Receiving parcels and the Customs Office

The fees depend on the Vietnam side. Shipping is very high. Recently I sent a package from the states to HCMC and the shipping was almost four times the price of the merchandise. Sent it via DHL. Arrived on time. No hassle from customs. Merchandise has to be in original package.
Hope it helps

It depends on 3 things:

1. Your luck - if the customs team on that day has integrity.
2. Your merchandise - if it is taxable. Do note that 10% VAT is mandatory.
                                  - the volume of the merchandise
                                  - the legality of the merchandise
3. The documents for import/export is duly sufficient and submitted. Many people "smuggle" merchandise into Vietnam to avoid taxes and the under table fees for small packages.

If is just consumer items and is through DHL or Fedex etc., it should be easy. Call up the local agents with your tacking number, they should be able to clear the customs with a nominal fee.

Though you might have already paid the door-to-door service, it is the culture and industry practice to pay a nominal fee for that service in Vietnam. you should not be paying for more than 800,00 VND for DHL or FEDEX etc to clear the customs.

Hope this helps.

Hi Athanaslus,

Ok. Let's be more specific.

I have the choice to go to Hong Kong ($400) or have Hong Kong deliver to me ($0?)

I'm talking about a lot of natural hog/pig casing/intestines for a business. About 50 kg (2 x 25 kg luggages full).

And that won't be obvious that it will be for personal use.

Thanks, Alitis.

Hi Buddy! Has the merchandise been sent?

For raw food, there is a need for permit showing the place of origin and there might be a need to provide samples for testing by the authorities.

I suggest you contact the forwarder from your seller to send you all the documents and meanwhile you get a local forwarder to work with the customs.

My guess is this process gonna be a headache for you. Be mentally prepared.

A return trip Saigon-Hong Kong-Saigon is less than $300.
You are allowed 2 x 25 kg of luggages on international flights. 
There is no Custom Declaration on any incoming flight to Vietnam. (Weird)
So no question asked = no false declaration = no lie.
50 kg of hog casing = 50 x $20 (wholesale) = $1000
$2800 if bought here through a distributor, but they have the same darn problem of getting them.
So the question is (knowing it is a legitimate product to import): I go or I order?
If I order, what am I expected to pay at customs (taxes, bribes, etc,)? Voilà!

PS:I like your picture sitting on the back seat!

It is not as simple as you think it is.

Luggage are different category from cargo.

Raw food at all customs world wide are mandatory to declare. No declaration form for you to fill does not mean there is no requirement to declare (just like cash you carry above $5k USD).

IF you want to play gentleman, go through proper channel and use a forwarder such as DHL or Fedex etc to send it and a local forwarder to clear the customs for you. Cargo for raw food may be detained for testing purposes or quarantine and if not wrong, you need to have a permit to import raw food for commercial purposes.

Cost for a gentleman = Export documents from country of origin (including permits) = X$
                                     Freight cost = Y$
                                     Your import documents & permit from Vietnam =S$
                                     Local forwarder for Customs clearance and delivery to your door = < 1,000,000VND
                                     Sampling fee or quarantine fee = H$
                                     VAT tax = 10% of Proforma Invoice
                                     Contingency fee = 3,000,000 VND (if documents not in order or hiccups in procedures)

IF you want to avoid all hassles and costs, you can do as you mentioned (bringing in as checked in luggage) but risk getting caught. IF you get caught, there are 2 possibilities;

1. That team on duty has high integrity and you face the law.
2. You buy your way out with "Z" amount of VND.

For rates of buying way out, usually the locals will offer 500,000VND (for small trading merchandise) to 5,000,000 for valued items (such as diamonds but not a whole luggage of 25kg of course) or bulky items (such as antiques).

As for white face treatment and food smuggling, I would reckoned you need more Uncle Ho's portrait than the locals.

I would suggest you get some exact information from the authorities on requirement to import raw food and ask the same from the local forwarder to ensure the information synced. After that, you can do your maths and your decision should be clear then.

Good luck!

I believe all what you are saying, Athanasius, but where is it written? I have been traveling a lot in my life and never saw a country not asking for a customs declaration. And I know people doing this (importing hog casing and other stuff) on a regular basis. I'm not saying it's legal but there is no one to ask questions or check.

Anyway, now that you're telling me black on white, I'll make a test with DHL.

Thanks.

Dear Alegre Viajero,

I believe checking with DHL would definitely help you to clarify what you concern.
As I am also into import field, just want to discuss more with you something and hope it help you in some way.

Your concern about losing a big amount of money for customs clearance will depend on what product you intend to import into VN and the product value presented in the invoice. In your case, I saw the product is hog casting of which HS code is 0504.00.00 referring to import tax of 0% (ACFTA) (pls visit the link  http://www.customs.gov.vn/SitePages/Tar … uage=en-US ). However, you have to pay VAT (Value Added Tax) 10%.

It is important to notice that only company having import/export permit can declare this parcel, you cannot declare your parcel directly by working with customs officers, but via a forwarding company. Off course, once you use a forwarding company, beside tax fee, you have to pay some money as their service fee.

Therefore, if your parcel value shown in the invoice is not really high, I suggest that you should import via a forwarding company.

Hope my little knowledge help!

Hi willnfree

Besides the more expensive DHL and Fedex, what other companies would you recommend to take care of a shipping from HK to NT. Should I take a company that will also take care of clearing Vietnam Customs and deliver to my door, or should I get it myself at Custom in Nha Trang?

I will be using my personal name and address.

For the first time, convenience sake, let them handle everything and you learn form there.

Once you are confident enough to handle your own, wean them off.

Probably by then, you have a team of locals working for your dynasty of Hog casings!!!

Thanks Pall, I will do just that…

Alitis wrote:

The fees depend on the Vietnam side. Shipping is very high. Recently I sent a package from the states to HCMC and the shipping was almost four times the price of the merchandise. Sent it via DHL. Arrived on time. No hassle from customs. Merchandise has to be in original package.
Hope it helps

Can you give some information on DHL please? Is it a courier company? How can I use it ? Do they have a website?

Have you checked thoroughly for availability of sausage casings produced locally.  Vietnam slaughters millions of pigs annually and makes plenty of sausage.  It seems to me that would be a lot easier than going to Hong Kong.  If you are in business you undoubtedly have some kind of local helper or partner.

In fact, do you really think you can compete with local sausage makers or are you making some unique European product for tourist consumption.?

cabraman wrote:

Can you give some information on DHL please? Is it a courier company? How can I use it ? Do they have a website?

You must be kidding.

Here are some Vietnamese Sausage Making Installations (use Google translation), but the pictures are enough:

http://vietbao.vn/vi/Suc-khoe/Rung-minh … 17432/248/http://www.tinmoi.vn/ron-nguoi-cong-ngh … 22784.htmlhttp://vietbao.vn/vi/The-gioi-giai-tri/ … 53871/412/http://xalo.vn/news/tl/Ron-nguoi-cong-n … 277149.htmhttp://danviet.vn/doi-song/lap-xuong-tu … 86180.htmlhttp://www.xaluan.com/modules.php?name= … sid=155914http://alobacsi.com/thoi-su/cong-nghe-l … 09c160.htmhttp://lapxuongtuoicangiuoc.blogspot.co … tieng.htmlhttp://thethao60s.com/index/2978574/01022011.aspxhttp://naungon.com/?p=7594

One word: Disgusting!

In Vietnam, there are no cleaning companies, I mean, not one "clean" cleaning company.

AlegreViajero wrote:

In Vietnam, there are no cleaning companies, I mean, not one "clean" cleaning company.

So again let me ask you how will you compete.   Will it be against small mom and pop home based factories that have minimal sanitation and ridiculously low costs?   Will you try to compete with Vissan which is a State Owned Enterprise with all the advantages that entails?

THIGV wrote:

cabraman wrote:

Can you give some information on DHL please? Is it a courier company? How can I use it ? Do they have a website?

You must be kidding.

