Once your volumetric weight is determined to price the freight, please note that you may expect more charges and taxes added by airlines companies and airports (Airport tax, LTA fees, Security tax, Risk insurance tax, Fuel surcharge tax)
Express Air freight – What is it?
Express Air freight is commonly used to ship parcels or very small volumes. Companies operating express services generally offer door-to-door or point-of-delivery solutions. The price will obviously be more expensive per kilo, but this method ensures a fast and efficient service for parcels to be delivered as soon as possible.
DocShipper advise you to use the Express Air freight solution if the weight of your shipment or parcel is less than 100 Kgs and if you are in the rush to receive your good.
How door-to-door services are helpful?
From A to Z enables to ensure the fluidity of your transfer. Indeed, our collaborators in Vietnam and in Hong Kong will cooperate to avoid all delays or added costs due to communication mistakes between all the entities responsible for your freight. Hence, for example the customs clearance will totally be under control, thanks to the proficiency of our collaborators with the Hong Kong and Vietnamese customs.
Here you can find a non-exhaustive list of courier companies:
Companies for Classic Air freight between Vietnam and Hong Kong
Please note that as classic air freight, the express air freight companies will also base their rates on volumetric weight, the equivalence rule is 1 CBM = 200 kg.
How to I lodge my Import Declaration ?
First step, go to the official website of the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department.
Once you are on the main page, you will scroll on the left tabs to reach “Cargo Clearance”.
And then more tabs will be declined, you will just drag the mouse on “Import and Export Declaration”, to finally reach “Lodgement of Declaration Forms”.
Let's see the next step.
As said on this screen shot, you will be redirected to a Hong Kong government-approved online filing service.
Please note that the importer should file an “Import Declaration” within 14 days from the import.
Import and Export Declaration Charges in Hong Kong
As you will get duties and taxes exemption for most of general products entering Hong Kong's territory, there are still Declaration Charges to take into account for both Import and Export Declarations.
Tariffs and Taxes
Knowing the precise cost and the rate for the importation of your goods is a serious deal. For each member of the World Trade Organization the HS code is used (composed of 6 numbers). This numbers defines the nature of your good (by ID).
Vietnam is aligned with the Harmonized Tariff System (HTS)
Here is the composition of an HS Code, you can now see what an HS code is and what does it mean.
To find the right HS Code of your product, you can search on any country’s Tariff Database by entering a keyword, just like “pineapple”.
Once you have the HS Code of your product, it would be interesting for you to know the exact rate for importation of pineapples from Hong Kong to Vietnam.
Go to the the official website : Customs in Vietnam
Reach the Tariff Database page
Let's have a look on the following steps :
Remark DocShipper: Due to the recent Agreement between ASEAN Countries and Hong Kong and China (AHKCTA), the preferential tariff does not appear on the system as it will take effect on 2020.
The result of the search appears at the bottom of the page :
Now you just have to click on the code
Now let's check the rate :
Interpretation of customs tariff in Vietnam
In this picture you can see the rate for the importation of pineapples into Vietnam, you will pay 30% duties and taxes when it come from Hong Kong and China.
Necessary documents
The Bill of Lading is equivalent to a passport and a boarding card for your shipment. Depending on the method used to transfer your goods, it can be an Airway Bill (for Air Freight) or a Bill of Lading (for Ocean Freight). It is also a document testifying of the legality of the transfer, because it is emitted once the carrier received payment for its services. This document is important for all international transfer of commercial goods.
The following pictures are detailing what information are provided on a Bill of Lading:
- 1 = Shipper
- 2 = Consignee
- 3 = Notify party
- 4 = Vessel No.
- 5 = Port of loading / discharge
- 6 = Place of receipt / delivery
- 7 = Container No.
- 8 = Goods description
- 9 = Net weight
- 10 = Dimensions / volume
The original invoice
The customs will see this like a confirmation that the goods received are the same in the declaration.
The packing list
The packing list is summing up all the items included in your shipment. You should attach the MSDS data sheet and the international code, if you’re importing hazardous or chemical products in Australia.
Certificate of Origin
This document is very important if you’re wishing that your import can be treated under any preferential import tariff. It is the only legal document to prove the origin of your goods. Like the Bill of Lading, the Certificate of Origin is a very important document for all international import. The document must be signed by the manufacturer and delivered by a government agency of the country of origin.
Here is what it looks like (for China here):
If the customs and declaration procedure remain a difficult task, or simply if you are in the lack of time, just send us an email or call us!
Additional services
Our warehousing and storage services
Strategically located near the ports of HCMC (Saigon), Haiphong and Quy Nhon. We are therefore able to receive your shipping for as long as you need it, before sending it to Hong Kong (or anywhere else for that matter), or delivering it to Vietnam. If you have a plan to consolidate a full container by several shipments from different suppliers, or conversely you receive a full container and you want to split and supply to multi-destination. We also have the solution for you !
