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Shipping boxes to and from Vietnam

Vietnam is easy to reach by express, but its rules surprise people. Since February 18, 2025, express boxes pay VAT from the first dong, though import duty is still waived up to VND 1,000,000 (about $39). Gifts worth up to VND 2,000,000 (about $77) are free of both, up to 4 times a year. Used clothes, electronics, and household goods are on the import ban list, so they need to travel as relocated assets or as your own baggage.

Typical transit
4-7 business days from Europe or North America; 2-5 from elsewhere in Asia
Currency
VND
Duty-free up to
Express and postal shipments worth VND 1,000,000 (about $39) or less, or with import duty of VND 100,000 (about $4) or less, pay no import duty
Receiver ID
Personal identification number (số định danh cá nhân) from the citizen ID card, or passport number for foreigners

Price a shipment to Vietnam

Box size

Choose where it's from and where it's going.

What it costs to ship boxes from the US to Vietnam

  • 1 medium box (16 × 16 × 16 in, 20 lb)$186.08delivered in 4 to 7 business days
  • 5 medium boxes (30 lb each)$930.38 totalabout $186.08 a box

Includes pickup at your door, express delivery, fuel and prepared customs paperwork. Import duties and taxes, if any, are set by Vietnam and paid by the receiver. Prices updated November 2, 2026.

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Sending to Vietnam

Duties and taxes12378910

Duty-free threshold
Express and postal shipments worth VND 1,000,000 (about $39) or less, or with import duty of VND 100,000 (about $4) or less, pay no import duty. Above that, duty is due on the whole shipment. VAT has applied to express imports from the first dong since February 18, 2025, when the old rule that waived both taxes up to VND 1,000,000 ended. Gifts from someone abroad to a person living in Vietnam are free of duty and VAT if worth VND 2,000,000 (about $77) or less, or if the total tax would be under VND 200,000 (about $8), up to 4 times a year.
Import tax
VAT (thuế giá trị gia tăng) at 10%, cut to 8% for most goods from July 1, 2025 through December 31, 2026. The cut doesn't cover alcohol, beer, tobacco, and other special-consumption-tax goods, or telecoms, metal, and mining products. Some goods are taxed at 5%. VAT is charged on the customs value plus any import duty. Duty rates depend on the item's tariff code.
How value is worked out
CIF. The customs value of an import is the price actually paid for the goods delivered to the first port of entry in Vietnam, so freight and insurance to Vietnam count. VAT is then charged on the customs value plus any import duty and special consumption tax; when duty is waived, VAT is charged on the customs value alone. Exports are valued FOB, at the price at the Vietnamese border. You declare the value yourself and must be able to back it up, and customs can question it. Give each used item a fair second-hand value. Customs converts foreign-currency values at an exchange rate it publishes each week: VND 25,825 per US dollar for the week from September 21, 2026, the rate used for dollar figures in this guide.
Who pays
Shipments are sent DAP. The receiver pays any duties and taxes before or on delivery. The courier may add a clearance or disbursement fee.
Moving there?
Relocated assets (tài sản di chuyển) are free of duty and VAT for foreigners and overseas Vietnamese coming to work in Vietnam for 12 months or more, Vietnamese citizens coming home after 12 months or more of work or other activity abroad, and overseas Vietnamese who have registered permanent residence in Vietnam, for their first shipment. The rules set the duty-free allowance at one piece or one set per person for household and work items, used or new, so ask customs how it applies to your list. Cars and motorcycles are excluded. You'll need a certified copy of your work permit, proof your work abroad has ended, or your passport with entry stamp and residence papers.

Worked example

Illustrative: a gift box of new clothes with a customs value of VND 5,000,000 (about $194), shipping to Vietnam included. Assumes the receiver has already used this year's four gift exemptions, a 20% import duty rate, and the reduced 8% VAT rate that runs through December 31, 2026.

Import duty: VND 5,000,000 x 20% = VND 1,000,000 (the value is over VND 1,000,000, so duty applies to the whole box). VAT: (VND 5,000,000 + VND 1,000,000) x 8% = VND 480,000. Total VND 1,480,000.

