Parcels from Russia to Vietnam still travel by two routes in 2026: Russian Post by air, and CDEK, which lists Vietnam among its destinations. Ozon and Wildberries do not deliver there at all. Russian Post officially quotes 25 to 40 days by air, though forum reports range from 12 days to 3.5 months, and Vietnamese customs has charged 10% VAT on low-value express parcels since February 2025.
Which carriers deliver from Russia to Vietnam?
Only Russian Post and CDEK, and they work differently: the post office flies parcels out, while CDEK hands them to its own offices in Vietnam. A marketplace order cannot reach a Vietnamese address. Anything else you pack and send yourself, or hand to a friend with a suitcase.
Check the destination list on the sender’s own page before you pack anything. CDEK’s international page names Vietnam in 2026, and Russian Post keeps its country list on its support pages.
Ozon runs in nine countries outside Russia: Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Mongolia. Vietnam is not among them, and Ozon Global is a section for buying from foreign sellers into Russia and Kazakhstan. Wildberries opened pickup points in India, Thailand and Sri Lanka in May 2026, with no Vietnam among the launched or announced countries.
How long does Russian Post take to reach Vietnam?
Russian Post lists Vietnam as air-only with an official range of 25 to 40 days, based on its country list of 12 February 2026 as reported by the logistics site top-ex.ru. Thailand and Laos carry the same 25 to 40 days, Cambodia 30 to 40 and Indonesia 20 to 30. Forum posts report anything from 12 days to about 3.5 months for a box from Volgograd to Nha Trang.
Since 1 September 2026 a Russian ministry order, No. 373, changes the size limits for international mail and renames registered small packets as tracked ones. Check the current dimensions with Russian Post before you buy a box.
That timeline is where a parcel collides with a visa. A tourist whose stamp ends in three weeks may be gone before a 40-day parcel lands. The e‑visa form on evisa.gov.vn takes an evening to fill in, but Russian cards often fail at the payment step in my experience, and that part I take over: at BestBus Vietnam I pay the fee, choose the entry point and file a 90-day e‑visa so you can stay put. Send me your dates on WhatsApp and I will tell you what fits.
What tax does Vietnamese customs charge on a parcel?
A low-value express parcel now carries 10% VAT, because on 18 February 2025 Vietnam cancelled the old exemption for goods under about $39 (1 million dong). Import duty is separate: it is waived when the declared value is $40 or less, or when the duty itself would come to $4 or less, but VAT is charged either way.
A parcel over both limits pays duty on its whole value, including the part below the limit. Vietnamese outlets such as Vietnam News and VIR reported these numbers, and the current rates sit on the site of Vietnam Customs. For a move rather than a single box, read how household goods are treated.
Does CDEK deliver from Russia to Vietnam?
Yes, CDEK lists Vietnam among the countries it ships to from Russia, and it has run its own offices there since the first one opened in Ho Chi Minh City on 27 April 2021. The price and the delivery time depend on weight and city, so run the calculator on CDEK’s international page before you compare it with the post office.
What cannot go into a parcel to Vietnam?
Vapes and heated-tobacco devices have been banned in Vietnam since 1 January 2025: import, sale, possession and use, with fines of 3 to 5 million dong and confiscation. Tourists are covered by the ban too, so keep vapes out of parcels altogether.
Postal rules are stricter than baggage rules. The list Vietnam gave the Universal Postal Union, as summarised by the US Postal Service in April 2026, bans cigarettes, cosmetics, mobile phones, canned food, used clothing and cash from the mail. Take it as a guide and ask the sender to confirm before a phone or a jar of cream goes in the box.
Medicine travels better in a suitcase. In hand baggage, over-the-counter drugs are fine, narcotic medicines are allowed for 7 days of use and psychotropic ones for 10 days, with a prescription and original packaging. Most everyday drugs can be bought on arrival, and the price list for pharmacies shows what that costs.
Parcel, courier or suitcase: what should you choose?
Documents and new clothes with tags go by Russian Post or CDEK if you can wait and run the CDEK calculator first, while medicine, electronics and anything on a restricted list belong in a suitcase. Marketplaces are out. Keep a copy of the invoice for customs.
| Route | Delivers to Vietnam | Timing | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Russian Post | Yes, air only | 25-40 days per the list, forums report up to 3.5 months | New size limits since 1 September 2026 |
| CDEK | Yes, own offices since 2021 | Depends on the calculator | Price depends on weight and city |
| Ozon | No | Not applicable | Vietnam is not in its country list |
| Wildberries | No | Not applicable | Asia launches cover India, Thailand and Sri Lanka |
| Friend with a suitcase | Yes | Days | Baggage limits and the vape ban |
Any route fails on one thing: the box lands after you have left. A parcel due in six weeks does not help a visa that ends in four, so tell me the date you expect it and the date your stamp ends, and I will say whether to extend or to apply for a new e‑visa. Text me both dates and I will sort out the stay while the box is on its way.
Frequently asked questions
Does the recipient need a Vietnamese phone number?
The customs declaration used by Vietnam Post asks for the recipient’s mobile number and email, so give a number you will actually answer. A Vietnamese SIM card removes the problem.
Will the duty-free limit drop to $4?
Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance proposed it in September 2026 as a draft decree: $4, or 100,000 dong, for postal and express parcels alike. The draft was not in force on 17 October 2026, so the current limit still applies.
Can I send a parcel the other way, from Vietnam to Russia?
Yes. CDEK Forward carries parcels out of Vietnam from 13 days, with rates from about $12 (302,400 dong) on the CDEK Global page. It is a separate product from the Russia to Vietnam route.
Is shipping included in the taxable value?
Yes. According to DHL’s guide to Vietnam’s thresholds, imported goods are valued on a CIF basis: the goods, the insurance and the freight together. A $30 item with $15 delivery is assessed at $45, so delivery alone can push a cheap order over the duty-free limit.
