Amendments to some regulations on land border checkpoints in Vietnam

Amendments to some regulations on land border checkpoints in Vietnam (Internet image)

Decree 34/2023/ND-CP dated June 16, 2023 amends Decree 112/2014/ND-CP on land border checkpoint management.

New regulations on land border checkpoint in Vietnam

- Land border checkpoint (hereinafter referred to as “border checkpoint or checkpoint”) means a place where exit, entry, import, export and movements across the national land border take place.  A border checkpoint may include one or various types of operational characteristics. Border checkpoints include land border checkpoints, railway border checkpoints and inland waterway border checkpoints

(While according to  Decree 112/2014/ND-CP, it is stipulated that land border gate (below referred to as border gate for short) means a place where exit, entry, transit, import, export and movements across the national land border take place. Border gates include land border gates, railway border gates and inland waterway border gates.).

-  Inland waterway border checkpoint (waterway checkpoint) means a mainland border checkpoint opened on a waterway running through the national land border

(While according to  Decree 112/2014/ND-CP, it is stipulated that iInland waterway border gate means a mainland border gate opened on a waterway running through the national land border.).

- Adding the concept of border checkpoint planning 

Border checkpoint planning means identification of the development orientation of the border checkpoint system on each land border between Vietnam - China, Vietnam - Laos, and Vietnam – Cambodia

Types of land border checkpoints in Vietnam

According to Decree 34/2023/ND-CP, types of land border checkpoints; border crossings; customs clearance crossings, specialized roads for transport of goods of international border checkpoints, main border checkpoints (bilateral border checkpoints) are prescribed as follows:

Types of land border checkpoints

- International border checkpoints which are opened for the entry and exit of Vietnamese and foreign people and vehicles; export and import of goods and articles.

- Main border checkpoints (bilateral border checkpoints) which are opened for the entry and exit of people and vehicles of Vietnam and neighboring countries; import and export of goods and articles.

- Secondary border checkpoints (local checkpoints) which are opened for the entry and exit of people and vehicles of Vietnam and neighboring countries in bordering provinces where there are border checkpoints; import and export of goods and articles.

2. Border crossings (crossings for travel to and from border markets of either or two sides; border customs clearance places for goods; temporary crossings) which are opened for border inhabitants of two sides and their vehicles, goods and articles, and traders’ vehicles and goods to travel according to regulations in Decree 14/2018/ND-CP; or opened in force majeure cases or at the special request of two sides.

3. Customs clearance crossings, specialized roads for transport of goods of international border checkpoints, main border checkpoints (bilateral border checkpoints) which are opened for the import and export of goods and articles or other cases of cross-border movements under agreements between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and neighboring countries sharing the border checkpoints

4. Types of land border checkpoints; border crossings; customs clearance crossings, specialized roads for transport of goods, and people and vehicles on entry and exit, goods and articles that are imported and exported across each type of land border checkpoint; each border crossing; each customs clearance crossing, and each specialized road for transport of goods specified in Clauses 1, 2 and 3 of Article 4 of Decree 112/2014/ND-CP on each land border between Vietnam - China, Vietnam - Laos, Vietnam - Cambodia under regulations of treaties and agreements between Vietnam and neighboring countries.

While according to  Decree 112/2014/ND-CP:

More details can be found in Decree 34/2023/ND-CP, effective from July 31, 2023.

Duong Chau Thanh

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