Import and export of non-commercial goods and 6 secrets that no one has revealed

It sounds simple: non-commercial goods are gifts, personal belongings, or humanitarian aid shipments – no sale, no payment, no contract. But when you step into the world of customs, you will see: not all “non-commercial” is easy. There are key points that if overlooked, businesses can easily fall into a ridiculous situation.

First of all, it is important to understand this concept. According to the law, non-commercial goods are not actually considered “goods” but only “products”. The seemingly small difference has big consequences in terms of taxes, labels, and specialized inspections. There have been many companies that thought that non-commercial goods were exempt from all procedures – only to be stuck at customs.

The type code is also a point of confusion: non-commercial imports use H11, while exports use H21. This declaration form sounds familiar but has its own characteristics that not everyone is aware of. Even express delivery companies have a "faster" way of handling it than customs agents - but only if you know how to take advantage of it.

A set of non-commercial documents, at first glance, seems simple: declaration, bill of lading, proforma invoice, packing list… but the question is: is it enough? And do you know when just adding a confirmation letter can change the whole declaration situation?

At this point, many people will wonder: “Do non-commercial goods need to undergo specialized inspection?” – The answer is not simple. In theory, there are exemption regulations, but in reality… the ministries have not yet issued a specific list of exemptions. That means you still have to go through the procedures like normal goods, unless the value of the shipment is less than 1 million VND. And this is just one of the 06 secrets that ExtendMax has drawn from practice .

Some businesses are also curious: “So can we import non-commercial goods on consignment?” – The law does not prohibit it, and in fact ExtendMax has successfully done it many times. But the secret lies in how to handle specialized licenses, especially with information technology equipment or civil cryptographic products.

What about import tax? Don’t be too quick to think that non-commercial goods are exempt. Only some very specific cases are exempt – for example, samples under 50,000 VND, advertising publications lighter than 1kg, or express delivery shipments under 1 million VND. Otherwise, taxes and VAT are the same as commercial goods. Non-commercial exports are different: they are not subject to VAT, but they are still subject to export tax.

Another secret that surprises many people: non-commercial goods are not required to have labels by law, because they are not “goods”. But if they do not have labels, can you be sure that customs will let them go, or will they use it to consult on prices or request specialized inspections? Sometimes, a stamp is a ticket to a smooth customs clearance.

The value story is equally interesting. Although it is outside the scope of Circular 38 on customs valuation, customs officers have the right to request proof of value if they find the declaration “too good to be true”. In other words, it is impossible to “arbitrarily declare” non-commercial goods.

There is one detail that few people pay attention to: non-commercial goods can be completely resold after import. From gifts, movable assets, to aid goods – there are legal mechanisms that allow for disposal, even liquidation. But remember, “allowed” does not mean “can do whatever you want”.

In short, importing and exporting non-commercial goods is not a “troublesome” task if you master the laws and the secrets that few people share. So what are the 6 secrets that ExtendMax has learned from many years of experience? How to avoid risks but still take advantage of policies? And what are the seemingly easy situations that make businesses struggle?

???? All the answers are in the original article: “ Import and export of non-commercial goods and 06 secrets that no one has told you ” – where you will find information that is not in any public documents.