Shipping from China to Vietnam — 4–8 days port to port, duty and customs
Importing into Vietnam: A valid ACFTA Form E gives 0% on normal-track lines; otherwise MFN rates run 0–40%. VAT is 10%, reduced to 8% until 31 December 2026. The importer of record position: An entity registered in Vietnam with an MST tax code and customs registration; a foreign seller cannot be importer of record. Before shipping, Since 31 December 2025 imported ICT and telecom products need type approval and QCVN conformity, with no small-quantity exemption. Duty and tax are assessed per commodity code, so these positions are confirmed per shipment.
4–8 days port to port from China to Vietnam. What Vietnam requires on arrival: who may import, what duty and tax apply, and which certification and product rules must be in place.
What does Vietnam require before the cargo can be imported?
Vietnam is served from China by ocean, air and express, and the arrival-side requirements below are the part that most often changes a landed cost or holds a shipment at the port. Each position is the one we publish for this market and is confirmed per shipment against the actual commodity code and destination city.
What duty, tax and levies apply on arrival?
Duty and tax
A valid ACFTA Form E gives 0% on normal-track lines; otherwise MFN rates run 0–40%. VAT is 10%, reduced to 8% until 31 December 2026
Tariff treatment
ASEAN-China Form E usually beats RCEP Form R on the same HS code
Who is allowed to import into this market?
Importer of record
An entity registered in Vietnam with an MST tax code and customs registration; a foreign seller cannot be importer of record
What certification or product rules must be in place before shipping?
Certification
Since 31 December 2025 imported ICT and telecom products need type approval and QCVN conformity, with no small-quantity exemption
What thresholds and reliefs change the cost?
De minimis
The duty and VAT exemption for express imports below VND 1,000,000 was repealed on 18 February 2025, so low-value parcels are declared and taxed
How long does shipping from China to Vietnam take?
Typical door-to-door transit on this lane, by mode. These are working ranges rather than carrier-published schedules, so the exact window is confirmed on booking.
Mode
Typical transit
What it covers
Ocean freight FCL
4–8 days port to port
South China 4–6 days, Shanghai or Ningbo 5–8; 9–11 days door to door into Cat Lai with two to three direct sailings a week
Road via the Friendship Pass
2–5 days
One truck through to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City under the CBTA road permit; 2–3 days from Guangzhou
Air freight
2–3 days
Door to door; CAN to SGN is direct with three to five cargo flights a week
Express courier
3–5 days
Shenzhen to Vietnam; carrier days are confirmed at booking
Which gateway does cargo arrive through in Southeast Asia?
The gateway is the same for every country in Southeast Asia; what changes between countries is the duty, importer and certification position above.
Destination gateways
Cat Lai (Ho Chi Minh City), Cai Mep–Thi Vai, Hai Phong/Lach Huyen and Da Nang; SGN, HAN and DAD by air
Border crossings
Friendship Pass (Huu Nghi, Lang Son), Hekou–Lao Cai and Dongxing–Mong Cai; the rail corridor runs Pingxiang–Dong Dang–Yen Vien
Gateway ports
Singapore, Port Klang and PTP, Laem Chabang, Tanjung Priok, Manila, Haiphong and Ho Chi Minh City
Gateway airports
SIN, BKK, KUL, MNL
Transhipment
Direct calls are normal for main ports; only secondary ports need a relay
How do you turn this into a landed cost?
Duty is assessed per commodity code, so the positions above tell you what to prepare rather than what you will pay. Screen the official duty range for the HS chapter your product falls in with the HS chapter duty lookup, then put the rate for your actual code through the landed cost calculator to see duty, import tax and levies on the CIF value. Transit times, loading ports and the operating detail for this lane are on the China to Vietnam route page.
Positions reviewed 2026-09-15 by Helen Peng. Duty, importer-of-record and certification answers are confirmed per shipment: a change of commodity code, origin documentation or destination city can change the position.
Where is the rest of this lane documented?
This page covers arrival requirements only. Transit times, loading ports, container options, consolidation frequency, the stage-by-stage breakdown and the remaining questions are on the route page, so they are not repeated here.
We have not yet photographed this lane's destination operations. Rather than borrow a stock or generated picture, the slots below are left empty and labelled. They are filled only with our own photographs from this lane.
Photo to be addedArrival and handling of our cargo in VietnamOur own photograph from this lane, once recordedPhoto to be addedFinal delivery in VietnamOur own photograph from this lane, once recorded
Need the duty confirmed for your product?
Send the commodity, its material, its use and the destination city, and we will confirm the position.
