Air Freight from China to Hanoi
China → Hanoi · via HAN air / Hai Phong sea · clearance by General Department of Vietnam Customs (Tổng cục Hải quan)
Freight from China into Hanoi clears through HAN air / Hai Phong sea. Hanoi is political capital and northern business center, and allow +1 day for the inland leg on top of clearance.
Clearance itself is handled by General Department of Vietnam Customs (Tổng cục Hải quan), and typical dwell at the gateway runs 2–5 days.
What you will pay on arrival in Vietnam
Imports into Vietnam are cleared by General Department of Vietnam Customs (Tổng cục Hải quan). The headline position is: VAT 8–10%; duty 0–35%, with 0% available on most tariff lines under ACFTA/RCEP with a valid Form E. The de-minimis threshold is VND 1,000,000 (roughly USD 40) on express parcels.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: Form E certificate of origin to claim ACFTA duty relief; MIC/Circular 04 type approval for radio equipment; energy-efficiency labeling for appliances. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Vietnam: Used machinery is subject to Decision 18/2019 age limits. Cosmetics need a product announcement filed by the consignee. Duty relief under Form E is only granted if the origin document matches the invoice exactly — a very common cause of held shipments.
Routing and transit on this lane
Vietnam is the shortest deep-sea lane out of South China — Shekou to Hai Phong is often 3–5 days. Northern Vietnam is also served overland through the Youyi Guan (Pingxiang) and Mong Cai crossings, which suits LCL and urgent replenishment for the Bac Ninh and Bac Giang electronics cluster.
| Air gateways used | SGN (Ho Chi Minh City), HAN (Hanoi), DAD (Da Nang) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 2–4 business days |
| Gateway serving Hanoi | HAN air / Hai Phong sea |
| Inland leg to Hanoi | +1 day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 2–5 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Pre-shipment checklist for Hanoi
- Confirm the consignee in Hanoi can act as importer of record — General Department of Vietnam Customs (Tổng cục Hải quan) will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: Form E certificate of origin to claim ACFTA duty relief; MIC/Circular 04 type approval for radio equipment; energy-efficiency labeling for appliances.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
- Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Hanoi take?
China to the Vietnam gateway is 2–4 business days. On top of that, allow 2–5 days of clearance with General Department of Vietnam Customs (Tổng cục Hải quan) and a +1 day inland leg to Hanoi.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Hanoi?
General Department of Vietnam Customs (Tổng cục Hải quan) applies: VAT 8–10%; duty 0–35%, with 0% available on most tariff lines under ACFTA/RCEP with a valid Form E. The de-minimis position is VND 1,000,000 (roughly USD 40) on express parcels. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Hanoi.
Which port or airport does cargo for Hanoi clear through?
Cargo for Hanoi is routed via HAN air / Hai Phong sea. Sea gateways for Vietnam are Hai Phong, Cat Lai (Ho Chi Minh City), Cai Mep–Thi Vai; air gateways are SGN (Ho Chi Minh City), HAN (Hanoi), DAD (Da Nang). We pick whichever gives the shortest total door time for your address.
What certification do I need for Vietnam?
For regulated goods, plan for: Form E certificate of origin to claim ACFTA duty relief; MIC/Circular 04 type approval for radio equipment; energy-efficiency labeling for appliances. Missing conformity paperwork is the single most common cause of a hold, and in most cases it cannot be remedied once the cargo has arrived.
Can you deliver door-to-door in Hanoi?
Yes. Delivery to a Hanoi address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to General Department of Vietnam Customs (Tổng cục Hải quan), and the +1 day inland leg. Confirm whether your consignee wants the goods at a warehouse, a marketplace fulfillment center or a shop front, because the last-mile requirement differs.
What documents does General Department of Vietnam Customs (Tổng cục Hải quan) require?
A commercial invoice with HS codes, a packing list, the bill of lading or air waybill, a certificate of origin where it lowers duty, and any product certification (Form E certificate of origin to claim ACFTA duty relief; MIC/Circular 04 type approval for radio equipment; energy-efficiency labeling for appliances). We prepare and file these as part of the service.
Other delivery cities in Vietnam
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Vietnam change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling — confirm the current position for your own HS code with General Department of Vietnam Customs (Tổng cục Hải quan) or your broker before you ship.
- General Department of Vietnam Customs
- Ministry of Industry and Trade
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IPPC — ISPM 15 wood packaging standard
- WCO — Harmonized System nomenclature
- IMO — IMDG Code for dangerous goods by sea
Page data last reviewed: 10 月 2026.
Shipping by industry
This page covers the route and clearance picture for the destination. Packing, classification and the compliance step that actually holds a shipment depend on what you are sending — these guides cover that by commodity.
- Ceramic Tiles Building Materials & Construction Products
- Paper Packaging Wood, Bamboo & Paper Products
- Packaging Materials Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Laboratory Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Fabric Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Salon Furniture Beauty, Personal Care & Wellness
- Sheet Metal Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Compressors General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Electrical Cabinets New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Flooring Building Materials & Construction Products
- Plastic Products Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Ceramic Tableware Glass & Ceramic Products
Checking the Vietnam duty position yourself
Every duty and tax figure quoted on this page is our working estimate for planning, not a ruling. The binding rate for your consignment is whatever General Department of Vietnam Customs applies against your declared HS code on the day of entry, and their published guidance is the source to check before you commit stock.
Most landed-cost surprises trace back to classification rather than freight. the WCO Harmonized System defines the heading structure every customs administration builds on, and ITC Market Access Map will show you the duty a given heading attracts in this destination.
On the air side, anything with a cell or a battery in it, plus liquids, powders, magnets and aerosols, is governed by the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. Those articles are not refused outright, but they need to be declared at booking so the shipment is built correctly — declaring them late is the single most common cause of an air consignment being offloaded.
For a wider view of how importing into Vietnam actually works — documentation norms, inspection behavior, the paperwork that tends to hold shipments — the U.S. ITA guide to Vietnam customs regulations is a useful independent read alongside our own lane notes.
Watch: the process behind this route
This guide covers routing and clearance for Hanoi. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
4 Key Stages to US Customs Clearance — USA Customs Clearance. Published on YouTube by a third party; we link it because it explains the process well, not because we produced it or endorse the provider.
Customs clearance in Vietnam
Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border — plus who files the entry.
Vietnam clearance requirements →Priced routes to Vietnam
- Shekou to Qui Nhon FCL Ocean Freight Rates | 20GP & 40HQ
- Ship Nansha to Qui Nhon — FCL Container Cost from China
- Ship Shekou to Da Nang — FCL Container Cost from China
- Ship Shekou to Hai Phong — FCL Container Cost from China
- Ship Yantian to Cai Mep — FCL Container Cost from China
- Shipping a Container from Nansha to Cai Mep: Cost & Transit