Around 99 per cent of import and export tax payments in HCM City are made online, according to the customs department. Switching to online payment has reduced work for customs officers and helped businesses save time and cost.

(Illustrative photo: VNS)

According to the State Bank of Việt Nam, promoting online payment for public services is one of the goals of the Government.

Lê Thanh Minh, an employee of a transportation company, said import and export procedures at customs offices have become easier and faster than before thanks to non-cash payment.

Previously enterprises had to pay the tax at the Treasury or a bank, take the payment receipt to customs authorities and wait.

Now, after the money goes to the Treasury, the goods are automatically cleared.

In the past, it would take businesses two or three days to complete the tax payment. The process could stretch even further since banks do not work on weekends and holidays, but now it only takes a few seconds, Minh said.

Nguyễn Quốc Toản from the customs department’s import-export taxation office told Tuổi trẻ (Youth) newspaper that online tax collection enables customs to reduce human resources and simplifies the payment process.

Businesses have their goods cleared quickly after paying, and no longer face a situation where they pay the tax but customs does not receive information about it.

The ease of payment has made the business community happy, Toản said.

Another department official said the new payment method prevents errors and ensures immediate cargo clearance.

Its aim is to move towards e-governance and non-cash transactions, he added.

Asked why 1 per cent continue to pay the import tax in cash, the department said these are usually individuals who transport goods through non-commercial means, referring to tourists and other travelers.

They pay duties when they bring goods from foreign countries whose value reaches the taxable threshold, he added.