About VND 1,480,000 (about $57), plus any courier fee. A box worth VND 1,000,000 or less would owe no duty, only VAT (at most VND 80,000 at 8%, about $3), and a gift within the allowance would owe nothing.

How customs clearance works in Vietnam1236

Express couriers declare every shipment to Vietnam Customs electronically. Low-value shipments go on a simplified low-value declaration, and since August 1, 2025 customs has processed these on its system for all express companies so that VAT can be collected. The courier pays duty and VAT and passes them on to the receiver. Gifts claiming the allowance and relocated assets are declared with their supporting documents.

Formal entry
Above VND 1,000,000 (about $39), import duty applies to the whole shipment. Relocated assets, gifts claiming the allowance, and goods that need a license or specialized inspection go on a standard customs declaration with supporting papers. A household move may need a customs broker.
How long it takes
Often 1-3 business days after arrival when the paperwork is complete. Relocated assets, gift checks, medicines, food, and anything held for inspection take longer.
Inspections
Customs selects shipments for X-ray or physical checks based on risk, and it physically inspects baggage shipped before or after a trip. Used goods, anything that looks commercial, medicines, food, and printed matter are common reasons for a closer look.
If duties go unpaid
If the receiver doesn't pay or respond, the courier holds the shipment and may charge storage, then return it or leave it with customs as unclaimed goods. Belongings shipped as baggage around your trip must be cleared within 30 days of their arrival at the border.

Moving to Vietnam: claiming duty relief1610

  1. 01

    Check you qualify

    Foreigners and overseas Vietnamese coming to work in Vietnam for 12 months or more, Vietnamese citizens returning after 12 months or more of work or other activity abroad, or overseas Vietnamese who have registered permanent residence (first shipment only).

  2. 02

    Gather your proof

    Foreigners: a certified copy of the work permit or equivalent, or an employer letter. Returning Vietnamese: proof your work or activity abroad has ended. Overseas Vietnamese with permanent residence: passport with entry stamp and a copy of the citizen ID card or residence papers.

  3. 03

    List everything

    The allowance is one piece or one set per person of household and work items, used or new, free of duty and VAT. Anything beyond it is taxed, and cars and motorcycles are excluded. Ask customs how your list will be counted.

  4. 04

    Declare the shipment

    File the customs declaration (electronic, or 2 originals of the paper form) with the transport document and your proof, and ask for the exemption. A customs broker can file for you.

  5. 05

    Not eligible? Ship as baggage

    If you're flying in yourself, ship personal belongings as baggage in your name, fill in the passenger customs declaration on arrival and have customs confirm it, then clear the boxes within 30 days of their arrival.

Documents to have ready1611

  • Itemized packing list with a fair value for each item, marked as gift, relocated assets, or unaccompanied baggage
  • Receiver's full name, Vietnamese mobile number, and ID number (citizen ID card, or passport for foreigners)
  • For gifts: the giver's and receiver's names and addresses, declared accurately on the customs declaration
  • For relocated assets: the customs declaration, a work permit or employer letter (foreigners) or proof your work abroad has ended or that you've returned to live in Vietnam (Vietnamese), and the transport document
  • For belongings shipped before or after your own trip: your passport with entry stamp and your arrival customs declaration confirmed by customs
  • For medicines: a copy of the prescription

Personal identification number (số định danh cá nhân) from the citizen ID card, or passport number for foreigners: Have the receiver's ID number ready before you ship. Customs applies the gift allowance per receiver (4 times a year), and the relocation exemption needs a copy of the receiver's citizen ID card or residence papers, or a passport and work permit for foreigners. The courier may also ask for it on the customs declaration. We ask for it during booking.

Onvoyo prepares the commercial invoice from your contents list. You print three copies, sign them, and send them with your boxes.

