Shipping Parcels from Singapore to Vietnam

24 May 2026

Vietnam is quickly becoming one of Southeast Asia’s hottest trade destinations—and Singapore businesses are taking notice. In fact, bilateral trade between Singapore and Vietnam surged to nearly S$40 billion in 2025, growing over 26% year-on-year, driving a sharp rise in cross-border shipping demand.

If you’re looking to tap into this booming corridor, understanding how to ship efficiently from Singapore to Vietnam isn’t just helpful—it’s essential for staying competitive.

Customs guidelines for Vietnam

Activated Credit/Debit/ATM card

Bank tokens or smart cards cannot be imported by private individuals regardless of the quantity. Import licences are required for such items, which can only be obtained by registered trading companies/businesses.
All products imported by individuals will be subjected to customs requirements.
Imported shipments not complying with Vietnam import regulations will be disposed of or returned.

Alcoholic beverages

Alcohol cannot be imported by private individuals (including goods purchased online, or shipped by other private individuals, friends or relatives).
An import license is required, which can only be attained by registered trading companies/ businesses.
Only inbound passengers to Vietnam are permitted to import such items in certain quantities and must declare them as personal belongings.
An importer with a registered trading company/business can import with declaration of conformity, or written confirmation of the declaration of food safety, with a total volume not exceeding 3 litres.

Lithium batteries

Quality certificate issued by the Ministry of Information and Communication Vietnam is required prior to shipment.

Computer components & parts

Products that have been used are not permitted for import. New products can be imported without any import licence.

Media storage device

Import licence and a content censorship result are required for imported films with legal copyright.

Radio, radio equipment or parts

Quality certificate issued by the Ministry of Information and Communication Vietnam is required for new item. Used products are however prohibited.

Electronic equipment

New home appliances must have a Minimum Energy Efficiency Testing Certificate. Used products are not permitted for import to Vietnam.

Toys

The Quality Certificate issued by Ministry of Science and Technology is compulsory for custom clearance.

Labels

A letter of guarantee from the brand/ copyright owner is required as proof of authorisation for the importer to use the brand's intellectual property rights.
Empty packaging materials with food’s brand name is prohibited.

Cosmetics

Cosmetics are not allowed to be imported by private individuals (including goods purchased online, or shipped by other private individuals, friends, or relatives).
Individuals can only import the cosmetics as a gift with a limited Cost insurance and Freight (CIF) value below 2million VND (the contents of the gift must be displayed on the invoice).
Only inbound passengers to Vietnam are permitted to import such goods declared under personal belongings.
Importers registered under trading companies/businesses must apply for an Import Licence and Product notification before proceeding with shipments.

Drugs: prescription & in pharmacy w/o prescription

Importing medicine into Vietnam for trading purposes requires an import license, irrespective of the quantity or purpose.
Medicines (of any kind, even simple over-the-counter medications like aspirin and cough syrup) cannot be imported by private individuals (including goods purchased online, or shipped by other private individuals, friends or relatives).
Only inbound passengers to Vietnam are permitted to import medicines for personal use.
The total customs value shall not exceed 10 million VND.

Foodstuffs (including grain)

Only foodstuff shipments with a Customs CIF value of less than 1 million VND is allowed to be imported
Only inbound passengers to Vietnam can import food supplements and foodstuffs declared as personal belongings.
Importer under registered trading company/ business must apply for import licenses and/ or product notification and/or food safety certificate for foodstuffs.
The foodstuff must be packed in an original sealed container with the expiry date and trademark displayed on the item.

Plant products/Tea bags and Instant Tea Powder

The Phytosanitary Certificate and The Food safety certificate in Vietnam will be required prior to shipment. An Original Phytosanitary Certificate issued by the export country is needed in order to apply for the Phytosanitary Certificate in Vietnam.

Animal products

Certificate of quarantine from the exporting country for animals and animal products is needed for application of import licence and veterinary certificate in Vietnam. Ensure that the certifications are prepared before proceeding with the shipment .

Animal skins

To apply for Import Licence and Veterinary Certificate in Vietnam for the import of wild animals leather(Alligators/Crocodiles/ Wild boar/ Buffalo, etc.), the Animal Health Certificate of the export country, the import licence issued by Vietnam CITES management authority, and the Veterinary Certificate will be required
Leather of cattle (cow, goat, pig, etc.) does not require any import licence.

Coffee (including samples)

Importer under a registered company is required to apply for a product notification and a Certificate of Food Safety Condition before proceeding with the shipment.
If the importer is an individual consumer, a Certificate of Food Safety is needed for custom clearance

Chemicals, non-hazardous

An import licence and/or a chemical declaration are mandatory.

Easy Shipping Steps from Singapore to Vietnam

Step 1: When you are shipping to Vietnam from Singapore, you need to create your DHL air waybill. Your air waybill (AWB) is perhaps the most significant document when shipping internationally.

Step 2: Then, you will need a commercial shipping invoice stating all the details of the contents, their quantities, unit price and Incoterms within your shipment to clear customs quickly. Lack of information about the goods submitted with ambiguous descriptions (such as samples, spare parts, and/or product code only, etc.) will be subjected to clearance delays.

Step 3: Start packaging your shipment after you've filled in all of the relevant details on your invoice. Keep in mind that DHL Express will not be responsible for packing your shipment; you are completely responsible for this task. Here are some tips on how to properly pack your products for shipping

Step 4: In this final step, you have to make arrangements for parcel pickup. It can be done in two easy ways:

You can arrange for the item to be picked up at your leisure by selecting a specific time and day.
You can also schedule a pick-up using MyDHL+ or drop it off at any DHL Express retail location.

Vietnam's Address Structure

There was a nationwide change to Vietnam’s address structure that took effect on 1 July 2025. As part of a major administrative reform, Vietnam removed district‑level divisions and restructured provincial boundaries, resulting in updated official addresses across the country.

Please see some sample changes for Suburb and City name changes, and ensure that the address that you are shipping to adheres to the new address structure.

Sample Suburb Name Change	Sample City Name Change

Trust DHL Express for timely & secure deliveries to Vietnam

Shipping tools from DHL Express, such as MyDHL+, MyBill, and ODD (On-Demand Delivery), make the process simple and secure.
DHL's door-to-door service makes international shipping simple.
Customers have the option of choosing their own collection time for their packages.
DHL Express courier service has a large network, with over 220 countries and territories covered.
Customers can choose where and when their package should be delivered thanks to the various delivery options.
Customers can also check the status of their shipments in a timely manner thanks to its real-time updates.