Hai Phong is northern Vietnam’s import-export gateway. For FDI manufacturers based there, the significant tax risk usually sits not in routine filings but at the interface between tax and customs — where customs declarations, consumption norms and the accounting ledger all have to reconcile.
TrustlineAX Advisory provides accounting, tax and compliance services to FDI companies operating in Hai Phong, with particular focus on export processing enterprises, export manufacturers and logistics operators in the port supply chain.
The FDI landscape in Hai Phong after the merger
Effective 1 July 2025, under Resolution No. 202/2025/QH15 of the National Assembly, Hai Duong province was merged into Hai Phong city. The merged city covers 3,194.72 km² with a population of approximately 4.66 million and GRDP of around VND 658 trillion — third largest in the country.
The merger created an unusual combination: the former Hai Phong provides the maritime gateway with its seaport and airport, while the former Hai Duong area adds industrial land and labour supply. As at early 2026 the city has around 45 industrial parks covering close to 13,000 hectares, with average occupancy of about 61% as at May 2026.
What defines the locality is an interlocking seaport – logistics – export manufacturing ecosystem: the Lach Huyen deep-water port, Cat Bi airport, and a network of industrial parks and coastal economic zones. That is precisely why tax issues in Hai Phong skew far more towards import-export matters than in inland industrial provinces.
Note: the figures above are compiled from publicly published sources as at August 2026 and may change with each reporting period.
Tax administration after the merger
Under Decision No. 1378/QD-CT dated 30 June 2025, from 1 July 2025 the area is administered by the Hai Phong Tax Department with 14 subordinate base-level tax units. Companies headquartered in the former Hai Duong area should take particular care to confirm which unit now handles their file, and to update the address shown on the Enterprise Registration Certificate, Investment Registration Certificate, e-invoice templates and social insurance records.
Accounting and tax issues specific to FDI companies in Hai Phong
Unlike Hanoi (head office and services) or Bac Ninh (domestic electronics supply chain), tax risk in Hai Phong concentrates on goods crossing the border. The recurring issues:
| Common operating profile in Hai Phong | Accounting and tax issues to watch |
|---|---|
| Export processing enterprises and export manufacturers importing materials for processing and export production | Consumption norm management; customs finalisation reporting; reconciliation of customs declarations against the general ledger and warehouse records; treatment of material variances, scrap and damaged goods |
| Large-scale export activity with international payment flows | Conditions for VAT refunds on exports, particularly bank payment evidence; risk of input VAT being disallowed where proceeds pass through a third party in Vietnam |
| Logistics, warehousing and freight forwarding serving cargo through the port | Determining the correct VAT rate for each type of transport, warehousing and related service; documentation evidencing that the service relates directly to exported goods in order to apply the 0% rate |
| Chartering vessels and containers, and international freight services from foreign carriers | Foreign contractor tax on international freight and related services; determining the revenue taxable in Vietnam and the applicable rate |
| New projects in industrial parks and coastal economic zones | Establishing and maintaining CIT incentives by location; VAT refunds during the investment phase; the correct depreciation commencement date |
| Subsidiaries of foreign groups with intercompany trading and loans | Transfer pricing documentation under Decree 255/2026/ND-CP (from the 2026 CIT period); the 30% EBITDA cap on deductible interest |
| Administrative merger effective 1 July 2025 | Updating the address on registration records and e-invoice templates; identifying the correct unit among the 14 base-level tax offices |
Further reading on VAT refund conditions for exporters:
- Receiving export payment through an intermediary company in Vietnam: you could lose your VAT refund
- Accounting and tax services for FDI companies in Bac Ninh
Services we provide in Hai Phong
1. Accounting for manufacturers and export processing enterprises
- Bookkeeping under Vietnamese Accounting Standards (VAS) and annual financial statements for the statutory audit
- Production cost accounting, cost allocation and costing by order or by process
- Raw material and finished goods inventory tracking, reconciled against customs data
- Bilingual management reporting in your group’s format
2. Import-export tax and VAT refunds
- Reviewing VAT refund eligibility before the claim is filed, with particular attention to bank payment evidence
- Preparing and tracking refund claims, and responding to tax authority queries