Official forms13611

What you can pack, category by category1591112

What you can pack, by category
CategoryStatusWhat to know
Clothing and shoesMore on clothesConditionsNew clothes are fine as gifts. Used clothing, shoes, and textiles are on the import ban list, so send them only as relocated assets or as your own baggage around your trip.
Books and papersMore on booksConditionsPersonal books are fine. Publications banned from circulation in Vietnam are prohibited.
ElectronicsMore on electronicsConditionsNew devices can go as gifts within the limits. Used electronics and used IT products such as phones and laptops are on the import ban list; relocated assets and travelers' own baggage follow separate rules. Batteries must be installed.
MedicationMore on medicineConditionsNo license needed for your own treatment shipped as baggage, up to 30 days' supply or USD 200 per shipment, 3 times a year. Narcotics 7 days, psychotropics 10 days. Include the prescription.
FoodMore on foodConditionsSend only sealed, commercially packaged, shelf-stable food. Travelers can't bring fresh or semi-processed animal products, couriers refuse perishables, and other animal products go through quarantine.
Cosmetics and toiletriesMore on cosmeticsConditionsNew, sealed items in personal amounts can go as gifts. No aerosols or nail polish.
Alcohol and tobaccoMore on alcohol or tobaccoNot allowedCouriers generally refuse them, and as special-consumption-tax goods they can't use the gift exemption. Traveler allowances don't apply to shipments.
Sports and outdoor gearMore on sports and outdoor gearConditionsClean off soil and plant matter. Used bicycles are on the import ban list. No fuel canisters or aerosols.
Children's items and toysMore on toys and baby gearConditionsNew toys are fine as gifts. Used toys may be treated as used consumer goods, which are on the ban list, so avoid them. Remove loose batteries.
Documents and photosMore on documents and photosAllowedPersonal papers and photos are fine.
OtherConditionsUsed interior decoration items and household ware are on the ban list. Plants and seeds may be held for quarantine. Fireworks and sky lanterns are banned.

Quantity limits1346101112

Quantity limits for Vietnam
ItemLimit
Express shipmentsNo import duty if the customs value is VND 1,000,000 (about $39) or less, or the duty is VND 100,000 (about $4) or less. VAT is due from the first dong.
GiftsFree of duty and VAT up to VND 2,000,000 (about $77), or above that if total tax is under VND 200,000 (about $8), up to 4 times a year. Not for alcohol, beer, tobacco, or banned goods.
Relocated assetsOne piece or one set per person of household and work items, used or new, free of duty and VAT for eligible movers. Cars and motorcycles excluded.
MedicinesNo license needed for your own treatment shipped as baggage: up to 30 days' supply, or non-controlled medicines up to USD 200 per shipment, 3 times a year. Narcotics 7 days, psychotropics 10 days.
Medicine gifts for serious illnessMedicines and medical devices for a person with a listed serious illness: up to VND 10,000,000 (about $390) per gift, 4 times a year, duty-free.
Alcohol (travelers only)1.5 liters of spirits of 20% or more, or 2 liters under 20%, or 3 liters of beer, per adult traveler per entry. Does not apply to shipments.
Tobacco (travelers only)200 cigarettes, or 250 g of tobacco, or 20 cigars, per adult traveler per entry. Does not apply to shipments.
Traveler baggagePersonal belongings suited to the trip, plus other items that aren't banned or restricted up to VND 10,000,000 (about $390) per entry. Covers baggage sent before or after the trip if customs confirmed your arrival declaration.
Animal-product food (travelers only)Up to 5 kg of processed animal-product food for personal use, after a border quarantine check. No fresh or semi-processed animal products.

