# Shipping to Ireland from Vietnam

> Vietnam to Ireland shipping for expats and returning residents. Transfer of Residence guidance, EU food rules, Dublin delivery, door-to-door and sea freight.

Canonical: https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/shipping-to-ireland/
Last updated: 2026-08-01

## Economy 2026 rates

| Weight | Price |
| --- | --- |
| 0.5 kg | $63.40 |
| 1 kg | $68.30 |
| 2 kg | $78.11 |
| 5 kg | $107.55 |
| 10 kg | $127.68 |
| 20 kg | $232.71 |

Transit time: 8-15 days. Excludes 8% VAT.

Dublin hosts the European headquarters of Google, Meta, Apple, Microsoft, and a cluster of major pharmaceutical manufacturers – which is why an estimated **5,000 Vietnamese people** now call Ireland home, many of them engineers, pharma professionals, and researchers who came for exactly those companies. This page is written with a specific reader in mind too: **the Irish expat finishing up a posting, project, or teaching stint in Vietnam and shipping their life back to Dublin, Cork, or Galway** – personal effects, a household's worth of belongings, and the accumulated stuff of a year or more abroad.

Both readers need the same practical information: what EU customs actually requires, whether **Transfer of Residence relief** applies to your move, and what does and doesn't clear from Vietnam. This page covers our service tiers, the EVFTA duty context, Irish VAT, EU food rules, and the personal-effects relief scheme that most returning residents don't know exists until they ask.

## Shipping Services to Ireland

### Express Air (4-6 Business Days)

Flights from Hanoi (HAN) and Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) into Dublin Airport (DUB), typically transiting through Frankfurt, Amsterdam, or London.

**Best for:**
- Documents needed for work visas, residency, or company paperwork
- Time-sensitive personal items
- Small high-value electronics or work equipment

### Standard Air (8-12 Business Days)

**Best for:**
- Bulkier personal shipments – clothing, books, non-fragile household items
- Non-urgent parcels where cost matters more than speed

### Sea Freight (30-40 Days, indicative)

Via Dublin or Cork port. This is the tier most relevant to anyone relocating rather than sending a parcel.

**Best for:**
- Full household relocations – furniture, appliances, personal effects after a Vietnam posting
- Bulk shipments where sea freight's cost advantage matters
- LCL consolidation if you don't have a full container's worth

## EU Customs, EVFTA Duty Context, and Irish VAT

### Regulators you'll interact with

| Agency | Role |
|---|---|
| **Revenue** (Irish Tax and Customs) | Import clearance, duty and VAT collection |
| **FSAI** (Food Safety Authority of Ireland) | Food safety, labeling compliance |

### EVFTA and commercial duty

Ireland is an EU member, so commercial Vietnam-Ireland trade runs under the **EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA)**, which is eliminating duty on the large majority of Vietnam-origin goods over its phase-in schedule. This matters most for business shipments; for personal effects and gifts, the more relevant rules are below.

### Irish VAT

| Charge | Rate |
|---|---|
| **VAT – standard** | **23%** |
| **VAT – reduced rates** | 13.5%, 9%, and lower rates apply to specific categories |

### Low-value parcels – a 2026 rule change to know about

The EU is phasing out duty-free treatment for low-value consignments (previously, parcels under €150 avoided customs duty). From mid-2026, a small flat customs charge per consignment applies instead, and import VAT can still be due. If you're sending a personal parcel rather than moving your whole household, we'll confirm the current rule at quote time.

## Moving Back to Ireland: Transfer of Residence Relief

If you're an Irish resident finishing a posting in Vietnam and shipping your household back, **Transfer of Residence (ToR) relief** may let you bring your personal belongings into Ireland **without paying Customs Duty or VAT**. This is the single most useful thing most returning expats don't know to ask about.

**General eligibility conditions:**
- You've lived outside the EU for at least **12 consecutive months** before your move
- The goods being imported have been in your possession and use for at least **6 months** before the move
- Goods are for personal use, not resale or business

**What's typically covered:** household furniture, clothing, personal belongings, electrical appliances, and (with additional conditions) a personal vehicle.

**What's excluded:** alcohol, tobacco, and anything intended for business use.

**Paperwork:** Revenue requires a completed **Transfer of Residence form** submitted in advance of your goods arriving – we recommend starting this at least two weeks before your shipment lands, so clearance isn't held up waiting on documentation.

> **Moving back to Ireland after time in Vietnam?** Email [info@gatewayexpress.com.vn](mailto:info@gatewayexpress.com.vn) or call **+84 938 373 343** – we'll help you get the Transfer of Residence paperwork lined up before your container ships.

## EU Food Import Rules

Whether you're an expat missing home flavors in Dublin or shipping a last care package before your flight, here's what actually clears EU customs from Vietnam.

### Freely shippable

- Dried and processed foods: instant noodles, dried rice noodles, confectionery
- Coffee and tea
- Bottled sauces: fish sauce, soy sauce, chili sauce (packed to prevent leakage)
- Dried seafood: dried squid, dried fish, dried shrimp

### Banned outright by EU rule

- **All meat and meat-derived products from Vietnam** – pork floss (ruốc), beef jerky, dried sausages, in any form
- Fresh dairy products
- Fresh eggs
- Live fish and fresh seafood (frozen seafood is permitted)

### Needs paperwork

- Plant products (tea, dried fruit, spices) technically require a **phytosanitary certificate**; enforcement is lighter on small personal quantities but ask us about larger shipments.

