Vietnam Customs Rules 2026: Duty-Free Allowance, Green and Red Lanes, Cash Limits and VAT Refunds
After passport control and baggage claim, every traveller walks through customs before leaving a Vietnamese airport. For most visitors this takes less than a minute. However, a bottle too many, cash above the limit or a vape in your bag can turn a quick exit into a fine. This guide explains Vietnam customs rules in plain language: what you can bring duty-free, when to choose the green or the red lane, how much cash and gold you can carry, which items are banned, and how to claim a VAT refund when you leave.
We are a private visa and airport assistance service, not Vietnam Customs. We summarise official rules as of the date below. If you are unsure about a specific item, ask a customs officer at the red lane before you exit.
Vietnam customs rules at a glance
| Topic | The rule for arriving travellers |
|---|---|
| Green lane | Nothing to declare: all goods within the duty-free allowance, cash and gold below the limits, no restricted items |
| Red lane | Anything to declare: goods above the allowance, cash or gold above the limits, restricted goods such as large quantities of medicine |
| Spirits (20% or more) | 1.5 litres duty-free, for travellers aged 18 or over |
| Wine and drinks under 20% | 2 litres |
| Beer and other alcoholic drinks | 3 litres |
| Tobacco | 200 cigarettes, or 20 cigars, or 250 g of loose tobacco |
| Other goods | Total value up to VND 10 million, plus personal belongings suitable for your trip |
| Foreign currency in cash | Declare amounts above USD 5,000 or the equivalent |
| Vietnamese dong in cash | Declare amounts above VND 15 million |
| Gold | Declare 300 g or more |
| Precious stones, metals other than gold, cheques and similar papers | Declare when worth more than VND 300 million |
| E-cigarettes and heated tobacco | Banned in Vietnam, so do not bring them |
Green lane or red lane under Vietnam customs rules
After you collect your bags, you reach the customs area. Your bags usually go through an X-ray scanner, and then you choose a lane:
- Green lane (“Nothing to declare”). Choose it if everything you carry fits the duty-free allowance and you have no cash, gold or restricted goods to declare. Officers can still stop you for a random check.
- Red lane (“Goods to declare”). Choose it if you carry anything above the limits in this guide. You fill in a customs declaration, and the officer calculates any duty.
In fact, choosing the red lane is never a problem. The fines apply when travellers use the green lane with goods or cash they should have declared.
Vietnam customs rules on the duty-free allowance
Vietnam’s duty-free allowance for arriving travellers comes from Article 6 of Decree 134/2016/ND-CP. It works per person and per entry:
- Alcohol: 1.5 litres of spirits with 20% alcohol or more, 2 litres of drinks under 20%, and 3 litres of beer or other alcoholic drinks.
- Tobacco: 200 cigarettes, or 20 cigars, or 250 g of loose tobacco.
- Other goods: gifts and purchases worth up to VND 10 million in total, as long as they are not banned or restricted.
- Personal belongings: clothes, a laptop, a camera and similar items for your own use, in normal quantities for the trip.
Important details
- Age limit. Travellers under 18 do not get the alcohol and tobacco allowance.
- One bottle over the limit. If a single bottle takes you over the limit, but by no more than 1 litre, the whole bottle is duty-free. Anything beyond that is taxed.
- You choose which items are free. If you are over the limit, you can choose which goods count towards your allowance, and pay duty on the rest.
- Aircrew and frequent cross-border workers get the alcohol, tobacco and goods allowance only once every 90 days, not on every entry.
- Old figures online. Some websites still show 22% alcohol, 100 cigars or 500 g of tobacco. Those figures come from the rules in force before Decree 134/2016/ND-CP, so use the numbers in this guide.
- Bags sent separately. Luggage you ship before or after your trip is not covered by the allowance in the same way, so declare it.
Vietnam customs rules for cash, foreign currency and gold
You can bring any amount of money into Vietnam. However, you must declare it at the red lane above these limits:
| What you carry | Declare when it is |
|---|---|
| Foreign currency in cash (USD, EUR, etc.) | More than USD 5,000 or the equivalent |
| Vietnamese dong in cash | More than VND 15 million |
| Gold (jewellery and other gold items) | 300 g or more |
From 1 July 2026, Decree 169/2026/ND-CP sets the fines for not declaring, or declaring incorrectly. For example, undeclared cash worth VND 5 million to under 30 million can mean a fine of VND 1 to 3 million, and amounts of VND 100 million or more can mean fines of VND 30 to 50 million. Therefore, if you are close to a limit, simply declare it.
Keep your declaration. If you declare foreign cash on arrival, keep the stamped form. When you leave with more than USD 5,000 or VND 15 million, you need either that declaration or a confirmation from an authorised bank, or approval from the State Bank of Vietnam.
Banned and restricted items under Vietnam customs rules
Some goods are banned outright, and others need a permit or a reasonable quantity.
Banned: do not bring these
- E-cigarettes, vapes and heated tobacco devices (such as IQOS sticks). Resolution 173/2024/QH15 bans their import, possession and use from 1 January 2025, so leave them at home.