What you can't send to Vietnam15691112

Not allowed

  • Aerosols, spray cans, and compressed gas cylinders
  • Flammable liquids and solids: fuel, lighter fluid, paint, nail polish, matches
  • Loose or spare lithium batteries and power banks not installed in a device
  • Cash, gift cards, checks, and other negotiable items
  • Firearms, ammunition, replicas, and weapon parts
  • Perishable food, and meat, dairy, or fresh produce
  • Cannabis, CBD, and THC products, even where they are legal at origin
  • Used consumer goods on the import ban list: clothing, shoes, and textiles, electronics, refrigeration and household electrical appliances, interior decoration items, household ware made of ceramic, glass, metal, plastic, rubber, or other materials, bicycles, and motorcycles (relocated assets and travelers' own baggage follow separate rules)
  • Used IT products and used medical equipment
  • Explosives and military technical equipment
  • Fireworks of all kinds, sky lanterns, and devices that jam traffic speed cameras
  • Publications and other cultural products banned from circulation in Vietnam, and banned postage stamps
  • Radio equipment that doesn't meet Vietnam's frequency rules
  • Specimens and products of white and black rhinos and African elephants, such as horn and ivory, and CITES Appendix I wild specimens imported for commercial purposes
  • Pesticides banned in Vietnam, banned chemicals, and products containing amphibole asbestos

Allowed with conditions

Used clothing, shoes, electronics, appliances, and household ware
On Vietnam's import ban list as used consumer goods, and customs strictly prohibits gifts that are on the ban list. Relocated assets follow their own rules, which customs says are set from time to time, and travelers' personal belongings fall under the traveler allowance. Check with customs before shipping anything used.
Gifts
Free of duty and VAT up to VND 2,000,000 (about $77), or if the total tax is under VND 200,000 (about $8), up to 4 times a year. Alcohol, beer, tobacco, other special-consumption-tax goods, and banned or suspended goods don't qualify.
Belongings shipped before or after your own trip
Can use your traveler allowance if you fill in the passenger customs declaration when you arrive, have customs confirm it, and clear the boxes within 30 days of their arrival at the border. Customs inspects them. Without the confirmed declaration, the allowance doesn't apply.
Medicines
No import license is needed for medicine for your own treatment that you carry or ship as your baggage, within these limits: up to 30 days' supply per the prescription, or non-controlled medicines worth up to USD 200 (about VND 5.2 million) per shipment, 3 times a year. Narcotic medicines are limited to 7 days and psychotropics to 10 days. Anything else needs a license from the provincial People's Committee, with a copy of the prescription.
Meat, dairy, and other animal products
Fresh or semi-processed animal products can't be carried in. Travelers may bring up to 5 kg of processed animal-product food for personal use after a border quarantine check. Other imports of animal products need quarantine registration with the animal health authority.
Plants, seeds, bulbs, and soil
May be held for plant quarantine checks. Leave them out of personal boxes.

Sending from Vietnam

Shipping boxes out of Vietnam1713

Sending your own belongings out of Vietnam is straightforward for everyday items. The courier files the export declaration from your packing list, and export value is the price at the Vietnamese border, without international freight and insurance. Antiques and national treasures are tightly controlled: the heritage law only provides for taking them abroad temporarily.

Documents

  • Itemized packing list with a fair value for each item
  • Sender's passport or ID card
  • If you're moving out: the customs declaration and proof your work in Vietnam has ended (foreigners) or proof of work or residence abroad (Vietnamese)
  • A decision from the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism for any antique taken abroad temporarily

Can't leave the country

  • Antiques (cổ vật, 100 years old or more) and national treasures can only be taken abroad temporarily, for exhibition, research, or conservation, with a decision from the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism (antiques) or the Prime Minister (national treasures)
  • Privately owned antiques and national treasures can be sold, gifted, or inherited only within Vietnam, and taking them abroad illegally is prohibited
  • Products from protected wildlife may need CITES or other permits
  • Couriers will not carry cash or negotiable items

Before pickup

  • Keep receipts for lacquerware, ceramics, and art, especially anything that looks old.
  • Check the destination's rules before packing coffee, dried food, or herbal medicine.
  • Book pickups well before Tet, when couriers and customs slow down.
  • Describe contents clearly. Vague lists slow checks.

Addresses, delivery and timing

Writing the address

Write the house number and street, then the ward or commune, then the city or province. Many addresses changed in 2025, when provinces were merged and the district level was removed, so ask the receiver for their current address. Include a Vietnamese mobile number.

Nguyen Van Example12 Example StreetExample WardHo Chi Minh CityVietnamMobile: +84 90 000 0000

Example only; not a real address.

