Export Documents for Vietnamese Food Shipments, by Product Type

Which documents form the core shipment file?

A typical sea-freight food shipment from Vietnam has a commercial invoice, a packing list and a bill of lading or sea waybill, plus a certificate of origin and a COA where agreed or required; an insurance certificate is added when the seller insures.

Preferential origin for the EU. The EU–Vietnam trade agreement has been in force since 1 August 2020 and phases out almost all tariffs between the two. To claim the preferential duty, the goods must meet the agreement’s origin rules and travel with valid proof of origin, such as a certificate of origin form EUR.1 where the goods qualify. Other destinations have their own agreements and forms; tell us the destination so the right form is prepared.

Which documents depend on product and destination?

Phytosanitary, health, wood-packaging, religious and organic certificates are required only for some products and destinations.

• Phytosanitary certificate. Issued by Vietnam’s plant-protection authority when the destination’s plant-health rules require it. Requirements differ by product and processing level: raw and minimally processed plant products are the usual cases, while heavily processed foods often need none.
• Health certificate or certificate of free sale. Issued by the competent Vietnamese authority when the importing country asks for one.
• Wood packaging. Solid-wood pallets and crates covered by ISPM 15 must be treated and marked under that standard; packaging made from processed wood such as plywood is exempt. A separate fumigation certificate is needed only where the destination or the goods require it.
• Halal or kosher certificates. Only valid where the producing facility and the specific product are covered by a current certificate. A company-level statement is not proof for every product. We map each requested certificate to the producing site and product before quoting.
• Organic or sustainability certificates. Only where the lot is certified; the certificate scope and any transaction documents the scheme requires must match the shipment.

What does each product type usually need?

The core document set is the same for every product; the COA parameters and the extra certificates change with the product type.

For the rules behind these points, see our guides to green coffee, aseptic concentrate, aloe vera drinks and the IQF cold chain.

What happens on the import side?

European Union. The importer, or its customs representative, lodges the import declaration using an EORI number and presents the certificates the product needs. DDP allocates applicable import duties and taxes to the seller under the sales contract; the persons legally liable to customs and tax authorities are determined by the applicable law and representation arrangements. Some food of non-animal origin from certain countries is subject to increased official controls under Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793, which is updated regularly. Annex I lists goods subject to increased checks; Annex II additionally requires an official certificate and sampling and analysis results from the competent authority of the exporting country. Check the current product-and-origin listing before the first order.

United States. FDA Prior Notice and, where FSVP applies, the importer’s FSVP records sit alongside the customs entry. Importer Security Filing generally applies to containerised food shipments arriving by sea. Our US import guide explains each of them.

How do you avoid document errors?

Most document errors can be caught before the vessel sails, by approving drafts and cross-checking them:

• Approve drafts before shipment. Ask for draft invoice, packing list, bill of lading and certificates before the vessel sails, and check names, addresses, product descriptions, weights, lot numbers and tariff codes against each other.
• Keep descriptions consistent. The same product description should appear on the invoice, the certificate of origin and the certificates; mismatches are a common reason for holds.
• Decide how originals travel. Paper originals, such as some certificates of origin and original bills of lading, need courier time; electronic release options depend on the carrier and the documents involved.
• Match certificates to the lot. Lot-specific COAs and certificates must identify the lot actually shipped. Facility or system certificates must cover the relevant producing site, product and process, rather than name every shipment lot.

Document checklist for your RFQ

Put the document requirements into the RFQ, so that the quotation includes them:

• the destination country, port and the Incoterm;
• the documents required, with the issuer and any wording your authority or bank expects;
• the COA parameters and methods;
• certificates required, and confirmation that their scope covers the producing site and product;
• preferential origin to be claimed, if any;
• the courier address for originals, and who receives drafts for approval.

Our RFQ checklist covers the rest of the brief, and our export logistics page lists the documents we coordinate for each shipment.