## Vietnamese Community and Ireland-Vietnam Context

| Indicator | Detail |
|---|---|
| Vietnamese community | An estimated 5,000 people, concentrated in Dublin |
| Community profile | Tech engineers, pharma and life sciences professionals, researchers, some students |
| Why Dublin | European HQ for Google, Meta, Apple, Microsoft, and major pharmaceutical manufacturers |
| Ireland vs. Northern Ireland | The Republic of Ireland (EU member, uses Euro) is a separate customs territory from **Northern Ireland**, which is part of the United Kingdom – see our [UK shipping page](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/shipping-to-uk/) if your recipient is in Belfast or elsewhere in the North |

## What You Can Ship – and What's Banned

### Allowed

**Personal effects and household goods (Transfer of Residence eligible):**
- Furniture, appliances, clothing, books, personal belongings

**Food (see above for detail):**
- Dried goods, coffee, tea, bottled sauces, dried seafood

**Non-food personal items:**
- Electronics, laptops, work equipment (declare accurately for customs)
- Cosmetics meeting EU ingredient standards
- Handicrafts and gifts

### Banned (EU-wide)

- Meat and meat-derived products of any kind from Vietnam
- Fresh dairy, fresh eggs
- Live or fresh (non-frozen) seafood

### Restricted

- **Prescription medicines:** documentation required
- **Alcohol and tobacco:** excise duty applies, and these are excluded from Transfer of Residence relief

## How Shipping with Gateway Express Works

### Step 1 – Get a quote

Reach us through:
- **Hotline:** +84 938 373 343 (also +84 944 247 267)
- **Zalo / Viber / WhatsApp:** message the same number
- **Email:** [info@gatewayexpress.com.vn](mailto:info@gatewayexpress.com.vn)
- **Online:** [Request a free quote](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/get-a-quote/) or [contact our team](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/contact/)

Tell us if this is a personal parcel, a work shipment, or a full relocation – the paperwork path differs for each.

### Step 2 – Pack and prepare paperwork

- For relocations: detailed inventory of goods, proof of 12-month residency abroad, and the Transfer of Residence form
- For personal parcels: sender ID and recipient details
- For food: contents list for FSAI compliance
- For commercial goods: HS codes and declared value

### Step 3 – Free door pickup

Free pickup in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang; for Hanoi and other provinces, contact us to arrange pickup.

### Step 4 – Transit and tracking

- SMS tracking notification at pickup
- Customs milestone updates through Revenue clearance
- For Transfer of Residence shipments, confirmation once your form is accepted

### Step 5 – Door delivery in Ireland

- **Express:** 4-6 business days
- **Standard:** 8-12 business days
- **Sea freight:** 30-40 days indicative

## Where We Pick Up and Deliver

### Pickup in Vietnam

- Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi – free door pickup
- Da Nang, Hai Phong, and 60+ provinces – scheduled pickup

### Delivery in Ireland

- **Dublin** – capital, largest Vietnamese community, primary tech and pharma hub
- **Cork** – second-largest city
- **Galway, Limerick, Waterford** – regional centers
- Coverage across all 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland
- **Northern Ireland:** served via our [UK shipping service](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/shipping-to-uk/), as it operates under separate UK customs rules

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How long does shipping from Vietnam to Ireland take?

**Express:** 4-6 business days to Dublin. **Standard:** 8-12 business days. **Sea freight:** 30-40 days indicative, mainly used for relocations rather than parcels.

### I'm moving back to Ireland after working in Vietnam – how do I ship my belongings?

Ask us about **Transfer of Residence relief**, which can waive Customs Duty and VAT on personal belongings if you've lived outside the EU for 12+ months and owned the goods for 6+ months. We'll help you prepare the required inventory and Revenue form – start this at least two weeks before your goods ship.

### Can you ship to Northern Ireland?

Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, not the Republic of Ireland, and follows separate customs rules. We handle it through our [UK shipping service](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/shipping-to-uk/) – let us know if your recipient is in Belfast or elsewhere in the North so we route it correctly.

### What EU food rules apply to shipments to Ireland?

The EU bans all meat and meat-derived products from Vietnam (including pork floss/ruốc and dried meats), fresh dairy, fresh eggs, and live or fresh seafood. Dried goods, coffee, tea, and bottled sauces ship without issue.

### What's Irish VAT?

**23%** standard rate. Reduced rates of 13.5% and 9% apply to specific categories.

### Does EVFTA reduce duty on my shipment?

**For commercial goods, yes** – EVFTA is eliminating duty on most Vietnam-origin tariff lines. For personal parcels and relocations, Transfer of Residence relief or the EU's low-value consignment rules are usually more relevant than EVFTA duty preference.

### Can I ship my work laptop and personal electronics home?

**Yes**, declared accurately on the customs paperwork. If it's part of a Transfer of Residence shipment, include it in your inventory; if it's a standalone parcel, we'll advise on declared value and any VAT exposure.

### Is there a deadline for filing the Transfer of Residence form?

Revenue asks for the form to be submitted **before your goods arrive** – we recommend starting the process at least two weeks ahead of your shipment landing in Ireland, so clearance isn't held up.

### Do you deliver outside Dublin – to Cork, Galway, or Limerick?

**Yes**, full coverage across all 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland.

---

**Ready to ship to Ireland – or move your life back home?** Get a quote and Transfer of Residence guidance from Gateway Express.

📞 **Hotline:** +84 938 373 343
📧 **Email:** [info@gatewayexpress.com.vn](mailto:info@gatewayexpress.com.vn)
🏢 **Office:** 72/5 Giai Phong St., Tan Son Nhat Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Your trusted partner for Vietnam-Ireland shipping.