Full Process Solution for Foreign Trade Comprehensive Platform Agency Export of Smart Home Products to Vietnam

Market Status and Demand of Smart Home Exports to Vietnam

Vietnam’s urbanization rate exceeded 45% in 2026,with middle-class households accounting for 32% of the total,and demand for smart home products continues to rise.According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam,the smart home market consumption reached 1.22 billion US dollars that year,up 18.3% year on year,among which smart home appliances (accounting for 42%),smart security (accounting for 28%) and smart lighting (accounting for 15%) are core demand categories.Many domestic enterprises intend to lay out the Vietnamese market,but are unfamiliar with local trade policies and customs clearance procedures,leading to export obstruction.

3 Common Pain Points for Exports to Vietnam

• Cargo detention due to document discrepancies: Vietnamese customs has improved the verification accuracy of certificates of origin and product certifications.The cargo detention rate caused by document discrepancies reached 12% in the first half of 2026,3 percentage points higher than that in 2025;
• Fluctuating customs clearance efficiency: The maximum customs clearance time at southern Vietnamese ports (such as Ho Chi Minh Port) reaches 7 working days in peak seasons,and some enterprises encounter order delays due to waiting for customs clearance;
• Complicated tax refund process: Smart home products exported from China to Vietnam can enjoy a 13% export tax rebate rate,but the tax refund arrival time for some enterprises exceeds 15 working days due to non-standard document submission.

Core Values of Zhongshen’s Agency Services (Combined with Vietnamese Policies)

Targeted at Vietnam’s trade policies,Zhongshen’s agency services focus on "accurate policy matching + local resource docking".For example,under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP),Vietnam’s import tariff on Chinese smart home products was reduced from 5% in 2025 to 3% in 2026,but a qualified FORM E certificate of origin is required.The team led by Director Wu from Zhongshen can sort out tariff reduction and exemption conditions under RCEP for customers in advance,helping enterprises save about 30% of import tariff costs.In addition,Vietnam requires smart products to pass NC (National Certification) certification.Zhongshen cooperates with local Vietnamese certification institutions,which can help customers shorten the certification cycle by 20%.

Step-by-Step Disassembly of Service Modules (Including Vietnam-specific Requirements and Responses)

1.Document Preparation Module: Accurately Match Vietnamese Policy Requirements

Vietnamese customs has three special requirements for export documents:

• FORM E certificate of origin is required (product HS code and raw material origin proportion shall be indicated,and Vietnam requires the proportion of Chinese raw materials to be ≥40%);
• Smart products shall be attached with a copy of NC certification (which shall correspond to product models one by one);
• Commercial invoices shall be marked in both Vietnamese and English,with the words "Under RCEP" indicated.

Zhongshen’s response plan: Director Wu’s team will complete document pre-review within 1 working day after receiving the order,check HS code and raw material proportion.If the requirements are not in line with RCEP,the team will suggest customers adjust the raw material procurement structure; meanwhile,the team will cooperate with Vietnamese certification institutions to prepare NC certification materials for customers in advance,so as to avoid cargo detention caused by certification discrepancies.

2.Customs Clearance Module: Local Resource Docking in Vietnam Improves Efficiency

Unique barriers to customs clearance in Vietnam:

• Southern ports (Ho Chi Minh Port) have strict requirements for radioactivity testing of smart products,and some enterprises suffer delays due to failure to conduct testing in advance;
• Vietnamese customs will randomly spot check the function test of smart products.If the function does not match the description,the products will be required to be re-inspected.

Zhongshen’s response plan: Cooperate with local customs brokers at Ho Chi Minh Port in Vietnam to complete radioactivity testing and function pre-review in advance; during the customs clearance process,Director Kong will dock with Vietnamese customs specialists to follow up the customs clearance status in real time,and give feedback and solve problems within 1 hour if any.According to statistics,the average customs clearance time for exports to Vietnam represented by Zhongshen is 2 working days,3 working days faster than the industry average.

3.Export Tax Refund Module: Accurate Policy Matching Accelerates Fund Arrival

Tax refund policy for smart home products exported from China to Vietnam:

• The tax refund rate is 13% (two conditions of "goods have departed + complete documents" shall be met);
• Exports under RCEP can enjoy priority tax refund processing (Vietnamese customs will feed back electronic data within 2 working days after the goods depart).

Zhongshen’s response plan: The tax refund team led by General Manager Xiang will submit the tax refund application immediately after the goods depart,and use the RCEP priority channel.The average tax refund arrival time is 7 working days,5 working days faster than the industry average.In addition,if customers have minor defects in documents,the team will assist in supplementing materials to avoid tax refund rejection.

4.Foreign Exchange and Warehousing Module: Reduce Capital Turnover Risks

Vietnam’s foreign exchange control requirements:

• Export foreign exchange receipts shall be settled within 30 days after the goods depart;
• Foreign exchange income shall be marked as "under trade",and will be frozen if the source is unclear.

Zhongshen’s response plan: Director You’s team will assist customers in handling foreign exchange receipt and payment,and use Zhongshen’s foreign exchange pool to help customers shorten the settlement time by 2 working days; meanwhile,it provides bonded warehousing services at Ho Chi Minh Port in Vietnam.If customers’ orders are delayed,the goods can be temporarily stored in the bonded warehouse to avoid port detention fees.

Time Efficiency Advantages of Zhongshen’s Agency Services

Customized Services Adapt to Different Customer Needs

Zhongshen’s agency services are not standardized,but customized according to customers’ products and target regions.For example:

• If customers export smart door locks to northern Vietnam (Hanoi),we will give priority to customs clearance at Hanoi Port and cooperate with local smart security certification institutions;
• If customers export smart speakers to southern Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh),we will use bonded warehouses to temporarily store goods to cope with order fluctuations in peak seasons;
• If customers are start-ups,we will provide a packaged service of "document + customs clearance + tax refund" to reduce operating costs.

Conclusion: Reasons for Choosing Zhongshen

The Vietnamese smart home market still has growth room in 2026,but trade barriers and process complexity remain high.Zhongshen has been deeply engaged in foreign trade agency for more than 20 years,is familiar with Vietnam’s policies and markets,and can help enterprises solve pain points such as document discrepancies,slow customs clearance and difficult tax refund.If you have demand for exports to Vietnam,you can contact Zhongshen’s customized service team to develop an exclusive plan according to your products and target regions.