The Government issued Decree No. 169/2026/ND-CP stipulating penalties for administrative violations in the customs sector.
Regarding violations of regulations on customs declaration of people exiting and entering the country for foreign currencies in cash, Vietnamese Dong in cash, transfer tools, gold, other precious metals, and gemstones, the Decree stipulates:
1. People who exit the country with a passport or other valid papers instead of a passport issued by a competent authority of Vietnam or a foreign country, passport without declaring or incorrectly declaring the amount of foreign currency in cash belonging to the type of currency allowed to be carried, Vietnamese Dong in cash, gold carried exceeding the prescribed level when exiting the country shall be fined as follows:
a) A fine of between 1,000,000 VND and 3,000,000 VND shall be imposed in case of carrying more than the prescribed level and the violating exhibits have a value equivalent to between 5,000 VND and less than 30,000,000 VND;
b) A fine of between VND 5,000,000 and VND 15,000,000 shall be imposed in case of carrying more than the prescribed level and the violating exhibits are worth equivalent to VND 30,000,000 to less than VND 70,000,000;
c) A fine of between 15,000 VND and 25,000 VND shall be imposed in case of carrying more than the prescribed level and the violating exhibits have a value equivalent to between 70,000 VND and less than 100,000 VND;
d) A fine of between 30,000 VND and 50,000 VND shall be imposed in case of carrying more than the prescribed level and the violating exhibits have a value equivalent to 100,000 VND or more without being prosecuted for criminal liability.
2. Persons entering with a passport or other valid papers instead of a passport issued by a Vietnamese or foreign competent authority, passport that does not declare or falsely declares the amount of foreign currency in cash belonging to the type of currency allowed to be carried, Vietnamese Dong in cash, gold carried exceeding the prescribed level when entering, except for the cases specified in Clause 3 of this Article, shall be fined as follows:
a) A fine of between 1,000,000 VND and 2,000,000 VND shall be imposed in case of carrying more than the prescribed level and the violating exhibits have a value equivalent to between 5,000 VND and less than 50,000 VND;
b) A fine of between VND 5,000,000,000 and VND 10,000,000,000 shall be imposed in case of carrying more than the prescribed level and the violating exhibits have an equivalent value from VND 50,000,000,000 to less than VND 100,000,000,000;
c) A fine of between VND 10,000,000 and VND 20,000,000 shall be imposed in case of carrying more than the prescribed level and the violating exhibits are worth equivalent to VND 100,000,000 or more without being prosecuted for criminal liability.
3. Violating the provisions of Clause 2 above, if the amount of foreign currency in cash, Vietnamese Dong in cash, and gold declared is more than the actual amount carried, the penalty is as follows:
a) A fine of between VND 2,000,000 and VND 5,000 shall be imposed for cases where the amount of foreign currency in cash, Vietnamese Dong in cash, and gold declared is more than the actual amount brought with, with a value equivalent from VND 5,000 to less than VND 20,000,000;
b) A fine of between VND 5,000,000 and VND 15,000,000 shall be imposed for cases where the amount of foreign currency in cash, Vietnamese Dong in cash, and gold declared is more than the actual amount brought with, with a value equivalent from VND 20,000,000,00 to less than VND 100,000,000.
c) A fine of between 15,000 VND and 25,000 VND shall be imposed in cases where the amount of foreign currency in cash, Vietnamese Dong in cash, and gold declared is more than the actual amount carried with a value equivalent to 100,000 VND or more without being prosecuted for criminal liability.
The Decree also stipulates a fine of up to 50,000 VND for people entering and leaving the country who do not declare/declare incorrectly when carrying unlicensed money.
A fine of up to 50,000 VND is imposed on people entering and leaving Vietnam who do not declare/declare incorrectly the number of precious metals and gemstones they carry.
