How Much Cash Can You Bring Into Vietnam? Declaration Thresholds and Fines (2026)
You must declare cash to customs when entering or leaving Vietnam by passport if you carry more than US$5,000 (or the equivalent in another currency) or more than 15,000,000 VND. Gold jewellery of 300 grams or more also needs declaring; gold bars or raw gold aren't allowed through passport control at all.
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If you carry more than US$5,000, or the equivalent in another currency, into or out of Vietnam by passport, you must declare it to customs. The same goes for more than 15,000,000 VND in cash. Gold jewellery of 300 grams or more also needs declaring. Gold bars or raw gold aren’t allowed through passport control at all.
Declaration Thresholds for Cash and Gold
Here’s the circular’s exact wording.
Cá nhân khi xuất cảnh, nhập cảnh qua các cửa khẩu quốc tế của Việt Nam bằng hộ chiếu mang theo ngoại tệ tiền mặt, đồng Việt Nam tiền mặt trên mức quy định dưới đây phải khai báo Hải quan cửa khẩu: a) 5.000 USD (Năm nghìn Đôla Mỹ) hoặc các loại ngoại tệ khác có giá trị tương đương; b) 15.000.000 VNĐ (Mười lăm triệu đồng Việt Nam).
A person entering or leaving Vietnam through an international border checkpoint by passport, carrying foreign-currency cash or Vietnamese-dong cash above these amounts, must declare it to customs: (a) US$5,000 or the equivalent in another currency; (b) 15,000,000 VND.
Thông tư 15/2011/TT-NHNN, Điều 2 khoản 1.
Here’s the gold circular’s exact wording for jewellery.
Cá nhân Việt Nam và cá nhân nước ngoài xuất cảnh, nhập cảnh bằng hộ chiếu mang theo vàng trang sức, mỹ nghệ có tổng khối lượng từ 300g (ba trăm gam) trở lên phải khai báo với cơ quan Hải quan.
A Vietnamese or foreign individual exiting or entering Vietnam by passport carrying gold jewellery or fine-art gold articles with a total weight of 300 grams or more must declare it to customs.
Thông tư 11/2014/TT-NHNN, Điều 2 khoản 2.
And here’s its rule for gold bars and raw gold.
Cá nhân Việt Nam và cá nhân nước ngoài xuất cảnh, nhập cảnh bằng hộ chiếu không được phép mang theo vàng miếng, vàng nguyên liệu. Trường hợp cá nhân nước ngoài nhập cảnh vào Việt Nam mang theo vàng miếng, vàng nguyên liệu phải làm thủ tục gửi tại kho Hải quan để mang ra khi xuất cảnh hoặc làm thủ tục chuyển ra nước ngoài và phải chịu mọi chi phí liên quan phát sinh.
A Vietnamese or foreign individual exiting or entering Vietnam by passport isn’t allowed to carry gold bars or raw gold at all. If a foreign individual enters Vietnam carrying gold bars or raw gold, it must be deposited at a customs warehouse to take out again on exit, or sent abroad, at their own cost.
Thông tư 11/2014/TT-NHNN, Điều 2 khoản 1.
| What you’re carrying | Threshold that triggers declaration |
|---|---|
| Foreign-currency cash | More than US$5,000, or the equivalent in another currency |
| Vietnamese-dong cash | More than 15,000,000 VND |
| Gold jewellery or fine-art gold | 300 grams or more |
| Gold bars or raw gold | Not allowed through passport control at all |
How to Declare It
- Work out whether your cash or gold is over a threshold in the table above.
- If it is, fill in the passenger customs declaration form and hand it to customs at the border checkpoint.
- If you’re leaving with more than you declared on entry, get the right proof first — see below.
Leaving Vietnam With Foreign Currency
If you’re leaving with what you declared entering, or less
Present your stamped entry-exit declaration instead of a bank certificate, showing the amount you brought in. This works as long as you’re not carrying more than that amount and it’s your next exit within 12 months of the date on the declaration.
If you’re leaving with more than you declared entering
Show customs either a certificate from a licensed credit institution allowing you to carry that cash abroad, or a written approval from the State Bank of Vietnam.
