Mr. Nguyen Ba Dung

Many overseas students wonder whether they can bring with them their laptops or study equipment when they come back Viet Nam. According to Mr. Nguyen Ba Dung, deputy head of Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs, in the coming time, overseas students and businessmen will not need to declare such personal belongings to customs when they come back Viet Nam.

He said that according to Vietnamese customs’ regulations, almost all goods imported to Viet Nam must be declared to the customs, such as laptops or study equipment.

In most cases, laptops which cost USD$500 and over should be followed the procedure of “temporary-import for re-export”.

Mr. Dung added goods which are imported by the procedure of “temporary-import for re-export” must be taken with the owners when they leave the country. Otherwise, they have to pay taxes for those goods.

Meanwhile, tourists entering Viet Nam do not have to follow the procedure of “temporary-import for re-export”, or declare to customs their over-USD$500 digital cameras.

Mr. Dung acknowledges, “It is really loop-hole that customs department has also realized for along time. Second-hand laptops should be classified as personal belongings and need not be declared to customs.

The Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department has proposed to the General Customs Department and an exemption for laptops or study equipment that overseas students and businessmen bringing back to Viet Nam