PROCEDURE FOR IMPORTING FRUITS

Imported fruit (Internet Image)

1.          Things you need to know about importing fruits into Vietnam:
   According to Vietnam’s laws, based on Circular number 30/2014/TT-BNNPTNT and Circular number 30/2017/TT-BNNPTNT (revised and supervised from Circular number 30/2014/TT-BNNPTNT) of the Ministry of Health, imported fruits belong to the plant quarantine category. The Plant protection department, the competent authority on quarantine test of Vietnam’s imported fruits is the agency directly in charge in this field. Currently, there are only a few countries that are allowed to export fruits to Vietnam and only specific types of fruits can be imported. Due to the country’s nature, being a large fruits exporter itself with many fruits as its main export products, Vietnam holds a strict policy on the type of fruits from specific countries that can be imported.
   The list below includes the countries and the specific types of fruits that can be imported into Vietnam according to current laws (For reference only:

List of fruits imported to Vietnam (For reference only)

2. The documentation process:
   Currently, the importation of fruits into Vietnam has to pass steps as follow:
   1.    Checking the importation category list
   2.    Submit for quarantine certificate
   3.    Submit for quarantine test sample
   4.    Taking quarantine test sample
   5.    Do the customs procedure
   To begin with, in order to import fruits into Vietnam, the importer need to have the import license. This is the first and most important requirement for enterprises in order to import fruits into Vietnam. After having this import license, the importer will have to research to see if the fruits they want to import are legal according to current laws. This is the most important requirement, especially for applying for quarantine certificate from the Vietnam’s Plant protection department. It’s also a must for customs procedure. After applying for the quarantine certificate, the enterprise will have to submit for the quarantine test sample. This will be the most important part as it will decide whether or not you allowed to import the product. In this process, the enterprise will have to send the product sample it wants to import to the department and wait until there is result. If the product meet the requirements and is approved, the quarantine certificate can be given to the enterprise. Enterprises have to take note that the quarantine certificate is only per shipment, not for the product.
   After the Plant protection department has approved the quarantine certificate, the enterprise can now begin the customs procedure.
   With the fruits importation process, there are two important circulars that importer have to take note. The first is Circular number 33/2014/TT-BNNPTNT regulate on the imported – plant quarantine process, transfer and after imported. The second is Circular number 34/2018/TT-BNNPTNT, revised from Circular number 33/2014/TT-BNNPTNT regulate on plant quarantine process.

Imported fruit (Internet Image)

 

3. Required documents:
   Firstly, at the beginning of the quarantine process, the importer will have to submit documents for the certificate. Required documents for the certificate include:
   •     Requesting form for the quarantine certificate (according to sample form)
   •     Sales contract: photocopy version
   •     Enterprise Registration Certificate: photocopy version
   Enterprises will have to take note that the formal quarantine procedure will take 15 to 18 days to finished and the quarantine certificate will have 1 (a) year duration. Importers need to pay close attention to this while reading the Decision 48/2007/QĐ-BNN on the approval process for the imported plant quarantine certificate, especially with product that required close examination for disease before importing into Vietnam to know more about the approval process.
   After finishing the quarantine approval process and receiving the quarantine certificate, the enterprise can now begin the importing procedure. After the products have reach Vietnam’s port, enterprise will have to register for the plant quarantine process and food safety testing process. This can be done by the regional food safety quarantine agency. Currently, there are 9 quarantine regions officially regulated by laws. Below is the list of documents required for “Quarantine documents” and the list of regional agencies.
   Quarantine documents:
   •     Registration form (follow the sample from).
   •     Quarantine certificate (II)
   •     Phytosanitary Certificate of the export country
   •     Sales contract, commercial invoice, packing list, L/C, etc
   List of regional quarantine agencies:
   •     Region 1: No.2 Trần Quang Khải, Haiphong city
   •     Region 2: No.28 Mạc Đĩnh Chi, Đakao ward, district 1, Ho Chi Minh City
   •     Region 3: No.146 Hoàng Diệu, Da Nang city
   •     Region 4: No.66 Lê Hồng Phong, Quy Nhon city, Bình Định province
   •     Region 5: No.149 Hồ Đắc Di, Đống Đa ward, Hanoi city
   •     Region 6: No.28 Trần Phú, Vinh city, Nghệ An province
   •     Region 7: No.98B Ngô Quyền, Đông Kinh ward, Lang Son province
   •     Region 8: No.007 đường Nguyễn Huệ, Lao Cai city
   •     Region 9: No.386B Cách mạng tháng 8 street, Can Tho city
   For the required documents for the fruits importing process, they are listed as follow:
   •     Customs declaration
   •     Sales contract
   •     Invoice
   •     Packing list
   •     Bill of Lading
   •     C/O (if there is)
   •     Plant quarantine result
   •     Food safety testing result
   For importer that want to research for more information, the circulars listed below can be used:
   •     Circular number 65/2012/TT-BNNPTNT on December 26^th, year 2012 (12/26/2012): regulate on the approval procedure for plant quarantine certificate.
   •     Circular number 14/2012/TT-BNNPTNT on March 27^th, year 2012 (3/27/2012): guide on formal documents for plant quarantine process.
   •     Circular number 01/2012/TT-BTC on January 23^rd, year 2012 (1/23/2012): guide on customs clearance, quarantine process hen import.
   In the article above, the main points that enterprises need to know about importing fruits into Vietnam alongside with the procedure and the required documents have been analyzed and listed in detail. Thank you for reading the article, if there are more requirements, customers can contact Logistics H-A directly or go to the main page of the Plant protection department and the main page of Vietnam customs agency.
    
   KH.