The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (the Department) is the Australian government authority responsible for export registration, inspection and certification of Australian food and agricultural exports.

All premises involved in the production of fish and fish products for export, including fishing vessels where fish is prepared for export must be registered with the Department. For more information or assistance with the export registration process contact the Department's Dairy, Eggs and Fish program at dairyeggsfish@aff.gov.au.

Exceptions to establishment registration

Preparation of goods at an export registered establishment and an export permit is not required if you are exporting the following, as these goods are not prescribed under the Export Control (Fish & Fish products) Rules 2021:

1. liquid fish and liquid fish products exported in a consignment of not more than 10 litres;
2. dried fish and dried fish products (other than dried abalone) exported in a consignment of not more than 2 kilograms;
3. fish products where fish or fish products are not the major component;
4. fish or fish products that are animal food or pharmaceutical material;
5. fish or fish products not covered by paragraphs (a) to (d) (other than dried abalone) exported in a consignment of not more than 10 kilograms;
6. fish or fish products in the form of a tablet or capsule.
   

Note

However, if Vietnam requires a government certificate for the entry of the above goods, a certificate can be issued by the Department – provided that the goods have been prepared in an export registered establishment.

​​Establishment listing requirements for approval to export non-viable seafood products from Australia

Export establishments wanting to export non-viable fish and fish products to Vietnam require approval and listing with Vietnam’s Department of Animal Health (DAH) prior to exporting. Export establishments must be included in the list of approved establishments published on Vietnam's Department of Animal Health (DAH) website in order for non-viable seafood products to be accepted for import to Vietnam.

Note

Listing requirements do not apply to freight ​​forwarders and cold stores that only store product for export.

Establishment Listing Process

To obtain the DAH approval and listing, under Vietnam’s Decree No. 15/2018/ND-CP, the export registered establishment that packs the fish and fish products into their final form for export is required to complete an application form that the Department will then provide to the DAH.

The Department has developed the following templates for seafood export establishments to assist with completing establishment listing applications for Vietnam. These templates were developed to standardise applications and facilitate assessment/ approval of applications by DAH:​

• Aquaculture products
  • Application forms (Form 7 and Form 9) (DOCX 68 KB)
    
• Wild caught products
  • Application forms (Form 7 and Form 9) (DOCX 71 KB​)​
    

Contact the Dairy Eggs Fish Export program for more information or assistance with completion of the listing application.

The completed application must be submitted to the Dairy Eggs Fish Export program at dairyeggsfish@aff.gov.au for assessment and endorsement. Incomplete or inaccurate applications will be returned for amendment. A fee-for-service charge is applied for the assessment of overseas listing applications. The Department will then submit the verified applications directly to Vietnam's DAH.

Note

Vietnamese authorities may request on-site audits of any approved premises and may require an onsite audit prior to listing approval in some instances. Where Vietnam choose to audit an establishment, there may be costs to the establishment arising out of these activities.

Vietnam’s Directorate of Fisheries identifies the species of live fish that are permitted to be imported into Vietnam in Appendix VIII Decree 26/2019/ND-CP – refer to section 1.4 for details of permitted live fish species.

The process for adding new species to this list is prescribed in Decree 26/2019/ND-CP. Applications are subject to a risk assessment by the Directorate of Fisheries.

Note

The Department will be unable to facilitate the release of any detained consignments of non-approved species.

Sourcing of fish and fish products

Vietnam has no known specific requirements for sourcing of fish and fish products that differ from those required by the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

Sourcing, slaughter and post-mortem inspection of crocodiles

Australia does not have access for crocodile to Vietnam​.

Vietnam's microbiological requirements for certain seafood products are set out in Vietnam's Circular 5/2012/TT-BYT of 1 March 2012 promulgating the national technical regulations on microbiological contaminants in food.

The Department is aware that Vietnamese authorities may undertake port-of-entry testing of imported food, including seafood products, to verify compliance with the Circular 5/2012/TT-BYT. The following table outlines the maximum limits of micro-organisms allowed for certain seafood products (Circular 5/2012/TT-BYT). The following Circular includes maximum limits for all foods:

• Circular No. 5 of 2012 National Technical Regulations on Microbiological Contaminants in Food (PDF 120 KB)

A failure to comply with specified microbiological limits may result in the consignment being seized and ordered to be re-exported or destroyed, and the importer may be fined.

Vietnam residue standards

Maximum residue limits (MRLs) or import tolerances for residues of specific agricultural and veterinary chemicals approved for use in Australia may not exist in Vietnam or may be established at levels lower than those established in Australia. Maximum Limits (MLs) for contaminants may also vary between Vietnam and Australia.

Food business operators should note that:

• These differences can be interrogated case-by-case by considering the Vietnam standards and the Australian standards.
• Any detection of a residue above the Vietnam ​MRLs/MLs (as applicable) at the border may result in rejection of the consignment.

Note

Importing country residue standards can usually be found via the official webpages of their competent authority. Links to a limited number of export markets and Australia are provided on the DAFF website.