- Narcotics. Vietnam punishes drug offences very severely.
- Weapons, ammunition and explosives, including many items that look like weapons.
- Counterfeit money and goods, and publications that Vietnam considers harmful.
Restricted: check before you pack
- Medicines. Bring personal medicine in its original packaging, in your hand luggage, with your prescription or a doctor’s letter, in quantities for your own use. UK travel advice adds that you should declare medicines worth more than USD 100 in total. Controlled medicines, such as strong painkillers, are limited to a short supply.
- Drones. You can usually bring a small camera drone. However, flying one needs a permit, and customs may hold drones in some cases.
- Fresh food, plants and animals. These may need quarantine checks, so declare them.
- Pets. A dog or cat needs a veterinary health certificate and a rabies vaccination record, and it goes through animal quarantine on arrival. So ask your airline and the quarantine office well before you travel.
- Protected wildlife products. Ivory, some corals and similar items need CITES papers, and many are simply banned.
How to fill in the customs declaration
If you use the red lane, you complete a short passenger declaration. Officers give you the form, and there are versions in English. On it, you list:
- Your name, passport number and flight.
- Cash and gold above the limits.
- Goods above the duty-free allowance, or goods that need a permit.
Then the officer checks your bags, calculates any duty, and stamps your copy. So keep that copy until you leave Vietnam.
Leaving Vietnam: how to claim a VAT refund
Under Vietnam customs rules and tax rules, foreign visitors can get back part of the VAT on goods they take out of Vietnam. The rules come from Decree 181/2025/ND-CP and Circular 84/2026/TT-BTC:
| Condition | Rule |
|---|---|
| Who can claim | Foreign passport holders and overseas Vietnamese, leaving Vietnam on that passport |
| Where to buy | Shops registered to sell goods with VAT refund, usually with a “Tax Refund” sign |
| Minimum spend | VND 2 million per invoice; invoices from the same shop on the same day can be combined |
| Time limit | The refund invoice must be issued within 60 days before you leave |
| Goods | New, in original packaging, and allowed on the aircraft |
| How much you get | 85% of the VAT paid; the bank keeps 15% as a service fee |
| Deadline at the airport | Show the goods and the invoice to customs at least 30 minutes before departure |
VAT refund step by step
- First, show your passport when you pay, and ask for the VAT refund invoice and declaration.
- Then, at the departure airport, take the goods and the paperwork to the customs VAT refund desk before check-in, or at the boarding pass check.
- Next, pass immigration and security as usual.
- Finally, collect the refund at the bank counter in the departure area, in dong or in foreign currency.
Leaving Vietnam: what customs checks on departure
When you leave, Vietnam customs rules are simpler, but a few still apply:
- Cash and gold. The same limits apply: declare foreign cash above USD 5,000, dong above VND 15 million, and gold of 300 g or more.
- Antiques and cultural items. You cannot take genuine antiques out without a permit, so keep the shop’s receipt for reproductions.
- Protected species. Products made from protected animals or plants need CITES papers.
Vietnam customs rules and your arrival plan
Customs is the last step at the airport, after the visa and passport control. Two things make the whole arrival smoother:
- A correct e-visa. Immigration checks it before you even reach customs, so the details must match your passport exactly. You can apply for a Vietnam e-visa with us, and we check every detail before we submit it.
- Airport Fast Track. Our staff meet you on arrival and take you through the fast-track lane at immigration. Customs rules still apply to everyone, but you reach the baggage hall much sooner. See our Vietnam airport fast track service.
For the full order of steps from the aircraft door to the taxi rank, read our Vietnam entry procedure guide.
FAQ about Vietnam customs rules
Do I need to fill in a customs form when I arrive in Vietnam?
Only if you have something to declare. If everything fits the duty-free allowance and the cash and gold limits, you simply walk through the green lane.
How much cash can I bring into Vietnam without declaring?
Up to USD 5,000 in foreign currency, or the equivalent, and up to VND 15 million in dong. Above that, declare it at the red lane.
Can I bring a vape to Vietnam?
No. E-cigarettes and heated tobacco products are banned in Vietnam, including possession and use.
Can I bring medicine into Vietnam?
Yes, for personal use, in its original packaging, with a prescription or a doctor’s letter. However, controlled medicines are limited to a short supply.
What is the duty-free alcohol allowance in Vietnam?
For travellers aged 18 or over, it is 1.5 litres of spirits, 2 litres of wine or other drinks under 20%, and 3 litres of beer.
How much VAT do tourists get back in Vietnam?
You receive 85% of the VAT paid on eligible goods, because the refund bank keeps 15% as a fee. Each invoice must be at least VND 2 million.
Facts checked on 8 November 2026 against Decree 134/2016/ND-CP Article 6 (as summarised by Thư Viện Nhà Đất), Tax and Customs Magazine on Decree 169/2026/ND-CP, UK travel advice for Vietnam, the Embassy of Vietnam in Canada on customs and medication, LuatVietnam on VAT refunds for foreigners and Resolution 173/2024/QH15. Rules can change, so check with Vietnam Customs before you travel if you carry unusual goods.
Share this article: