Vietnam Customs for Household Goods

It also warns “expired visas block clearance”, so a renewal date that falls before the container is discharged is a risk to plan around. For stays beyond the visa-free period GOV.UK lists a pre-approval letter arranged through an agent in Vietnam, other visa types from the embassy in London, or “an e-visa that allows a 90-day stay and multiple entries”. A shorter e-visa would also fall under the three-month wording.

Work is a separate matter: “check which type of visa or work permit you need with the Vietnam Immigration Department”. Whatever you hold when you land, keep the original documents; the next two sections show how often they are asked for.

Sirva adds a condition on the inventory: “The list must not contain any cartons ‘Packed by Owner’.” So self-packed boxes need to be repacked or opened for listing before they sail, which is a question for your mover.

Everything has to carry the employer's mark. IAM writes: “All documents must be signed and stamped (with the company seal) by the owner of the goods' registered local employer in Vietnam.” How many copies are needed is not settled either; the two cities that clear most household goods are compared on the Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi pages.

The same sheet calls it “It is a critical requirement for air and sea imports.” and describes the card as one noting that unaccompanied baggage will follow within 90 days of issue. IAM wants the original, three copies for each shipment, and says that in Ho Chi Minh City the owner's Vietnamese employer must sign and stamp it.

We read no official explanation of the card or its time limit. If your container will sail more than a few weeks after you fly, ask the destination agent in writing whether the 90 days in the Sirva sheet matters for you.

Sirva is stricter about sea freight: “Work permit - this is mandatory for Sea freight and could be avoided via Air Freight under 250kgs.” It also says the permit must be valid for at least 12 months to qualify for a household import. One guide says 300 kg and the other 250 kg for air, with sea always requiring it, so we state neither figure as the rule.

The practical lesson is the one both guides share: get the permit sorted before the shipment is booked, and ask the Vietnamese agent whether your load needs it.

The cultural check comes on top: “All shipments are subject to a cultural inspection conducted by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.” IAM puts it at 3 to 4 days and adds 2 to 3 more for antiques, which must be photographed and described on the packing list. Sirva lists the kinds of item that go to the culture department: books, compact discs, video and cassette tapes and similar.

Diplomatic shipments are exempt from physical inspection, which is why a diplomat's timetable is not yours. IAM also says the process “is known for inconsistency across ports”, so a quoted clearance time should always be read as an estimate.

It also admits “Application of duties and taxes are not consistent”, and lists televisions, stereos, computers, motorcycles, cars, tobacco and alcohol among the luxury goods that attract them. IAM gives figures for some of these: personal computers 15 percent, personal printers 10 percent, spirits at 125 to 150 percent, wine beyond 10 to 20 bottles at the same rate, and cigarettes beyond 400 at 150 percent.

Those numbers come from a trade guide that carries no date on the page we read, so they are examples of the scale, not a tariff. Ask for the agent's duty estimate in writing before you agree to a price.

Sirva leaves a door slightly open. It says “Import of motor vehicles is a difficult process and can be subject to very heavy duties and taxes.” and that a vehicle must be under five years old and left-hand drive, but then reserves duty-free import for diplomats, United Nations staff and some charities. Both guides list motorbikes among the prohibited items.

The two accounts cannot be reconciled from what we read, so the car rule is not confirmed. Plan on buying a vehicle in Vietnam, and see our car shipping guide for what the British end involves if you still want to ask.

Printed and recorded material is the unusual category for a UK household. Sirva says cultural items are declared to the culture department, and both guides keep a ban on cultural products that break Vietnamese law. Medicines need a prescription, and food is limited: “Non-perishable food items and canned/durably packaged goods can be imported in small quantities for personal use.”

Wood used for packing must be treated: “All wooden packing materials must comply with ISPM 15 phytosanitary treatment standards.” A reputable packer will already do this, but check that crates and pallets carry the mark.

Other points from IAM, none confirmed: a health certificate valid for 7 days, annual rabies vaccination because multi-year vaccines are not recognised, and a list of airports that accept pets that includes Tan Son Nhat at Ho Chi Minh City. Sirva says quarantine is not required for pets travelling as cargo. Read the pet moving guide for the British side.

Every rule above is therefore a statement from IAM or Sirva. They disagree on copies of documents, the work-permit weight, vehicles and pets, and Sirva contradicts itself on satellite dishes. The Sirva page was updated on 17 October 2023; the IAM guide is undated. GOV.UK's entry page tells visitors to contact the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK if they are unsure how the rules apply, and that is the best next step.

The Vietnam removals guide lists the other pages we hold.