Documentation and procedures for automobile import for Vietnamese citizens

Documentation and procedures for automobile import for Vietnamese citizens (Internet image)

1. Subjects of application of procedures in Vietnam

According to the provisions of Clause 1 and Clause 2, Article 2 of Circular 20/2014/TT-BTC, subjects applying the procedures stated in the article below include:

- Overseas Vietnamese citizens who hold a valid foreign passport or foreign passport substitute and have been permitted to register permanent residence in Vietnam in accordance with current Vietnamese laws.

- Overseas Vietnamese citizens who hold a Vietnamese passport and permanent residence paper granted by a foreign country and have been permitted to register permanent residence in Vietnam in accordance with current Vietnamese laws.

2. Conditions on import of automobiles in Vietnam

According to Article 3 of Circular 20/2014/TT-BTC, conditions on import of automobiles as personal effects are as follows:

- Imported automobiles must have been registered for circulation for at least 6 months in the country where the overseas Vietnamese citizen resides or works, and have run a distance of at least 10,000 km by the time of arrival at a Vietnamese port.

- Imported automobiles must satisfy the requirements set in the Government’s Decree 187/2013/ND-CP of November 20, 2013, detailing the Commercial Law regarding international goods purchase and sale and goods purchase and sale agency, processing and transit with foreign countries, and in the Ministry of Transport’s Circular 31/2011/TT- BGTVT of April 15, 2011, prescribing the inspection of quality, technical safety and environmental protection of imported motor vehicles.

3. Application for grant of automobile import permits in Vietnam

According to the provisions of Circular 20/2014/TT-BTC, the application for grant of automobile import permits as personal effects in Vietnam includes:

- Written request for automobile or motorcycle import (with the certification of the permanent residence address by the commune, ward or township police), clearly indicating the vehicle’s mark, model, year of manufacture, country of manufacture, paint color, frame number, engine number, cylinder capacity, state and distance traveled (number of kilometers): 1 original;

- Valid foreign passport (affixed with the immigration certification mark of the immigration office at the border gate, or enclosed with a loose-leaf visa affixed with the immigration certification mark of the immigration office at the border gate, for passports with loose-leaf visas) or foreign passport substitute (affixed with the immigration certification mark of the immigration office at the border gate): 1 certified Vietnamese translation, enclosed with the original for comparison (for subjects prescribed in Clause 1, Article 2 of Circular 20/2014/TT-BTC);

- Permanent residence book granted by the police, in which the section “Previous permanent residence” indicates the overseas permanent residence address (transcribed in Vietnamese): 1 notarized copy enclosed with the original for comparison;

- Automobile or motorcycle circulation registration paper or circulation deregistration paper granted by a competent agency of the country where the Vietnamese citizen resides or works: 1 certified Vietnamese translation enclosed with the original for comparison;

- Bill of lading or another shipping document of equivalent validity: 1 original and 1 copy (except for import via land border gate).

4. Procedures for grant of automobile import permits in Vietnam

Step 1: The applicant submit dossier of application for an import permit

- To the customs department of the province or city where the applicant register their permanent residence.

- For repatriated overseas Vietnamese citizens who have permanent residence addresses in a province or city without a provincial-level Customs Department, they shall send to the Customs Department of the nearest province or city an application for an automobile or motorcycle import permit as prescribed;

Step 2: Customs Departments receives dossiers of application for automobile or motorcycle import permits

- To receive and examine permit application dossiers of repatriated overseas Vietnamese citizens. If seeing that the dossier is complete, to make a receipt and hand it to the applicant. If seeing that the dossier is incomplete or invalid, to guide the applicant to complete the dossier as prescribed;

- For received dossiers, to check documents and verify the permanent residence registrations of repatriated overseas Vietnamese citizens at their places of permanent residence (if necessary). For eligible cases, to grant automobile or motorcycle import permits according to regulations. For ineligible cases, to refuse to grant permits, clearly stating the reason, and at the same time notify the customs offices of the border gates of importation for supervision and handling as prescribed;

Step 3: Processing documents:

- Within 7 working days after receiving a complete dossier, to grant an automobile or motorcycle import permit. When verification is needed, this time limit is 15 working days counting from the date of receipt of the dossier.

The import permit is valid for 30 days from the date of grant;

- For every automobile or motorcycle, to grant one permit dossier in three sets (made according to form GP/2014/NK OTO.MOTO-VKHH promulgated together with this Circular). A permit must show the full name and address of the vehicle importer, the vehicle’s mark, model, year or manufacture, country of manufacture, paint color, frame number, engine number, cylinder capacity, and state. A stamp shall be affixed on the top of the original bill of lading, except the case of import of automobiles and motorcycles via international land border gate). To hand two permits to the applicant for carrying out the vehicle import procedures.

- To update information (including also cases of grant and cases of refusal of grant) in the information management system of the General Department of Customs about imported automobiles and motorcycles of repatriated overseas Vietnamese citizens.

5. Procedures for automobile import

Step 1: The applicant submit dossier of import 

- Automobile or motorcycle import permit: 2 originals;

- Bill of lading: 1 original (bearing a stamp of the provincial-level Customs Department that has granted the automobile or motorcycle permit);

- The non-commercial import/export customs declaration (HQ/2011-PMD): 2 originals;

- Paper on registration for inspection of quality, technical safety and environmental protection of imported motor vehicles (for automobiles): 1 notarized copy enclosed with the original for comparison;

- Paper on registration for inspection of quality of imported motorcycles (for motorcycles): 1 notarized copy enclosed with the original for comparison.

Step 2: Import procedures:

The import procedures for automobiles shall be carried out at border-gate Customs Branches (to which automobiles are shipped) under current regulations applicable to used automobiles. For Vietnamese citizens residing in countries bordering on Vietnam and permitted to repatriate and bring along their automobiles via land border gates, they may carry out import procedures at international land border gates;

Note: According to the provisions of Clause 1, Article 3, Circular 06/2019/TT-BCT  on border checkpoints for import: "Motor vehicles for the transport of fewer than 16 people shall be only imported to Vietnam through the following border checkpoints of port:  Quang Ninh (Cai Lan), Hai Phong, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Ba Ria – Vung Tau.”

The import procedures for automobiles and motorcycles imported as personal effects must comply with current regulations on non-commercial imports and relevant guiding documents.

Lan Anh

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