How to Get a Certificate of Origin in Vietnam

A certificate of origin is an important document when doing business in Vietnam because it is required for international trade and shipments under the national law. The certificate indicates where the goods concerned are produced or manufactured. And with that information, traders must comply with the legal and administrative regulations, and trade policies based on the goods’ country of origin.

A notarised certificate of origin in Vietnam may significantly reduce the tariffs or taxes of products, allowing importers to enjoy certain tax benefits or other preferential treatments. On the other hand, a legal certificate of origin in Vietnam may help bar international shipments from some prohibited countries.

In most cases, a certificate of origin is mandatory although the commercial or sales invoice already contains the origin country information. Foreign investors or entities in Vietnam can acquire the certificate of origin from Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade or the Chamber of Industry and Commerce. You may also get the certificate from other authorised organisations or agencies.

Procedure for Applying for a Certificate of Origin in Vietnam

All business owners must adhere to the following procedure to obtain a certificate of origin:

1. Go through this checklist before proceeding with the application:

• Determine the origin of goods and its applicable regulations
• Know the HS code of the goods
• Determine the free trade agreement that is signed with the importing country and its related tariffs
• Check if the goods belong to the list of incomplete processing steps
• Compare tax rates to choose the correct form for tax incentives
• Check if goods meet the applicable laws of the country of origin

2. Submit required commercial documents if you are a trader applying for the certificate of origin for the first time. Your profile as a trader for submission shall consist of the below documents or information:

• Trader’s information, list of traders’ establishments for production, registration of authorized person’s specimen signatures signing the certificate of origin form, and trader’s seal
• Registration of seal certificate specimen
• Investment certificate, business registration certificate, or enterprise registration certificate

3. Submit application dossiers in regard to a new application of certificate of origin:

• Export documents including application form, sales or commercial invoice, export customs declaration, record note, transport document such as B/L or AWB, and fully-filled certificate of origin copies
• Documents as evidence of origin including demonstration of pure origin of goods, demonstration of non-pure origin of goods, quarantine certificate, and others

4. A certificate of origin can be regranted if it is expired or lost. For the application of regranting the certificate of origin, you must submit the following dossiers:

• Application form
• Fully-filled certificate of origin copies
• Receipts and note cards
• Old certificate of origin
• Other documents as proof of reasons for the re-issuance of the certificate

5. Declare the certificate of origin online.

6. Once the application is approved, the certificate of origin will be issued.

How Cekindo can Assist

Cekindo is a renowned and established business solution company that can assist you in acquiring your certificate of origin in Vietnam. Our expertise and capability makes handling tedious paperwork and going through complicated processes so much simpler for our clients.

Our team of business and legal consultants are professional, knowledgeable, and focused, constantly striving to attain client satisfaction and fulfill your dream of doing business in Vietnam.

Our reach is not just restricted to clients in Vietnam, but we are serving foreign investors and companies all over the world. If you need further assistance, simply fill out the inquiry form below.