Delivery coverage

Fastest to: Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Can Tho, Hue, Nha Trang.

Remote areas: Mountainous northern provinces, the Central Highlands, rural parts of the Mekong Delta, and islands such as Phu Quoc and Con Dao may take longer and carry surcharges.

Big cities get the fastest service. Express imports clear customs at the courier's hub before domestic delivery. Give a Vietnamese mobile number so the courier can arrange payment and delivery.

When things slow down

Tet (Lunar New Year, in January or February) slows or stops customs and couriers, with heavy backlogs before and after. Reunification Day and Labor Day (April 30 and May 1) and National Day (September 2) also cause short delays, as do year-end online sales peaks.

Advice for your situation

Students

Relocated-assets relief for foreigners covers people coming to work, not study. If you're flying in, ship your own clothes and personal things as baggage, have customs confirm your arrival declaration, and clear the boxes within 30 days. Vietnamese students coming home after 12 months or more abroad may qualify as returning citizens; check with customs first.

Returning home

Vietnamese citizens coming home after 12 months or more of work or other activity abroad can bring household and work items as relocated assets, with one piece or one set per person free of duty and VAT. Bring proof your work abroad has ended. Overseas Vietnamese who register permanent residence get the same relief for their first shipment.

Expats and relocations

Foreigners coming to work in Vietnam for 12 months or more can bring household and work items as relocated assets, with one piece or one set per person free of duty and VAT, using a certified copy of the work permit. Cars and motorcycles are excluded, and anything beyond the allowance is taxed.

Tips for a smooth delivery

  • Don't pack used clothes, shoes, electronics, or kitchenware unless you qualify for relocated assets or are shipping them as your own baggage around your trip.
  • Keep a gift box at VND 2,000,000 (about $77) or less, and declare the giver's and receiver's names and addresses.
  • Budget for VAT on any express box that isn't an exempt gift or relocated assets: 8% for most goods through December 31, 2026, and 10% for alcohol, tobacco, and metal products.
  • Get the receiver's ID number and a Vietnamese mobile number before you book.
  • Moving for work? Get a certified copy of your work permit, or proof your job abroad has ended, before the boxes leave.
  • Avoid shipping in the weeks around Tet, when customs and couriers slow down.

Shipping to and from Vietnam: questions

Is there still a duty-free limit for parcels to Vietnam?

Partly. Express shipments worth VND 1,000,000 (about $39) or less pay no import duty, but since February 18, 2025 they pay VAT from the first dong. Gifts worth up to VND 2,000,000 (about $77) are free of both duty and VAT, up to 4 times a year per receiver.

How much VAT will the receiver pay?

10% of the customs value plus any duty, or 8% for most goods through December 31, 2026. Alcohol, beer, tobacco, and metal products stay at 10%, and some goods are taxed at 5%.

Can I send used clothes or electronics to Vietnam?

Not as ordinary parcels or gifts. Used clothing, shoes, electronics, appliances, and household ware are on the import ban list. People who qualify for relocated assets have their own rules, and travelers can ship personal belongings as baggage around their trip if customs confirms their arrival declaration.

Can I bring my household goods duty-free when I move to Vietnam?

Yes, if you're coming to work in Vietnam for 12 months or more, returning home after 12 months or more of work or other activity abroad, or an overseas Vietnamese with registered permanent residence (first shipment). The allowance is one piece or one set per person of household and work items, free of duty and VAT, and anything beyond it is taxed. Cars and motorcycles are excluded.

Can I send medicine to Vietnam?

Only within tight limits. Medicine for your own treatment shipped as your baggage needs no license up to 30 days' supply, or USD 200 per shipment and 3 shipments a year for non-controlled medicines. Other cases need a license from the provincial People's Committee.

How long does shipping boxes to Vietnam take?

Express door-to-door usually takes 4-7 business days from Europe or North America and 2-5 from elsewhere in Asia, plus customs time.

How do I ship boxes from Vietnam to another country?

