Is it permissible to use foreign money to buy goods at duty-free shops in Vietnam?
Is it permissible to use foreign money to buy goods at duty-free shops in Vietnam? Is there any limit on buying duty-free goods while waiting for exit at airports in Vietnam?
Hello Lawnet. I had a friend in the US traveling to Vietnam. He noticed some duty-free goods at the airport. However, the amount of Vietnamese money he brought was not much, so could he use USD to buy them? Is there any limit on the number of purchases at duty-free shops while waiting for exit at airports? Thank you!
Is it permissible to use foreign money to buy goods at duty-free shops in Vietnam?
Pursuant to Article 7 of the Decree 100/2020/ND-CP stipulating currencies used in duty-free sales transactions in Vietnam as follows:
1. Vietnam Dong.
2. United States Dollar (USD), Euro (EUR).
3. Currency of the country sharing land border with the place where a duty-free shop is located in a border area.
4. Currency of the country where an international flight of an airline established and operating under Vietnamese law enters or transits through.
Above are currencies that are allowed to be used in duty-free sales transactions in Vietnam. You friend can use USD to buy duty-free goods at the airports.
Is there any limit on buying duty-free goods while waiting for exit at airports in Vietnam?
Pursuant to Article 8 of the Decree 100/2020/ND-CP stipulating duty-free allowances in Vietnam as follows:
1. Persons exiting/transiting through Vietnam, passengers on international flights departing from Vietnam or persons waiting to exit Vietnam provided for in Clause 1 Article 3 herein may buy duty-free goods without any restriction in terms of quantity and value but they shall take responsibility for procedures and allowance imposed by the arriving country.
2. Duty-free allowances for passengers on international flights to Vietnam and persons entering Vietnam provided for in Clause 2 and Clause 3 Article 3 herein are stipulated in Clause 1 and Clause 2 Article 6 of the Government’s Decree No. 134/2016/ND-CP dated September 01, 2016 on Guidelines for Law on Export and Import Duties.
3. Duty-free allowances for entities provided for in Clause 4 Article 3 herein are stipulated in Article 5 of the Government’s Decree No. 134/2016/ND-CP dated September 01, 2016 on Guidelines for Law on Export and Import Duties.
4. For persons provided for in Points a and b Clause 5 Article 3 herein, who may buy duty-free goods for personal use and for daily living of the crew of a vessel sailing international route while it is at anchor in a Vietnamese seaport, allowance for each crew member each time the vessel is at anchor in a Vietnamese seaport:
a) 1,5 liter of alcohol whose alcohol content is at least 20 degrees; or 2,0 liter of alcohol whose alcohol content is under 20 degrees; or 3,0 liter of alcoholic beverages and beer.
For alcohol contained in a bottle, jar or can (hereinafter referred to as "bottle”) whose capacity is higher than the permitted allowance but less than 01 liter, the whole bottle may be exempt from duty. If the bottle’s capacity is more than 01 liter, the contents in excess of the permitted allowance shall be liable to duty as per the law;
b) 200 cigarettes or 250 gram of shredded tobacco or 20 cigars.
5. Persons provided for in Point c Clause 5 Article 3 herein may buy duty-free goods without any restriction in terms of quantity and value for use on a vessel operating outside of Vietnam’s territorial waters after it exits Vietnam.
As regulations above, your friend who is waiting for exit at the airport of Vietnam are entitled to purchase duty-free goods with unlimited quantity and value. However, he must be responsible for the procedure and quantity to import them into the country of entry.
Best regards!
