Are goods prohibited to import in Vietnam permissible to be transitted in Vietnam?

Are goods prohibited to import in Vietnam permissible to be transitted in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 44 of the Law on Foreign Trade Management in 2017 stipulating permission for transit of products in Vietnam as follows:

1. The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall take charge and cooperate with the Ministry of Public Security and Ministry of National Defense in requesting the Prime Minister to consider giving permission for the transit of products that are weapons, explosive materials, explosive pre-substances and support tools.

2. The Minister of Industry and Trade shall issue the license for transit of products that are included in the list of prohibited or suspended exports and imports or products prohibited from trading in accordance with regulations of law.

3. Products that are not mentioned in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Article may be transited through the territory of Vietnam and only be gone through customs procedures at the first import border checkpoint and the last export border checkpoint in accordance with regulations of law on customs.

4. The Government shall provide detailed regulations on procedures for the issuance of license for transit of products prescribed in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Clause.

As regulations above, products, that are included in the list of prohibited or suspended exports and imports, are still permissible to be transitted in Vietnam if licensed by the Minister of Industry and Trade.

What are principles for the management of transit of products in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 45 of the Law on Foreign Trade Management in 2017 stipulating principles for the management of transit of products in Vietnam as follows: 

1. Exports that are transited shall be the entire imports.

2. Foreign organizations or individuals that use the transit service, transit products themselves or hire foreign traders to transit the products through the territory of Vietnam shall comply with regulations of law on commerce and international treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a signatory and regulations of Vietnam law on exit, entry and transport.

3. The transit of products by air shall comply with regulations of international treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a signatory;

4. Products that are transited through the territory of Vietnam shall be subject to the supervision of the customs authority during the period of transit, entry and exit through prescribed border checkpoints.

5. The domestic consumption of products in transit shall comply with regulations of law on the management of imports prescribed in this law and other relevant regulations of law.

Best regards!