Positive impacts from “friendly customs” model

A measure of quality

According to the report, in the first six months of the year, the unit attracted more than 700 new enterprises to file customs declarations (out of a total of nearly 6,000 enterprises engaged in import-export activities through the border gate), contributing over 200 billion VND to the state budget. This is clear evidence of the positive outcomes generated by the “friendly customs” environment of transparency and professionalism that Huu Nghi International Border Gate Customs has been implementing.

In recent times, Huu Nghi International Border Gate Customs has introduced numerous initiatives and solutions to facilitate import and export activities. For instance, the unit regularly organises Customs–Enterprise Dialogue Conferences right from the beginning of the year; it also directly visits enterprises across provinces and cities nationwide to assess their situation, listen to their concerns, and address difficulties and obstacles encountered during import-export operations within its jurisdiction.

In the early days of 2025, amid the sharp increase in imported automobiles into Viet Nam, Huu Nghi International Border Gate Customs proactively proposed and coordinated with the Viet Nam Register and the Lang Son Provincial Police to carry out procedures for issuing certificates of technical safety and environmental protection, as well as temporary licence plates for vehicles directly at the border gate to facilitate customs clearance. At the same time, it worked with yard management units to thoroughly resolve congestion at the border gate.

In addition, the unit has proactively proposed that the competent authorities introduce solutions to expand parking and cargo yards, implement traffic flow separation to prevent congestion at the border gate area, and extend official working hours to ensure that customs procedures for businesses can be completed within the same day.

According to Ha Thi Kim Dung, Head of Huu Nghi International Border Gate Customs, these breakthrough solutions have helped businesses save time and costs while accelerating customs clearance, especially for automobiles—one of the key commodities generating high revenue for the unit.

At the headquarters and other clearance points, all administrative procedures, hotlines, and contact numbers of unit leaders are publicly posted. Loudspeakers are also used to announce new legal documents and policies.

A new feature in the unit’s customs operations is the publication of activities and regulations on social media platforms, alongside the effective operation of troubleshooting teams and citizen reception teams. “Everything is aimed at serving businesses, ensuring transparency in administrative procedures, and proactively identifying and promptly resolving difficulties. At the same time, it provides us with an effective monitoring channel from both businesses and citizens regarding our official duties,” Dung added.

Promoting administrative reform and customs modernisation

Leveraging its advantage as the country’s busiest land border gate for import–export goods, Huu Nghi International Border Gate was selected as the first location to pilot the digital border gate platform and the smart border gate project.

As a key player in import–export activities, the unit has quickly embraced national, sectoral, and provincial policies. On that basis, it has proactively accelerated the digitalisation of customs operations, enabling businesses to complete procedures remotely with greater ease, saving time and costs, and reducing the need for travel and waiting.

Le Van Hien, Deputy Director of the Equipment and Spare Parts Import–Export Joint Stock Company, shared: “Our company frequently clears goods through several border gates in the province. With the new software applications implemented by customs, we can now complete procedures more conveniently and quickly. Instead of having to be present at the border to declare goods and pay taxes, we can now do everything anytime, anywhere through the electronic system, saving valuable time.”

To further promote digital transformation in professional operations, Huu Nghi International Border Gate Customs is determined to become a pioneer in implementing digital and smart customs, moving towards a modern, streamlined border gate. These efforts also contribute to improving the District and Department Competitiveness Index (DDCI) of Regional Customs Sub-department VI.

By July 17, 2025 the unit had collected 3.514 trillion VND in budget revenue—up 10.9% compared to the same period in 2024. This success has been significantly driven by the attraction of new businesses and the creation of optimal conditions for import and export activities.

Notably, large companies such as VinFast and Newtimes, which previously only carried out customs transfer procedures, have now chosen Huu Nghi International Border Gate Customs to lodge import declarations; directly contributing hundreds of billions of VND to the state budget.

“These are not just impressive growth figures, but also a testament to the credibility and service efficiency of Huu Nghi International Border Gate Customs, reflecting our administrative reforms to better serve both citizens and businesses,” affirmed Cao Hoai Phuong, Deputy Head of Huu Nghi International Border Gate Customs.

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