International convention and customs procedures of Vietnam

International Conventions

Member of the World Trade Organization (WTO)
Member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Party to the Kyoto Protocol
Party to the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
Party to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal
Party to the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer
Party to the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls For Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies
Party to the International Coffee Agreement

International Economic Cooperation

Asia - Pacific Economic Cooperation - APEC

Association of Southeast Asian Nations - ASEAN

Non Tariff Barriers

Click here for more details.

Customs Duties and Taxes on Imports

Click here for further information.

Customs Classification

The classification of import and export goods must be based on:
- Vietnam ’s Classification List of Import and Export Goods; Preferential Import Tariff Nomenclature; Export Tariff Nomenclature;
- Six (6) general rules of HS Convention;
- Obligatory explanatory notes of HS Convention;
- Making references to supplementary explanatory notes of ASEAN Harmonised Tariff Nomenclature and detailed explanatory notes of the Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System (HS).

Import Procedures

Business entities, including foreign-invested enterprises with a legally registered business license, may be engaged in direct import and export activities. However, foreign-invested enterprises can import materials, equipment, and machinery only for establishing production lines and producing goods in accordance with their investment licenses. Under Vietnam’s WTO commitments, trading rights are now open to all foreign-invested enterprises. Vietnam facilitates an automatic import licensing system that requires importers of a wide category of goods to obtain a license from MOIT to get their goods through customs. Distribution rights for these entities are opened to joint venture investment with no limit on capital contribution, and since 2009 have been opened to wholly foreign-invested enterprises.

Seven ministries and agencies are responsible for overseeing a system of minimum quality/performance standards for animal and plant protection, health safety, local network compatibility (in the case of telecommunications), money security, and cultural sensitivity. Goods that meet the minimum standards can be imported upon demand and in unlimited quantity and value.

When carrying out customs procedures for importing goods, the customs declarers must submit a customs application file with the General Department of Vietnam Customs and vouch for the lawfulness and accuracy of its content.

Please consult the webpage of Vietnam Customs for more information.

Importing Samples

Consulting the procedure.

To go further, check out our service Import controls and Export controls.

For Further Information

General Department of Vietnam Customs
ITPC
Vasep
Vietfood
Vietnam Trade Portal
Asia Trade Hub