On 09 September 2026, the Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health issued Official Letter No. 3486/CNTY-KD&TYCĐ to resolve difficulties in the customs clearance of consignments of terrestrial animal products and fresh and frozen aquatic products imported for use as food, while ensuring consistent implementation at border checkpoints.
1. Carrying out food safety inspection under the new regulations
Pursuant to Circular No. 22/2026/TT-BNNMT, from 01 September 2026, state inspection of food safety under the normal inspection method and the strict inspection method for imported food falling under the management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is decentralized to the agency assigned or designated by the Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee.
In practice, however, enterprises still encounter difficulties when carrying out procedures for certain imported animal and aquatic products used as food.
2. Unprocessed, pre-packaged goods: not subject to self-declaration of products
For terrestrial animal products and aquatic animal products used as food in unprocessed, pre-packaged form, when carrying out inspection procedures under the reduced inspection method, enterprises face difficulties because the dossier requires a self-declaration of product, whereas under Article 4 of Decree 15/2018/NĐ-CP these products are not subject to self-declaration.
The Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health stated that the Department of Animal Health and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development had previously issued guiding documents to the customs authority, requesting clearance of consignments that had been granted an import quarantine certificate.
3. Continuing to apply the previous guidance pending new regulations
To prevent goods from being held up at border checkpoints and to ensure uniform handling, the Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health requests the Customs Department to direct border-gate customs units to continue implementing the guidance in:
- Official Letter No. 358/TY-KD dated 08 March 2019 of the Department of Animal Health;
- Official Letter No. 3581/BNN-QLCL dated 23 May 2019 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
This guidance is based on the fact that the above products have been inspected and assessed as meeting import requirements under Decree 15/2018/NĐ-CP, and that the manufacturing establishments apply one of the quality management systems such as GMP, HACCP, ISO 22000, IFS, BRC, FSSC 22000 or equivalent.
4. Enterprises may look up the list of establishments permitted to export to Vietnam
The Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health announced that it has published the list of production and trading establishments of countries/territories eligible to export animal and aquatic products used as food to Vietnam.
Enterprises may use these lists to look up and cross-check information on manufacturing establishments during customs procedures.
5. Points for importers to note
Enterprises importing food of terrestrial animal and aquatic origin, in particular fresh, frozen or unprocessed goods, should review:
(1) Whether the goods fall within the scope of state inspection of food safety;
(2) The applicable inspection method;
(3) Whether the inspection dossier actually requires a self-declaration of product;
(4) Whether the information on the foreign manufacturing establishment appears on the list of establishments eligible to export to Vietnam.
Checking these points in advance helps enterprises limit missing documents and avoid delays to the customs clearance schedule.
(According to Official Letter 3486/CNTY-KD&TYCĐ dated 09 September 2026)
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