Customs Regulations And Strategies To Optimize Customs Clearance Channels

Discover Vietnam’s customs regulations and effective strategies to optimize customs clearance channels (Green, Yellow, Red). Learn how businesses can speed up clearance, reduce logistics costs, and minimize risks with expert support from SAS Logistics.

✅ Declarations are cleared immediately after electronic submission, with no requirement for hard-copy documents and no physical inspection of goods.
👉 Meaning: Businesses shorten delivery times, reduce logistics costs, and maintain credibility with global customers.

🟨 Declarations require submission of paper documents such as contracts, invoices, and packing lists for customs verification.
👉 Meaning: Any error or inconsistency in documents may cause delays, additional explanations, and the risk of being moved to physical inspection.

🔴 Declarations undergo both document checks and physical inspections, either manual or via container scanning.
👉 Meaning: This is the strictest inspection level, often causing shipment delays—especially critical for urgent exports or production inputs.

Companies with consistent compliance, accurate declarations, and full tax payments are ranked higher and more likely to enter the Green channel.

Goods subject to specialized management (e.g., food, pharmaceuticals, chemicals) or high tariffs are more likely to fall into Yellow/Red channels to prevent fraud.

Shipments with clear origin and proper supporting documents are more likely to qualify for Green clearance. Conversely, restricted or high-risk items are often subject to strict checks.

Shipments transported via high-risk routes or insecure methods face higher chances of stricter inspection.

Goods originating from countries or territories under customs warnings are more likely to be placed in Yellow/Red channels.

Achieving Green channel clearance helps businesses save significant time and costs. To increase the chances, companies should:
– Ensure strict customs compliance: Declare accurate HS codes, customs values, and assume responsibility for all information on the declaration. Even small mistakes can place businesses in a higher-risk category.
– Minimize amendments or cancellations of declarations: Frequent changes lower customs’ trust. Declarations should be carefully prepared before submission.
– Maintain accurate and consistent documentation: All details in contracts, invoices, packing lists, and bills of lading must match. Any discrepancies may trigger Yellow/Red channel clearance.
– Cooperate actively in Red channel inspections: Transparent communication and clear documentation build credibility for future transactions.
– Build a long-term compliance record: Customs evaluates enterprises based on years of history, not just a few declarations. Consistency in compliance increases the likelihood of Green clearance.

– Customs channeling is currently governed by Customs Law 2014, Circular 38/2015/TT-BTC, and Circular 39/2018/TT-BTC.
– Green channel clearance does not mean “permanent exemption”—customs authorities can still conduct random inspections.
– Businesses must stay updated on regulatory and tax changes to adjust their declarations accordingly.

With over 20 years of expertise in logistics and customs brokerage, SAS Logistics provides more than just electronic declaration services: Strategic consulting to increase Green channel success rates.
– Document checking and review before submission to minimize errors.
– Acting as your representative to work directly with customs authorities in case of issues.
– End-to-end solutions for transportation, warehousing, and distribution to optimize your supply chain.