Hiya - at the risk of displaying my complete ignoreness - can I ask if this "CIRCULAR No. 16/2008/TT-BTC OF FEBRUARY 13, 2008, GUIDING THE IMPORT AND TEMPORARY IMPORT OF MOTORCYCLES FOR NON-COMMERCIAL PURPOSE" issued recently by the Vietnamese Ministry of Finance permits the importation of bikes into Vietnam? I've read a lot of posts on the HUBB saying that you can't take a bike into Vietnam, with discussions extending to possible cc limits, but this circular suggests, to me at least, that they've relaxed their stance a bit.

Any advice would be appreciated,

Cheers,

vince

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2upadventures.com

No personal experience, but [my] "interpretation" of this, FWIW:

2. Subjects of application
...
2.2. The following subjects may import or temporarily import used motorbikes under the mobile property regime (motorcycles manufactured within three years counting to the time of import):
a/ Agencies, organizations and individuals entitled to diplomatic privileges and immunities;
b/ Individuals entitled to tax incentives under the Vietnamese State’s regulations;
c/ Overseas Vietnamese permitted to repatriate and permanently reside in Vietnam;
d/ Vietnamese citizens who are assigned to work or act as experts overseas

is that you would have to fall into one of the categories a/ b/ c/ or d, in order to even temporarily import a used motorcycle.
Put another way, if you're the "usual" Horizons Unlimited touring motorcycle rider, riding a personally-owned machine from anywhere outside Vietnam into Vietnam, you would not fall into the above eligibile categories, and your bike would not be admitted.
But that's an "interpretation" of Vietnamese legal/ bureaucratese (which was probably originally translated from Vietnamese into English).

Seems to me like what they´re referring to in that circular is vehicles, that are really shipped to Vietnam (the requirements include a Bill of Lading), for diplomatic use, for expats who work there, maybe even for tour operators use. Not necessarily for a regular tourist - but I do hope I´m wrong about that!

Still it could be a very different story at any of their land borders.

Thanks for the clearer interpretation! My wishful thinking had me looking at it differently, but that's been set straight now!

Cheers,

vince

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2upadventures.com

Hi Vince:

I need to preface this reply by stating that I know nothing about Vietnam, and even less about their policies for importation of stuff.

However - I have visited a heck of a lot of oddball countries (almost all of Eastern Europe, and over half the ones in Africa), and I have never, ever heard of a restriction on a bona fide tourist being able to drive into a country with his or her car or motorcycle. Some countries will require a carnet, to provide them with assurance that you will take the vehicle out when you leave and not sell it there, but I have never heard of a country that simply won't let you enter for tourist purposes with your own vehicle.

I am going to take a guess that the memo issued by the government of Vietnam uses the word 'import' in the literal sense of the word - not in the sense of 'visit'. The policies in the document are actually the same as the temporary import policies followed by many other countries, and are likely not too different from the policies of Canada or Australia. However, I don't think that the author of that document intended it to apply to bona fide tourists. In other words, if you are an Australian, and you want to ride into Vietnam with your Australian registered motorcycle (and, by implication, ride out again when you are finished your tourism), you should probably be able to do that.

You might want to write a letter to the Embassy of Vietnam in your country asking for clarification of the what policy applies to tourists who want to drive in and out of the country with their own vehicle.

Pan, the issue of importation into Vietnam has been discussed many times on this forum and unfortunately it is not possible. I, myself tried it last year to no avail.

Sadly, there are many asian, and other, countries which will not allow importation of foreign registered vehicles into their country.

Garry from Oz.

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Garry from Oz - powered by Burgman

HI Im looking at flying my bike into Vietnam from Nepal, on a temoory basis,
Has anyone got any updated news?