Customs formalities for vehicle in Vietnam

Customs formalities for vehicle in Vietnam (Internet image)

Regarding this issue, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

1. Customs formalities for vehicle in Vietnam

Customs formalities for vehicle according to Article 69 of the Law on Customs 2014 are as follows:

- When carrying out customs formalities for vehicle, owners and drivers of vehicle or persons authorized by owners of vehicle shall make customs declaration; submit or produce bills of lading for carrying out customs formalities; supply information and documents related to goods and items on vehicle.

Where relevant documents have satisfied requirements of the customs inspection, owners and drivers of vehicle or persons authorized by owners of vehicle are not required to fill in the customs declarations, except for baggage, imported or exported goods of people on exit or entry aboard their vehicle.

- Time limits for declaration and submission of customs declarations and relevant documents are prescribed as follows:

+ For vehicle in transit, immediately after their arrival at the first entry border checkpoint and before they go through the last border checkpoint for exit;

+ For seagoing vehicle on entry, within 2 hours after the port authorities announce that these vehicle have arrived at the places for pilot embarkation; for seagoing vehicle on exit, within 1 hour before they exit;

+ For air vehicle on exit or entry, immediately after their arrival at the border checkpoint and before carriers stop carrying out formalities for receiving exported goods and passengers on exit;

+ For railway, land and river way vehicle on exit or entry, immediately after their arrival at the first entry border checkpoint and before they go through the last border checkpoint for exit.

- Military vehicles and other vehicle used for national defense and security purposes must go through customs formalities and be subject to customs inspection and supervision.

2. Time limit for customs authorities to carry out customs formalities in Vietnam

Time limit for customs authorities to carry out customs formalities according to Article 23 of the Law on Customs 2014 is as follows:

- Customs authorities shall receive, register and verify customs documents right after customs declarants submit such dossiers in accordance with this Law.

- After customs declarants satisfy all requirements for carrying out customs formalities prescribed at Points a and b, Clause 1, Article 21 of the Law on Customs 2014, the time limit for customs officials to complete the verify dossiers and conduct physical inspection of goods and vehicle following the procedure below:

+ Complete the verification of dossiers within 2 working hours after customs authorities receive complete customs documents;

+ Complete the physical inspection of goods within 8 working hours after customs declarants fully produce goods to customs authorities.

For goods subject to specialized inspection of quality, health, culture, animal quarantine, plant quarantine or food safety in accordance with corresponding regulations of law, the time limit for completion of physical inspection of goods shall be determined from the day on which specialized inspection results are given as prescribed.

For lots of goods in large quantities and of many types or in case the inspection is complicated, heads of customs authorities where customs formalities are carried out shall decide to defer the time limit for physical inspection of goods for within 2 days;

+ The inspection of vehicle must ensure the timely loading and unloading of imported and exported goods, exit and entry of passengers and customs inspection and supervision in accordance with the Law on Customs 2014.

- The customs clearance must comply with Article 37 of the Law on Customs 2014.

- Customs authorities shall carry out customs formalities for goods on public holidays and weekends and overtime hours in order to ensure timely loading and unloading of imported and exported goods, exit and entry of passengers and vehicle or at the request of customs declarants and in conformity with practical conditions of customs operating locations.

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