VietnamThe three major pain points in clearing customs

According to the latest statistics from the General Department of Vietnam Customs for 2025,mechanical equipment products account for 38% of Vietnam’s total imports,but the customs clearance delay rate is as high as 27%.In our practical cases serving more than 200 enterprises,we have identified the following typical problems:

• Policychangeblindspots:TheCPTPPsupplementaryprovisionsthattookeffectin2025added12newrestrictionsontheimportofequipment.
• TechnicalCertificationMaze:ElectronicdevicesmustobtaindualcertificationfrombothMICandSTAMEQ.
• Logisticsconnectionbreakpoints:Theinsufficientheavy-liftcapacityatHaiphongPortresultsinanaveragedetentionof7.2days.

Core service modules of professional agency companies

A premium agency should provide end-to-end solutions; we recommend focusing on the following service capabilities:

• Dynamiccompliancesystem
  • Real-timeupdateoftheVietnamCustomsCommodityCodeDatabase(2025editionwith387subdividedelectromechanicalentries)
  • AutomaticFTAPreferentialTariffCalculationModel
• Risk early warning mechanism
  • ProactivelyidentifythetypesofequipmentthatHanoi/HoChiMinhCustomsprioritizesforinspection
  • Establisha7×24-houremergencyresponsechannel
• Localized service network
  • EstablishbondedwarehousesinsixindustrialzonesincludingDaNangandBinhDuong
  • Signedagreementswith12localVietnamesecertificationbodies,cuttingtestingcyclesby40%.

Key points for compliance operations in 2025

Pursuant to the Ministry of Finance of Vietnam’s Decree No.15/2025/ND-CP,special attention must be paid to equipment imports:

• HSCodeDeclaration:Mechanicalequipmentmustbebrokendowntothe8-digitHScodelevel,withanerrorratekeptwithin0.5%.
• Certificate:AcertifiedproofofprocessingstepsisrequiredundertheEVFTAAgreement
• Technicalstandardadaptation:Industrialmachine-toolequipmentismandatorilysubjecttothenewTCVN8265:2025regulation

Agency Selection: Four-Dimensional Evaluation Method

It is recommended that companies build an evaluation system from the following dimensions:

• Yearsoflocalhands-onexperience:PrioritizeinstitutionsthathavebeenoperatinginVietnamformorethan8years.
• IndustrySpecialization:Assesswhetherthereareprovencustoms-clearancecasesinspecificindustriessuchassemiconductorsorautomotive.
• In-depthportcooperation:VerificationofpriorityoperationrightsatcoreportssuchasCaiMepPort
• Risk-sharingMechanism:Confirmthecompensationratioandtimelimitfordemurrageliabilityclauses

By leveraging specialized agency services,an auto-parts company slashed the import cycle of its injection-molding equipment from 58 days to 33 days and cut customs-clearance costs by 22 %.The result underscores the strategic value of choosing a professional agent in Vietnam’s equipment trade.