Who can purchase duty-free goods in Vietnam?
Under current Vietnamese regulations, from February 15, 2017, persons on exit or in transit after completing the exit or transit procedures, passengers onboard international flights departing from Vietnam and persons awaiting exit may purchase duty-free goods.
Persons on exit or in transit through international land border gates, international railway stations, grade-1 seaports and international civil airports may purchase duty-free goods at duty-free shops in isolation areas while passengers onboard international flights departing from Vietnam may purchase in-flight duty-free goods.
In addition, persons awaiting exit may purchase duty-free goods at inland duty-free shops and receive purchased goods at goods receipt counters in isolation areas of international border gates where they depart.
Foreign tourists travelling in groups by sea who hold passports, laissez-passers or shore passes of passengers on exit or entry but have no entry visa or exit or entry declaration may purchase duty-free goods at grade-1 seaports or inland duty-free shops. They can receive purchased goods at gates of departure after completing the exit procedures.
Vietnamese law also allows passengers taking international flights to Vietnam to purchase in-flight duty-free goods onboard aircraft.
Meanwhile, those who are on entry may, after completing the entry procedures, purchase duty-free goods at duty-free shops in restricted areas of international civil airports. However, they may not do so after leaving restricted areas of international civil airports.
Persons entitled to privileges and immunities in Vietnam may also purchase duty-free goods at inland duty-free shops. They will have to produce their duty–free goods quota books if wishing to purchase duty-free goods for their organizations. Individual purchasers are required to produce their duty free goods quota books together with their identity cards issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or their passports.
Crewmembers working aboard international seagoing ships (including ships flying foreign state flags and ships flying the Vietnamese flag operating on international routes) may purchase duty-free goods at grade-1 seaports and inland duty-free shops for personal use or common daily needs of crewmembers during the time their ships call or anchor at Vietnamese seaports or for use outside Vietnam’s territorial waters after their ships depart.
For duty-free goods purchased for personal use, crewmembers are required to produce their passports or shore passes.
For purchase of duty-free goods for common daily needs of crewmembers during the time their ship calls or anchors at a Vietnamese seaport, the shipmaster or ship representative is required to place a goods order specifying the ship number and date of entry, which must be enclosed with a list of crewmembers and their passport numbers.
For purchase of duty-free goods for use by crewmembers in the next voyage outside Vietnam’s territorial waters, the shipmaster or ship representative is required to place a goods order, which must specify the ship number and date of entry, enclosed with a list of crewmembers and their passport numbers. Purchased duty-free goods must be brought into the ship’s storage for sealing, certification and supervision by the customs office until the ship departs.
 |
| A duty-free shop of Northern Airport Services Company (NASCO)__Photo: https://noibaiairport.vn |
What are limit quantities of duty-free goods which the above-mentioned subjects can purchase?
Vietnamese law allows persons on exit or in transit, passengers onboard international flights from Vietnam or persons awaiting exit to purchase duty-free goods in unlimited quantities and of unlimited value. However, they have to deal with the import procedures and quotas of such goods when bringing them into countries of entry.
For duty-free goods to be purchased for personal use or common daily needs of crewmembers onboard international seagoing ships, each crewmember may purchase 1.5 liters of liquor of 20 percent or higher alcohol volume, 2 liters of liquor of under 20 percent alcohol volume, or 3 liters of alcoholic beverage or beer during each time their ship calls or anchors at a Vietnam seaport.
A bottle, jar, pot or can containing no more than 1 liter of liquor which is in excess of the above duty-free quota may be free from duty. For a bottle containing more than 1 liter of liquor which is in excess of the above duty-free quota, the excessive quantity will be dutied in accordance with law. The crewmember may also purchase 200 cigarettes or 250 grams of shredded tobacco or 20 cigars.- (VLLF)
