Southeast Asia
VietnamChina sourcing guide
Plan your purchase from China, with supplier checks, import paperwork and delivery considered before shipment.
Discuss your sourcing needsPlan your first order
- Check whether the SKU is on a specialized-inspection or controlled-goods list.
- Prepare Vietnamese label text and confirm whether a supplementary label is needed.
- Collect the customs dossier, certificates, and any ministry approvals before arrival.
- Confirm the filing path in VNACCS or through the Trade Portal workflow.
- Map the product to the correct inspection authority early.
- Verify whether the goods need quality, technical, safety, or food-safety review.
- Keep importer, broker, and consignee details consistent across the file.
Import requirements
Use the Trade Portal workflow, then clear label and specialized-inspection requirements before customs release.
- VNACCS
- Vietnamese labels
- Specialized inspection
- Ministry controls
Labeling rules remain current
Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade said Decree 111/2021/ND-CP took effect on February 15, 2022 and clarified the information that can appear on goods labels.
MOIT newsSupplementary labels are required when key data is missing
Vietnam Trade Portal says imported goods missing mandatory Vietnamese label information must carry a supplementary label while the original label remains unchanged.
Vietnam Trade Portal labeling guidanceSpecialized inspection still blocks some releases
Trade Portal references continue to show goods subject to quality, technical, and food-safety inspection before customs clearance under ministry management.
Vietnam Trade Portal trade infoVNACCS remains the filing workflow
Vietnam Trade Portal continues to list Customs Procedure for Import Goods (VNACCS) as the operational import path.
Vietnam Trade Portal procedureFrom order to delivery
Check controls
Confirm whether the product is subject to permits, specialized inspection, or quality review.
Fix labels
Prepare compliant Vietnamese labels or supplementary labels before customs release.
File customs
Submit the VNACCS import dossier and any inspection documents required by the product category.
Clear and release
Complete any required inspection and release the cargo after customs confirmation.
Market context
Vietnam's import path runs through the Trade Portal and VNACCS, with customs clearance shaped by label rules, specialized inspections, and ministry-managed checks. For China-sourced goods, compliance is part of the shipment plan, not a post-arrival cleanup task.
The Trade Portal is the reference layer
Vietnam Trade Portal pages expose the live import procedure and trade-info rules, making them a strong source of truth for operational import planning.
Labels affect clearance
Vietnam treats label content as a compliance issue, and missing mandatory information can trigger a supplementary-label step before sale or release.
Specialized inspection remains real
Some goods still need quality, technical, or food-safety review before customs clearance, so the timeline depends on category, not just freight arrival.
Choosing your sourcing partners
- Choose a partner who knows the Vietnam Trade Portal and VNACCS workflow.
- Look for label-compliance experience, not just freight forwarding.
- Prefer brokers that can coordinate ministry inspections and supporting dossiers.
- Pick a team that flags product-control issues before the shipment leaves China.