Digitalization of declaration facilitates imports and exports

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Import-export activities between Vietnam and China across Kim Thanh International Border Gate No. 2, Lao Cai. Photo: T.Binh

According to the General Department of Viet Nam Customs, the regulator has requested customs departments of land border provinces to notify and require the owner of the means of transport, the vehicle operator and the authorized operator to declare online information of imported goods to the Customs before shipping the goods into Vietnamese territory.

However, recently some vehicles carrying imported goods into Vietnam across Kim Thanh Border Gate (Lao Cai), failed to declare the manifest, leading to a backlog at the border gate and causing difficulties in handling violations, affecting the environment and security at the border gate.

Responding to this situation, the country’s top customs regulator has directed Lao Cai Customs Department to strictly implement the provisions of law on the management of inbound and outbound vehicles and goods, especially the regulations on advance information declaration for imported goods. When detecting a vehicle carrying imported goods to the quarantine area at Kim Thanh Border Gate without the Manifest of imported goods, the Customs must work with the Border Guard and Border Gate Management Board to request the vehicle operator to move to the exit border gate to return to China immediately.

“If there are many vehicles going through exit procedures and the vehicle cannot return immediately, the Customs must request the operator to enter the quarantine area to declare online the manifest. The vehicle must complete the manifest declaration within the day and is not allowed to stay in the quarantine area after the border gate closing time. The vehicle is only allowed to carry out customs procedures after the manifest of imported goods is declared. The shipments must be 100% physically inspected and supervised online by cameras of the Lao Cai Customs Department and of the General Department of Vietnam Customs,” the General Department of Vietnam Customs stated.

In addition, the General Department of Vietnam Customs requested Lao Cai Customs Department to work with the Chinese Customs at Ha Khau Border Gate to coordinate and notify Chinese importers and exporters and forwarders. Notably, from April 20, 2023, vehicles carrying imported goods by land entering Vietnamese territory must be declared online on the portal: https://banke customs.gov.vn/ktdb.

The Customs only receives the paper manifest declaration if the e-manifest declaration system has an error.

This is a solution to digitize customs procedures to replace paper declarations and facilitate imports to Vietnamese territory while ensuring effectiveness and efficiency in customs law enforcement. The Customs will refuse to process customs procedures for vehicles failing to declare the manifest online.

The General Department of Vietnam Customs requested Lao Cai Customs Department to work with the Economic Zone Management Board of Lao Cai province and the local Border Guard Command to coordinate in managing the vehicle before entering Vietnamese territory. The vehicle and operator are only allowed to move to the quarantine area at Kim Thanh Border Gate when the manifest is declared. If the manifest has not yet been declared, the vehicle only stays at the quarantine area within the day. 30 minutes before the border gate closing time, the operator is required to drive the vehicle out of Vietnamese territory to ensure security and order at the border gate area and prevent smuggling and illegal transportation of goods across the border.