- Advice on the VAT rate applying to transport, warehousing and logistics services connected to exported goods
- Foreign contractor tax filings on international freight and services from offshore contractors
3. Tax and customs reconciliation
- Reviewing consumption norms and the data underlying customs finalisation reports
- Reconciling customs declarations against the general ledger and warehouse records, resolving variances before the reporting deadline
- Support in preparing documentation for post-clearance customs audits
4. Payroll, insurance and foreign employees
- Payroll for multi-shift plants, handling overtime and night-shift pay within statutory limits
- PIT withholding and compulsory insurance filings
- PIT finalisation for expatriates; work permit and temporary residence card documentation
5. Tax incentives and transfer pricing documentation
- Establishing and maintaining CIT incentives available in industrial parks and economic zones
- Preparing the related-party declaration appendices filed with the annual CIT finalisation, and assessing whether the company is exempt from the Local File and Master File
- Reviewing the deductible interest cap on parent company loans
How we work with companies in Hai Phong
Our office is in Hanoi, around 100 km from Hai Phong by expressway, which makes it practical to attend the plant for stocktakes, reconciliation of original documents, or to support you during a tax or customs inspection. A typical engagement runs as follows:
- Initial review — the Investment Registration Certificate, Enterprise Registration Certificate, current filing status, incentives claimed and the state of customs finalisation
- Handover and data clean-up — taking over existing records, clearing backlogs, aligning the chart of accounts and reporting templates with the group
- Ongoing operation — bookkeeping and filing to statutory deadlines, with monthly reporting in English and Vietnamese
- Pre-finalisation review — tax risk, refund eligibility, transfer pricing documentation and the data supporting customs finalisation
- Ad hoc support — liaison with the tax and customs authorities, and coordination with your independent auditor
Frequently asked questions
Where do companies in the former Hai Duong area now file?
Tax codes and legal status are unaffected by the merger. However, from 1 July 2025 the entire area is administered by the Hai Phong Tax Department through 14 base-level tax units under Decision No. 1378/QD-CT. Companies should confirm which unit now handles their file and update the address on registration documents and e-invoice templates to avoid problems when filing or issuing invoices.
What matters most for an export processing enterprise claiming VAT refunds?
The condition that most often fails is bank payment evidence. Export proceeds must be remitted directly from the foreign importer’s account into an account in the exporter’s own name. Where funds pass through an intermediary entity in Vietnam before reaching the exporter, the transaction may fail the condition and the related input VAT can be disallowed. Given how common intermediary trading structures are around the port, this warrants review before a claim is filed.
Do logistics services for exported goods qualify for the 0% VAT rate?
Not every service in the logistics chain qualifies. It depends on the nature of the service, who receives it, and the documentation showing that it relates directly to exported goods. This is a frequent point of dispute during tax audits, so the rate should be settled when the contract is signed and supported by a complete file — rather than addressed after invoices have been issued.
Does chartering vessels or containers from foreign carriers attract foreign contractor tax?
International freight and related services supplied by foreign organisations fall within the scope of foreign contractor tax. How much revenue is taxable in Vietnam, and at what rate, varies with the type of service and the contract terms. We review contracts to establish the obligation before payment is made, rather than discovering it after funds have been remitted offshore.
How much do accounting services for an FDI company in Hai Phong cost?
Fees depend on the nature of operations (trading, manufacturing or export processing), monthly transaction volume, headcount, the volume of customs declarations, whether related-party transactions exist, and whether English-language reporting is required. We quote after reviewing your actual records rather than applying a fixed price list.
Speak with our specialists
If your company operates a plant or warehouse in Hai Phong and needs to review VAT refund eligibility, reconcile tax data against customs records, or appoint an outsourced accounting team that works in English with your parent company, get in touch for a free 30-minute consultation.
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This page is provided for general reference and does not replace specific advice on an individual company’s records or transactions.