Ordering from the U.S. and clearing customs

It's good to hear a success story once in a while.  Mine was not in my favor, I mistakenly put the value on the customs form as $300...........the package was held by the Postal Customs Office in Saigon.  They called my wife and asked for a list of the contents, I sent it to her, and the lady in Customs said she could not release the package to a private home address, it had to be a Business for a package worth more than $100........back n forth, she finally told my wife a week later that she was sending the package back to me in Hawaii...........I sent the package in November, but it has not shown up to date.............probably never will as it contained Vitamins and school supplies..........Now the next subject you should post about is how getting the Ham Radio Operator License process goes.............I would definitely be in terested in that.    Peace

I had a similar problem last year with a package from the U.S, which contained both vitamins as well as my new U.S. sim card. FedEx requested all sorts of additional documents and that was the first time I contacted A2Z. Within a week after I provided A2Z with the package details, the parcel was delivered to my home.

I have a U.S. ***** and wanted reciprocal privileges in Vietnam. While the paperwork was not too onerous, difficulties arouse when they requested a hard original copy of my U.S. license. The FCC no longer provides these and you can only print out a copy from the website which does not meet the local requirements. After much to and fro, I solved this by taking my laptop to the local Ministry of Information and Technology office and showing them my license information on the FCC government website. A week later I had my reciprocal license (*****).

I had a similar problem last year with a package from the U.S, which contained both vitamins as well as my new U.S. sim card. FedEx requested all sorts of additional documents and that was the first time I contacted A2Z. Within a week after I provided A2Z with the package details, the parcel was delivered to my home.
I have a U.S. ***** and wanted reciprocal privileges in Vietnam. While the paperwork was not too onerous, difficulties arouse when they requested a hard original copy of my U.S. license. The FCC no longer provides these and you can only print out a copy from the website which does not meet the local requirements. After much to and fro, I solved this by taking my laptop to the local Ministry of Information and Technology office and showing them my license information on the FCC government website. A week later I had my reciprocal license (*****).
-@Ungarb

And a big THANK YOU for the info on reciprocal Amateur Radio privileges in VN. I brought a hard copy of mine with me (almost 6 years ago now!) but never got around to moving on it. Your post is just the prompt and the kick in the arse I needed to get going! VE3xxx

Will Wonder Never Cease.............Bu Dien success story.  As reported above, I sent a package to my family in Sep 2022, the post office in HCM Airport mail facility wouldn't send it forward since I declared more than $100 and it contained Vitamins (supposedly not allowed). The officer told my wife they would hold for 30 days and than return it to sender............ well, I never thought for a minute I would ever see that package again, but low & behold, it showed up today - 8 months after sending...........everything was in there - the package had a form in Vietnamese and English taped on top indicating "PACKAGE UNCLAIMED".  and it appears everything was still inside.  Just when you lose faith in humanity, something like this happens.............   Peace

@tunnelrat69 forgot to add, I am in Hawaii so the package went from Honolulu-Saigon-Honolulu.

Hi,

I sent supplements from Finland two weeks ago to my woman in Vietnam (Saigon).  So, I am now afraid I'll get the parcel back - after eight months! Not very nice

@raimojalkanen Did you enter an email address and phone number, the Bu Dien in Saigon called my Lady directly, and they conversed over email as well.......I am having her send a Thank You note to her for me.

@tunnelrat69

Hi,

Thanks for your message! 

Yes, I had the phone number. No call yet.

I have been told by DHL, UPS, Fedex, and others that in VN we are not allowed to import vitamins and supplements for personal use. You have to have an import license. But once when I went to a big post office on Ly Thuong Kiet Street in HCM to inquire about something else, I happened to see some employees open a box and it contained many bottles of vitamins and supplements. So I don't know if there's a way to get them or not. Maybe you have to grease some palms.

They can be shipped in. It depends on what shipping company you use. Smaller 'more connected' companies tend to have more success.

Dhl, Fedex etc tend to give very little support (if any) with customs clearance.