PROCEDURES AND PROCESSES FOR IMPORTING FRESH MEAT

I. Prerequisites for import

Before signing a commercial contract, businesses must check whether the producer (slaughterhouse/processing plant) and the exporting country have been licensed by the Vietnam Veterinary Department to export to Vietnam.

• How to check: Look up the list of businesses from countries permitted to export animal products to Vietnam on the official website of the Department of Animal Health (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) .

• If the item is not on the list, the business cannot import it.

II. The 4-Step Process for Importing Fresh Meat

Step 1: Obtain an Import Quarantine Permit (Before the goods arrive)

This is a mandatory step before goods leave the port (or at least before they arrive at Vietnamese ports). Businesses submit their application for a permit through the National Single Window System .

• The file includes:

  • Application form for import quarantine permit (according to template).

  • Business registration certificate.

  • Sample Health Certificate from the competent authority of the exporting country (draft or scanned copy).

• Processing time: 5-7 working days. If valid, the Department of Animal Health will issue an Approval Document for Import Quarantine .

Step 2: Register for Quarantine and Food Safety Inspection at the Port

When goods arrive at Vietnamese ports, businesses register for Animal Quarantine and Veterinary Hygiene/Food Safety Inspection at the Regional Veterinary Sub-Department (under the Department of Veterinary Medicine) managing that port.

• The application file includes:

  • Application for import quarantine (Form according to Circular 25/2016/TT-BNNPTNT).

  • The document granting permission for import quarantine from the Department of Veterinary Medicine (in Step 1).

  • The original Health Certificate (Quarantine Certificate) is issued by the competent authority of the exporting country. (This is the most important document; even a single incorrect word will result in customs clearance.)

  • Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Bill of Lading.

Step 3: Take samples for physical quarantine.

• After receiving the documents, veterinary officers will go to the port/warehouse to physically inspect the container (checking the seals and the container temperature for frozen/fresh goods).

• The veterinary agency will collect actual meat samples to send to the laboratory for testing of various parameters: microorganisms, physicochemical properties, antibiotic residues, banned substances, and diseases.

• While waiting for the results (usually 3-5 days), businesses can request to bring the goods to a specialized storage facility (which must meet cold storage conditions and be approved by the veterinary authority). Absolutely no consumption or breaking of the seals is allowed during this period.

Step 4: Customs Clearance

Once the test results meet the requirements, the Veterinary Sub-Department will issue a Certificate of Quarantine and Food Safety Inspection for imported goods .

Businesses submit this certificate along with their customs documents to clear goods:

• Customs declaration.

• Import quarantine certificate (original or electronic copy via the One-Stop Shop system).

• Invoice, Packing List, Bill of Lading.

• Certificate of Origin (C/O) to qualify for preferential tax treatment (if applicable).

III. HS Code and Import Tax (Reference)

Fresh or chilled/frozen meat falls under Chapter 2 of the Import Tariff Schedule.

• Code 0201: Beef, fresh or chilled.

• Code 0202: Frozen beef.

• Code 0203: Pork, fresh, chilled or frozen.

• Code 0207: Meat and edible offal of poultry of heading 01.05 (chicken, duck, goose, etc.), fresh, chilled or frozen.

Tax rate:

• Most Favored Nation (MFN) import duties: These are usually quite high, ranging from 10% to 25% depending on the type of meat (for example, frozen beef is usually 14%, chicken is usually 20%).

• FTA Tax: If importing from countries that have signed FTAs ​​with Vietnam (such as Australia, New Zealand - ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA; Russia - Vietnam-EAEU FTA; Canada, the US - CPTPP), the tax rate can be significantly reduced to 0% - 5% if a valid Certificate of Origin (C/O) is provided.

• VAT: According to regulations, fresh, semi-processed meat imported is exempt from VAT (or subject to a 5% rate depending on the commercial/semi-processed status; careful reference to Circular 219/2013/TT-BTC is required).

IV. Special notes regarding labeling and shipping

1. Original Label: Must clearly show the manufacturer's name, factory Approval Number, production date, expiration date, and storage conditions (e.g., keep refrigerated at -18°C). This information must completely match the Health Certificate.

2. Disease risk: If a disease outbreak (such as African swine fever or avian influenza) occurs in the exporting country while the goods are in transit, the Vietnam Department of Animal Health may issue an emergency import suspension order. Businesses need to closely monitor global epidemiological information.

CONTACT:

AI Global Logistics Co., Ltd

Address: Shophouse A0-16, Building A, Green River, 2225 Pham The Hien Street, Binh Dong Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Phone: 097.572.1441 - 028.6270.7869

Email: info@ailogisticsvn.com

Website: ailogisticsvn.com