Circular No. 16-BNgT/PC/HQ guides the sending and receiving of non-commercial goods in the form of gifts for small packages from families within the country with relatives residing in countries outside the socialist system.

CIRCULAR

DIRECTIVE OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN TRADE NO. 16-BNGT/PC/HQ DATED FEBRUARY 21, 1984 GUIDING THE SENDING AND RECEIVING OF NON-MERCANTILE GOODS IN THE FORM OF GIFTS FOR SMALL PACKAGES FROM DOMESTIC FAMILIES
WHO HAVE RELATIVES ABROAD IN NON-SOCIALIST SYSTEM COUNTRIES
WITHIN THE COUNTRY, THERE ARE RELATIVES SETTLING IN SOCIALIST COUNTRIES ABROAD.
FOREIGN COUNTRY SOCIALIST SYSTEM.

On October 19, 1983, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers issued Circular No. 275-CT supplementing certain specific regulations to implement Decision No. 151-HĐBT dated August 31, 1982 of the Council of Ministers regarding domestic families with relatives settled abroad in non-socialist system countries receiving money and goods sent by their relatives.

To facilitate domestic families sending and receiving small packages of non-mercantile goods in the form of gifts, and based on Article 26 of the Customs Regulations promulgated together with Decree No. 3-CP dated February 27, 1960 of the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Foreign Trade provides detailed guidance on the following points:

1. Small gift packages and the subjects eligible to send and receive such packages.

a. Small gift packages. Based on Circular No. 275-CT dated October 19, 1983 of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Article 26 of the Customs Regulations promulgated together with Decree No. 3-CP dated February 27, 1960 of the Council of Ministers, small gift packages are those gift packages with economic value not exceeding 500 (five hundred) Vietnamese dong (for gifts sent) or 1000 (one thousand) Vietnamese dong (for gifts received) according to the tax rate for non-mercantile goods set by the Ministry of Finance.

b. Subjects eligible to send and receive small gift packages:

According to the regulations of the Council of Ministers, domestic families with relatives settled abroad in non-socialist system countries sending and receiving small gift packages are all facilitated without distinction whether these families belong to the subject of Decision No. 151-HĐBT or not.

2. Procedures for sending and receiving small gift packages.

Small gift packages within the specified value range, not included in the list of prohibited export and import items (prohibited export and import items listed in Appendix I and Appendix II attached to Directive No. 103-BNgT/PC/HQ dated March 3, 1983 of the Ministry of Foreign Trade), are exempt from permits, taxes, and registration in the sending and receiving records, and there is no limit on the number of times they can be sent or received.

For gifts sent or received that exceed the small package range (more than 500 Vietnamese dong - for gifts sent, or more than 1000 Vietnamese dong - for gifts received), the sender or recipient must comply with current regulations.

Each time procedures for sending or receiving small gift packages are carried out, the sender or recipient must pay a fee equal to 1% of the value of the gift to the customs authority or post office (where there is no customs organization).

3. Implementation Provisions.

Any actions exploiting the above regulations to send or receive non-mercantile goods under the guise of gifts illegally will be handled according to Circular No. 275-CT dated October 19, 1983 of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers and current customs laws.

This directive takes effect from March 1, 1984.

The General Department of Customs is responsible for providing detailed guidance to implement these regulations.