It is a serious question.  Why do you assume that I SHOULD know? I have had no dealings with courier companies hence the questions  I had the impression that this site was for help and exchange of information, so a few manners on your part wouldn,t go astray.

cabraman wrote:

THIGV wrote:

cabraman wrote:

Can you give some information on DHL please? Is it a courier company? How can I use it ? Do they have a website?

You must be kidding.

It is a serious question.  Why do you assume that I SHOULD know? I have had no dealings with courier companies hence the questions  I had the impression that this site was for help and exchange of information, so a few manners on your part wouldn,t go astray.

Sorry for sounding facetious but I find it stunning that someone could never have heard of DHL as I beleive it is the largest courier company worldwide.  It  originated in the US but is now German owned and has revenues about 6 times those of UPS.  Their trucks are all over HCMC and they have centers in Dong Nai, Vung Tau, Danang, Haiphong, Hanoi, and Long An.  Perhaps you have never seen them but I am sure they get up to Dalat once in a while.  In addition they are in all the major cities in Australia which is why I assumed you should know.   Anyway here are links:  http://www.dhl.com.vn/en/country_profile.htmlhttp://www.dhl.com.au/en/country_profile.html  Again, sorry to sound facetious but I still find your question stunning.

Hi, I also bring in salted casing, not such large quantities as 50Kgs. 5 and 10 Kgs just in my checked luggage.. Once I bought VN natural casings from down south and they were unusable, they hadn't been scraped well at all and, smelled like crap.
In regard to importing. I have a small struggling import business (Not Sausage related),(Under my VN friends name of course).
Sometimes it's cheaper to use the expensive courier companies, door to door.... Has proved cheaper, for me,  than having valuable stock waiting clearance at Danang port customs.... Even using a 'forwarding company'.... Where, every little grub, along the way demands 'his cut', then I paid 18% VAT....
That was for 12 volt marine electronics, solar panels, panel mounting rails, regulators, etc from Taiwan. This just pushed the purchase price, above what the local 'Boat owner' could afford. And the profit down, to where it wasn't worth the 'hair loss'
So now I just make a few Smoked and cured Kabana/Cabana, Kransky ... As well as hot smoked chicken wings and whole smoked Duck for friends and a few restaurants.
Off topic, does anyone know where I could source a breeding type pair of Turkeys? I got an idea....

THIGV wrote:

cabraman wrote:

THIGV wrote:

You must be kidding.

It is a serious question.  Why do you assume that I SHOULD know? I have had no dealings with courier companies hence the questions  I had the impression that this site was for help and exchange of information, so a few manners on your part wouldn,t go astray.

Sorry for sounding facetious but I find it stunning that someone could never have heard of DHL as I beleive it is the largest courier company worldwide.  It  originated in the US but is now German owned and has revenues about 6 times those of UPS.  Their trucks are all over HCMC and they have centers in Dong Nai, Vung Tau, Danang, Haiphong, Hanoi, and Long An.  Perhaps you have never seen them but I am sure they get up to Dalat once in a while.  In addition they are in all the major cities in Australia which is why I assumed you should know.   Anyway here are links:  http://www.dhl.com.vn/en/country_profile.htmlhttp://www.dhl.com.au/en/country_profile.html  Again, sorry to sound facetious but I still find your question stunning.

Thank you for all the information. I appreciate that.

I agree to a certain extend with AlegreViajero.
It is not about the fee or bribes. These are minor amounts. It is about the hassle and the uncertainty whether you get your stuff or not.
I have bad experiences with VN customs like everyone else. At one time, I did not give up and after 2 months (sic) the parcel surfaced.
For the third time a parcel has gone missing. This could mean that some person in VN customs has taken home or sold it
This time USPS has sent me the tracking history and the date when it was handed to VN customs. Inquiries at the customs office produced only answers like: 'We have not received a parcel from USPS' or 'This tracking number is unknown to us'.
It makes me mad.I know that it was delivered and I don't get it bc another person has probably his hands on it. There is little I can do about it. I only phone the customs office every other day and hope that it will appear one day.