Information for Travellers
To help entry and exit travellers take a full grasp of provisions regulating procedures, eligibility of duty free baggage allowance, etc., we would like to provide the following information for travellers to comply with regulations in competing entry and exit procedures.
Leaving Vietnam
If you are a traveller or passenger leaving one of Vietnam’s international airports, seaports or border crossing points, you do not need to fulfill any of specific Customs procedures unless you are intending to export goods that are in excess of the limits and/or are subject to inspection by competent authorities. In this respect, you must comply with prescribed regulations with regards to these categories of goods which are issued by the Government of Vietnam [Viet Nam Customs & Currency regulations summary].
Please refer to the List of goods subject to import prohibition.
1. With regards to travellers on exit:
Upon leaving Vietnam, a traveller on exit shall take the following steps of procedure:
Step 1: Present the passport, air ticket, invoice or the ticket code to the public security authority at the entrance to the international terminal area.
Step 2: Complete airport procedures, get baggage weighted, get the boarding pass, get the checked baggage receipt (the number of receipts is equivalent to the number of checked packages)… at the procedure counter of the Airline. The allowance or allowed weight of baggage shall be prescribed by the airline: for example, each passenger holding an economy-class ticket is allowed to carry 01 parcel of hand baggage not exceeding 7kg, and extra shipping charges shall be paid for the Airline for any amount exceeding the allowance.
Step 3: Take the checked baggage to the conveyor belt for scanning and inspection works conducted by Air Security and Customs authorities. Upon detection of any violation or offense, a record shall be made according to each specific case.
Step 4: Take off the baggage from the conveyor belt to the baggage screening area managed by the customs authority. Upon detection of any violation or offense, a record shall be made according to each specific case or the collection of possible tax/duty shall be applied.
Step 5: Present the passport and boarding pass and Visa/document for the onward country (if any) at the exit procedure counter of the Public Security authority in charge for examination and exit visa stamping.
Step 6: The traveller shall take the hand baggage to the scanning area managed by the Airport security authority. The authority shall prevent dangerous materials (knives, scissors, nail nippers …) from entering; the traveller shall walk through the magnetic censoring gate managed by the Airport security authority for body inspection.
Step 7: The traveller shall come in the waiting area, ready to show the boarding pass, passport or ID Card (applied to passengers of Vietnam nationality holding a household register book in Vietnam) to the Airline employees upon boarding.
2. With regards to mistaken or lost baggage:
The in-charge Airline is responsible for searching for any mistaken or lost baggage to return it to the traveller on entry/exit; receiving complaints of travellers; handling treatment and compensation (if any) for the lost, broken, damaged baggage.
Competent authorities at airports, seaports and border-gate crossing points
- Immigration security authority: Check passports, grant new Vietnam visas, stamp on visas; check time limits for temporary residence; take control measures relating to travellers’ bodies (not including baggage and imported goods).
At seaports and border crossing points, the Border Guard authority shall conduct the similar works as prescribed for the Immigration security authority at airports. - Customs authority: Check baggage of travellers on exit or entry to prevent possible smuggling activities, illegal transport of foreign currencies, Vietnam money, gold, precious metals, gem stones and commodities across the border as categories of goods prohibited from export/import; check licenses/permits of goods subject to import/export restrictions; pay VAT refunds applied to baggage of travellers on exit and collect export/import tax/duty (if any) applied to baggage of travellers on entry/exit.
- Airport security authority: Check bodies and baggage of travellers on exit to ensure safety, aviation security and airport security (ensuring the exclusion of weapons, explosives, chemicals or other goods and items that may do harm to the flight safety).
For dangerous items (all types of knives, including the type used for hunting and other types of knives, swords of various kinds, clubs, sticks or similar objects, any tools or widgets that are not normally considered dangerous but may become dangerous, depending on the purpose of use, as stone grips, razors, scissors, hammers, pliers, nail nippers…), the shipping is only allowed in the form of checked baggage (subject to the acceptance of the airlines).
(Source: General Department of Viet Nam Customs)