Attention for Vietnamese Travelers: Penalties for Carrying Meat Abroad

Travelers may face hefty fines or imprisonment when bringing meat, sausages, ham, bacon, dried pork... into certain destinations.

Important Note for Vietnamese Travelers: Meat Carrying Penalties During Overseas Trips

Vietnam, being the third country in Asia after China and Mongolia, and the first in Southeast Asia to detect African Swine Fever, advises Vietnamese travelers abroad to be cautious about their luggage when reaching their destinations as the outbreak has spread to 10 provinces and cities by March 7.

Taiwan

Starting from 20/2, all travelers leaving Vietnam, upon entering Taiwan, if found carrying meat products, will face an initial administrative fine of 200,000 Taiwanese dollars (equivalent to 150 million Vietnamese dong); for the second violation, the administrative fine will be increased to one million Taiwanese dollars (over 750 million Vietnamese dong).

According to the notice from the Vietnam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei, if the fines are not paid in full, travelers may face entry refusal by Taiwanese immigration authorities.

In case of need for assistance, travelers can contact the hotline of the Vietnam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei at +886988579362 or the Citizen Protection Hotline at +84981 84 84 84.

South Korea

South Korea implements a strict inspection regime for agricultural products such as meat products including shredded meat, sausages, ham, and more. All items will be confiscated if detected.

Passengers found carrying goods different from the declared information or not declared to customs may face penalties of up to 5 years imprisonment or fines up to 10 times the tax. Contact the hotline +82 2720 5124 or +82 2 725 2487 for assistance.

Japan

Vietnam Airlines advises passengers carrying fresh food, processed food, vegetables, and fruits to Japan to comply with quarantine procedures. In case of no certification, a penalty of up to 3 years imprisonment or an amount up to one million yen (approximately 200 million VND) may apply. For assistance, travelers can call the hotline +080 3590 9136 (24/7).

Australia

Passengers must fill out the Incoming Passenger Card to declare risky goods, including products from live plants, even if it's just a small amount of light food or cooking ingredients.

If not declared or declared incorrectly on the card, travelers may face fines of over 420,000 AUD (nearly 7 billion VND) or imprisonment up to 10 years. If customs declares prohibited products entering Australia, travelers will not be fined. In case of need, travelers can contact the Vietnamese Embassy in Australia at the hotline (02) 6286 5660 or (02) 6286 8465.

New Zealand

According to Stuff, any foreign traveler to New Zealand carrying pork or pork products must declare. These items will be confiscated and destroyed. The penalty for international tourists carrying undeclared pork products is 400 NZD (over 6 million VND). Contact the Vietnamese Embassy in New Zealand at the phone number (64 - 4) 473 5912 for assistance.

European Union

When visiting EU countries, travelers should avoid bringing any products made from meat or milk without inspection documents, as EU authorities aim to prevent serious livestock diseases. If detected, any undeclared prohibited products will be confiscated and destroyed. Individuals carrying these products may face fines or criminal charges, according to Europa.

However, one can bring under 2 kg of meat or milk products for personal use, if these products originate from Croatia, Switzerland, Norway, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Iceland. Contact the hotlines of the Vietnamese embassies or consulates in the EU for assistance.

United States

Whether arriving in the U.S. by plane, train, or ship, travelers must fill out a customs declaration form. Prohibited or restricted items include meat, milk, eggs, flour, and all products containing these ingredients.

In general, raw meat, cooked or dried meat, canned… are all prohibited. Even condiments like ketchup, soy sauce, mayonnaise, or cheese, noodles… with meat ingredients are also prohibited. Failure to declare all carried food may result in fines up to $10,000, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). In case of assistance, travelers can contact the hotline 202-716-8666 of the Vietnamese Embassy in the U.S.

According to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), African Swine Fever is a highly contagious and deadly disease caused by a virus, spreading rapidly among pigs, with a mortality rate of up to 100%. The disease is non-transmissible and does not affect humans or other animal species.

From 2017 to February 2019, 20 countries reported outbreaks, resulting in the culling of over a million pigs. In Vietnam, the first case of African Swine Fever was detected in Hung Yen province on February 1.

According to Pham Huyen/Vnexpress

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Reference: Travel guide Mytour