Book an express courier, list every item with a fair value, and have your passport or ID ready. If you're moving out, customs treats household goods as relocated assets, so keep proof your work in Vietnam has ended. The receiver pays any import charges at the other end.

Can I ship antiques out of Vietnam?

Generally not. The heritage law only provides for taking antiques (100 years old or more) and national treasures abroad temporarily, for exhibition, research, or conservation, with a decision from the Minister of Culture or the Prime Minister. Privately owned antiques can be sold, gifted, or inherited only within Vietnam.

Official help in Vietnam

Official sources

Every section above is checked against these official pages. Rules change, and customs in Vietnam makes the final decision on every shipment. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

  1. 1.

    Cục Hải quan (Vietnam Customs), Ministry of Finance

    Tài sản di chuyển và quà biếu, quà tặng (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 27, 2026

  2. 2.

    Chi cục Hải quan khu vực XVI (Vietnam Customs)

    Thông tin báo chí: về việc triển khai Thông tư số 29/2025/TT-BTC ngày 26/5/2025 của Bộ Tài chính sửa đổi, bổ sung một số điều của Thông tư 191/2015/TT-BTC về thủ tục hải quan đối với hàng hóa xuất khẩu, nhập khẩu, quá cảnh gửi qua dịch vụ chuyển phát nhanh quốc tế (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 27, 2026

  3. 3.

    Government of Vietnam (vanban.chinhphu.vn)

    Nghị định số 18/2021/NĐ-CP của Chính phủ: Sửa đổi, bổ sung một số điều của Nghị định số 134/2016/NĐ-CP ngày 01 tháng 9 năm 2016 của Chính phủ quy định chi tiết một số điều và biện pháp thi hành Luật Thuế xuất khẩu, thuế nhập khẩu (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 27, 2026

  4. 4.

    Government of Vietnam (vanban.chinhphu.vn)

    Nghị định số 134/2016/NĐ-CP của Chính phủ: Quy định chi tiết một số điều và biện pháp thi hành Luật thuế xuất khẩu, thuế nhập khẩu (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 27, 2026

  5. 5.

    Cục Hải quan (Vietnam Customs), Ministry of Finance

    Danh mục hàng hóa cấm nhập khẩu (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 27, 2026

  6. 6.

    Cục Hải quan (Vietnam Customs), Ministry of Finance

    Thủ tục hải quan đối với hành lý của người nhập cảnh vượt quá định mức miễn thuế, gửi trước, gửi sau chuyến đi (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 27, 2026

  7. 7.

    Cục Hải quan (Vietnam Customs), Ministry of Finance

    1. Trị giá hải quan (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 27, 2026

  8. 8.

    Cục Hải quan (Vietnam Customs), Ministry of Finance

    Tỷ giá ngoại tệ (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 27, 2026

  9. 9.

    Công báo (Official Gazette of Vietnam)

    Nghị định số 174/2025/NĐ-CP quy định chính sách giảm thuế giá trị gia tăng theo Nghị quyết số 204/2025/QH15 ngày 17 tháng 6 năm 2025 của Quốc hội. (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 27, 2026

  10. 10.

    Công báo (Official Gazette of Vietnam)

    Nghị định số 181/2025/NĐ-CP quy định chi tiết thi hành một số điều của Luật Thuế giá trị gia tăng. (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 27, 2026

  11. 11.

    Công báo (Official Gazette of Vietnam)

    Nghị định số 163/2025/NĐ-CP quy định chi tiết một số điều và biện pháp để tổ chức, hướng dẫn thi hành Luật Dược. (opens in a new tab)

    Health regulator · checked September 27, 2026

  12. 12.

    Công báo (Official Gazette of Vietnam); Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development circular

    Thông tư số 25/2016/TT-BNNPTNT quy định về kiểm dịch động vật, sản phẩm động vật trên cạn. (opens in a new tab)

    Biosecurity · checked September 27, 2026

  13. 13.

    Government of Vietnam (vanban.chinhphu.vn)

    Luật số 45/2024/QH15 của Quốc hội: Luật Di sản văn hóa (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 27, 2026

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