VIETNAM (Hanoi)

VIETNAM (Ho Chi Minh City)

• The client must be in Vietnam prior to the arrival of effects and must work for a registered company or organization.
  
  
• Only a foreign diplomat may automatically import household goods and personal effects into Vietnam duty free. Most UN offices and NGOs have the right to import duty-free but this must be written into the Memorandum of Understanding with the Vietnamese Government.
  
  
• All other clients may import household goods and personal effects into Vietnam, but they will be subject to duty. The duty amount varies from 40% to 70% of the customs assessed value of the items but is generally only applied to the major electrical items and is towards the lower figure. JVK will work with the shipper and his/her company to minimize the duty liability.
  
  
• To clear customs we will require a copy of the clients passport and visa, the original yellow immigration form and letters to Customs on the registered company or organization stationery authorizing JVK to handle the clearance. This will need to be stamped, signed and be available at the time of the arrival of effects to avoid demurrage charges. The client should declare on the yellow form that there is unaccompanied baggage to follow.
  
  
• All electrical items should be clearly identified on the descriptive inventory, stating brand, model, and serial number.
  
  
• All books, CDs, DVDs, computer and audio discs etc. should be packed together and clearly identified on the packing inventory. They will need to be allowed entry by the Ministry of Culture but nowadays this is a formality and practically nothing is screened. There should be no pornography or anti-Vietnamese literature in the consignment as this will result in severe delays and repercussions.
  
  
• All shipments, except diplomatic household good shipments, are subject to inspection by Vietnamese Customs and Ministry of Culture Departments. JVK staff would be present when this is done.
  
  
• All antiques should be declared to the Ministry of Culture upon importation, otherwise re-export could be a problem if they are considered Vietnamese. Photographs would be useful as proof of entry.
  
  
• Please ensure that the shippers name, as written on all packages, is the same as shown in his/her passport. Otherwise delays with customs may occur.

• Goods prohibited from entering Vietnam include firearms, ammunition, pornographic material, satellite dishes, short wave radios, narcotics, or subversive literature or materials.

• Only a foreign diplomat and/or UN/NGO personnel (with duty free status) may import a new vehicle into Vietnam tax-free. Only a diplomat may import a used vehicle and this must still be 85% new(please check with JVK before sending a used vehicle because normally permission has to be granted by the Protocol Dept; in advance of shipping).
  
  
• For all other foreigners and returning Vietnamese nationals, it is almost impossible to import a vehicle into Vietnam. However, the procedures for a non-diplomat to import a vehicle are changing and there is new legislation to allow the importation of second-hand vehicles into Vietnam. However, as the duty rates are extremely high at the moment (around 600%) great care should be given before shipping.

• Most pets, including dogs, cats, and birds, can be brought into Vietnam with no quarantine period. The documents necessary at the time of import are a current health certificate (not more than 7 days old) and a current vaccination card. A copy of these documents must be scanned or faxed to JVK at least 5 days prior to arrival.
  
  
• The shipper must be in Vietnam at the time of clearance and again must work for a registered company or organization.