​​Vietnam has no known specific operational requirements that differ from those required by the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

Vietnam has no known specific premises and equipment requirements that differ from those required by the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

​​Vietnam has no known specific requirements for the preparation of live fish that differ from those required by the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

Vietnam has no known specific requirements for the preparation of non-viable fish that differ from those required by the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

Australia does not have access for crocodile to Vietnam.

​​Vietnam has no known specific requirements for packaging that differ from those required by the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

Vietnam has no known specific requirements for labelling that differ from those required by the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

Vietnam has no known specific requirements for Shelf life that differ from those required by the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

​​Vietnam has no known specific requirements for shipping marks that differ from those required by the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

​​Vietnam has no known specific requirements for refrigeration, transfer and loadout that differ from those required by the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

​​Exporters should confirm with their importer if an import permit is required for their product.

The Department is aware that Vietnamese authorities may undertake port-of-entry testing of imported food, including fish and fish products, to verify compliance with the Circular 5/2012/TT-BYT. Please refer to section 2.2 for further information.

Live finfish, bivalves, crustaceans, echinoderms, gastropods, cephalopods and tunicates

For permitted species of live finfish, bivalves, crustaceans, echinoderms, gastropods, cephalopods and tunicates, use an FX46VN Certificate as to Condition with endorsement 4006.

For permitted species of live finfish, bivalves, crustaceans, echinoderms, gastropods, cephalopods and tunicates which are destined for the EU, use an FX46VN Certificate as to Condition with endorsement 4569.

As outlined in section 1.4, only those live seafood species listed in Appendix VIII of Decree 26/2019/ND-CP are eligible to be exported to Vietnam for human consumption.

Embedded endorsement

I hereby certify that to the best of my knowledge the conditions or restrictions applicable under the particular inspection system prescribed under the Export Control Act have been complied with in respect of the prescribed goods described above, being goods that are:

1. In sound condition
2. Fit for human consumption
3. Of Australian origin

Additional endorsement 4006 – Fish

These products have been processed in accordance with Codex Alimentarius Commission Principles for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) and relevant codes of hygienic practice.

In accordance with the inspection system regulated by the competent authority, these products are not contaminated with pathogenic micro-organisms of concern.

In accordance with the inspection system regulated by the competent authority and Australia’s National Residue survey for wild-caught fish and aquaculture, these products do not contain harmful or foreign substances or chemicals.

Additional endorsement 4569 – EU endorsement

These products have been processed in accordance with Codex Alimentarius Commission Principles for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) and relevant codes of hygienic practice. In accordance with the inspection system regulated by the competent authority, these products are not contaminated with pathogenic micro-organisms of concern. In accordance with the inspection system regulated by the competent authority and Australia's National Residue survey for wild-caught fish and aquaculture, these products do not contain harmful or foreign substances or chemicals. These products have been produced at establishments which, at the time of production of the product, were approved to process and export fishery product to the European Union.

Non-viable finfish, bivalves, crustaceans, echinoderms, gastropods, cephalopods and tunicates

For non-viable finfish, bivalves, crustaceans, echinoderms, gastropods, cephalopods and tunicates, use an FX46VN Certificate as to Condition with endorsement 4006.

For non-viable finfish, bivalves, crustaceans, echinoderms, gastropods, cephalopods and tunicates destined for the EU, use an FX46VN Certificate as to Condition with endorsement 4569.

Embedded endorsement

I hereby certify that to the best of my knowledge the conditions or restrictions applicable under the particular inspection system prescribed under the Export Control Act have been complied with in respect of the prescribed goods described above, being goods that are:

1. In sound condition
2. Fit for human consumption
3. Of Australian origin

Additional endorsement 4006 – Fish

These products have been processed in accordance with Codex Alimentarius Commission Principles for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) and relevant codes of hygienic practice.

In accordance with the inspection system regulated by the competent authority, these products are not contaminated with pathogenic micro-organisms of concern.

In accordance with the inspection system regulated by the competent authority and Australia’s National Residue survey for wild-caught fish and aquaculture, these products do not contain harmful or foreign substances or chemicals.

Additional endorsement 4569 – EU endorsement

These products have been processed in accordance with Codex Alimentarius Commission Principles for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) and relevant codes of hygienic practice. In accordance with the inspection system regulated by the competent authority, these products are not contaminated with pathogenic micro-organisms of concern. In accordance with the inspection system regulated by the competent authority and Australia's National Residue survey for wild-caught fish and aquaculture, these products do not contain harmful or foreign substances or chemicals. These products have been produced at establishments which, at the time of production of the product, were approved to process and export fishery product to the European Union.

​​There is no agreed certification for import of crocodile meat into Vietnam.

The Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021 does not regulate fish and fish products not for human consumption. Establishments processing such products are not required to be export registered with the Department unless it is a requirement of the importing country. Exporters are encouraged to confirm the eligibility and import requirements of their product with their importer, or directly with the importing country competent authority prior to export.

Importing countries may require a health certificate be provided for fish and fish products not for human consumption. If a health certificate is required, contact the Department's non-prescribed goods program at NPGExports@aff.gov.au for further information.​

The Department is not aware of any prohibited fish products. Additional information relating to fish and fish products not for human consumption may also be found on the corresponding Meat Micor page. Exporters should check with their importers to determine if the products are permitted for import to Vietnam.