies that import or export goods must submit a dossier of documents, which include at least the company’s business registration certificate and import/export business code registration certificate on the customs authorities. Depending on the imports or exports in question, authorities may request these additional documents:

Documents essential 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 necessary 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-three days to finish 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 practically no warning. For up-to-date facts about clearance regulations, processing times, or looking for the priority program, it really is advised to refer to with government officials or perhaps a professional service firm that could move the business with any cumbersome procedures and legalities.

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