The credit institution’s general director (or director), or someone they’ve authorised, issues that certificate; the State Bank itself considers and approves any other purpose in writing, case by case. The institution must issue the certificate, or reply in writing if it won’t, within 3 working days of getting a valid application with the right paperwork.
Depositing the cash you declared into a bank account
Depositing this cash into your own foreign-currency payment account at a licensed credit institution needs the customs-endorsed entry-exit declaration. Show it within 60 days of the date on the declaration.
Fines for Not Declaring
| Value of the undeclared cash or gold | Fine for entering without declaring |
|---|---|
| 5,000,000 to under 50,000,000 VND | 1,000,000–2,000,000 VND |
| 50,000,000 to under 100,000,000 VND | 5,000,000–10,000,000 VND |
| 100,000,000 VND or more | 10,000,000–20,000,000 VND |
| Value of the undeclared cash or gold | Fine for leaving without declaring |
|---|---|
| 5,000,000 to under 30,000,000 VND | 1,000,000–3,000,000 VND |
| 30,000,000 to under 70,000,000 VND | 5,000,000–15,000,000 VND |
| 70,000,000 to under 100,000,000 VND | 15,000,000–25,000,000 VND |
| 100,000,000 VND or more | 30,000,000–50,000,000 VND |
On top of the fine, customs may confiscate the undeclared cash or gold. These amounts are already the fine set per individual. The value used to pick the tier is calculated after subtracting whatever portion of the cash or gold didn’t have to be declared in the first place.
These fines are under Nghị định 169/2026/NĐ-CP, in effect from 1 July 2026, which replaced Nghị định 128/2020/NĐ-CP and Điều 2 of Nghị định 102/2021/NĐ-CP.
Step by step
- Check the thresholdsWork out whether your cash or gold is over a threshold: more than US$5,000, more than 15,000,000 VND, or 300 grams or more of gold jewellery.
- Fill in the customs declarationIf you're over a threshold, declare it to customs at the border checkpoint.
- Get proof before leaving with extra cashIf you're leaving with more than you declared on entry, get a credit institution's certificate or a State Bank written approval first.
Not confirmed: Whether a later amendment to Thông tư 15/2011/TT-NHNN changes which office signs the bank certificate isn't confirmed from primary text. Whether that amendment also updates the decree it cross-references isn't confirmed either. Whether customs runs a separate green or red channel for passengers carrying cash or gold specifically isn't confirmed. The exact article of Nghị định 08/2015/NĐ-CP behind the "no declaration needed under the duty-free allowance" rule isn't confirmed. Whether a later amendment to that decree covers cash and gold declarations specifically isn't confirmed either. Which circular currently sets the passenger customs declaration form isn't confirmed from primary text. Whether carrying gold bars at all, separately from failing to declare gold over the threshold, triggers its own fine isn't confirmed.
Common questions
How much cash can I bring into Vietnam without declaring it?
Up to US$5,000 in foreign currency or 15,000,000 VND in cash. Anything more than either amount must be declared to customs at the border checkpoint when you enter or leave Vietnam by passport.
Do I need to declare gold jewellery in Vietnam?
Yes, if your gold jewellery or fine-art gold weighs 300 grams or more in total, you must declare it to customs. Gold bars or raw gold aren't allowed through passport control at all.
Can I take out more foreign currency than I brought in?
Only with a certificate from a licensed credit institution or written approval from the State Bank of Vietnam. If you're not carrying more than you brought in, your stamped entry declaration covers you instead, within 12 months.
What's the fine for not declaring cash or gold in Vietnam?
It depends on the value. Entering Vietnam, fines run from 1,000,000 to 20,000,000 VND. Leaving, from 1,000,000 to 50,000,000 VND. Customs can also confiscate the item.
How long is my entry declaration valid for taking cash back out?
The customs-endorsed entry-exit declaration is valid only for your next exit, within 12 months of the date written on it.
Can I deposit the cash I brought in at a Vietnamese bank?
Yes. Present your customs-endorsed entry-exit declaration to deposit it into your own foreign-currency payment account, within 60 days of the date on the declaration.
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General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.
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