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Customs Clearance Completed: 2025 Process & Delivery Times

AuthorExim GPT
Goods ready for delivery to the USA and India following the Customs Clearance Completed process at a Vietnam export terminal.

Definition: What is Customs Clearance Completed?

Customs Clearance Completed (Thông quan hoàn tất) is a legal status confirming that goods have completed all customs procedures, paid full taxes, and complied with import-export regulations. At this point, the Customs authority officially permits the goods to be freely circulated or transported internally.

Customs officers verifying cargo at a busy port with a "Customs Clearance Completed" sign on a red shipping container.

5 specific steps immediately after Customs Clearance Completed

After receiving notice that Customs Clearance Completed successfully, businesses need to perform these steps immediately to avoid storage costs:

  • Print barcodes and container lists: Access the Electronic Customs system to print barcodes (for sea freight) or handover slips to pick up goods at the port/warehouse.
  • Pay port/warehouse fees: Complete payments for Demurrage, container lifting fees, and logistics services at the gathering point.
  • Obtain Delivery Order (D/O): Contact the shipping line or Forwarder to confirm the delivery order is ready for the domestic transport unit.
  • Coordinate domestic transportation: Transfer clearance information to the trucking team to pick up goods according to schedule.
  • Handover goods and documents: Check the seal of the container, sign the handover minutes, and move goods to the warehouse.
  • Archive customs records: Gather all cleared declarations, tax receipts, and documents for post-clearance inspection and tax finalization.

If you are having difficulty preparing the documents, please refer to our AI Logistics Support Service.

Customs Clearance Completed 2025 status showing an open cargo container at a port being inspected by customs officers for international shipping.

Distinguishing Customs Clearance and Customs Brokerage

Many people confuse these two concepts. The table below clarifies the nature of the process versus the service.

Criteria

Customs Clearance

Customs Brokerage

Nature

A mandatory legal process for goods.

A professional service by a third party (Broker).

Objective

Ensures legal compliance and tax duties.

Acts on behalf of the owner to optimize taxes/paperwork.

Executor

Customs Authority and Cargo Owner.

Licensed Customs Brokers.

Result

Status: Customs Clearance Completed (Cleared).

Completed records and saved time.

Requirement

Mandatory for all international shipments.

Optional (Owner can do it or hire a Broker).

Shipping data is updated based on actual Q4/2025 schedules by exigmgpt.ai

Learn how AI can effectively reduce Customs Brokerage costs.

Logistics workers performing post-clearance steps including checking container seals and verifying documents after Customs Clearance Completed.

Estimated delivery time from Vietnam (After Customs Clearance Completed)

Below is the estimated shipping time from Vietnam to two major markets. Note: These times start from when goods leave the port/airport after Customs Clearance Completed.

Destination

Shipping Method

Estimated Time (Working Days)

Expert Notes

USA

Express

3 – 5 days

Suitable for samples and urgent mail.


Air

7 – 12 days

Balance between cost and speed.


Sea (West Coast)

20 – 30 days

Ports like Los Angeles, Long Beach.


Sea (East Coast)

35 – 45 days

New York, Savannah via Panama Canal.

India

Express

2 – 4 days

Very fast due to closer distance.


Air

5 – 8 days

Through hubs like Mumbai, New Delhi.


Sea

12 – 22 days

Depends on ports like Chennai, Mumbai.

Shipping data is updated based on actual Q4/2025 schedules by exigmgpt.ai.

Do you need to calculate the exact time for your shipment? Ask our AI Assistant now!

If you encounter an error, please see 'How to handle customs clearance errors' here.

A red shipping container at a bustling terminal with a "Cleared for Transit 2025" banner; a customs official in the foreground uses a tablet to verify the Customs Clearance Completed status.

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