The Middle East is a potential market for Vietnam's seafood export industry. Seafood exports to this market have continuously increased in recent years with a turnover of 200 - 320 million USD. It is estimated that in 2024, Vietnam's seafood exports to the Middle East will reach 330 million USD, an increase of 6% compared to 2023.

Middle Eastern countries have a large demand for seafood, especially processed products, and increasingly prefer high-quality products. With its strategic location and developed infrastructure, the Middle East is an important gateway connecting Vietnam with other international markets. However, Vietnamese businesses also have to face strict requirements on Halal certification, product quality and food safety standards, along with fierce competition from other competitors.

In addition, the issue of Consular legalization for seafood export documents to Middle Eastern countries is an important process when exporting to this market. This helps ensure that documents and certificates related to export shipments are legally recognized and valid in the importing country.

Documents required for legalization when exporting seafood to the Middle East

Depending on the requirements of each Middle Eastern country, seafood exporters need to prepare a complete and legal set of documents to ensure that the shipment is cleared legally. Documents that usually need to be legalized include:

• Certificate of Origin (COC) : To confirm the origin of the product, usually issued by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI).
• Health Certificate : Certifies that the seafood product meets food safety and hygiene standards and does not pose a risk to consumers' health.
• Halal Certificate : If seafood exported to Middle Eastern countries requires products to be Halal certified (in accordance with Islamic standards), exporters must obtain this certification from reputable Halal organizations.
• Quality Certificate : Includes certifications on seafood quality, such as packaging quality, preservation, and product quality inspection. These certificates can be issued by competent authorities such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) or independent inspection and certification organizations.
• Pesticide inspection certificate (if any): To ensure that the product does not contain toxic chemicals or pesticides exceeding the permitted level.

Consular legalization process for seafood export documents

The consular legalization process may vary depending on the requirements of each importing country, but basically, the process includes the following main steps:

Step 1: Prepare the necessary documents. Gather all the required documents according to the regulations of the importing country, including quality certificates, Halal certificates (if any), food safety certificates, certificates of origin, and related documents.

Step 2: Verify documents at competent domestic authorities. These documents and certificates need to be verified or issued by competent domestic authorities such as the Food Safety and Quality Control Agency (Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Quality Management), Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) (to issue certificates of origin), and competent Halal organizations if necessary.

Step 3: Legalize at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam. Once the documents have been issued or certified by the competent authorities in the country, the exporter will have to bring these documents to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam for consular legalization. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will confirm that these documents have been legally authenticated in Vietnam.

Step 4: Consular legalization at the embassy or consulate of the importing country. After being legalized at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, the documents need to be brought to the Embassy or Consulate of the importing country for the final legalization step. The consular offices will check and confirm that these documents are legally valid in their country.

Step 5: Submit the documents and complete the export procedures. Once the documents have been legalized, the exporter can use them to complete the export procedures and submit the relevant documents to the customs authority of the importing country.

Special requirements for Middle Eastern countries

Middle Eastern countries often have strict requirements for imported seafood, especially regarding Halal issues, food safety and quality certification.

• Halal Certification : This is an important factor when exporting seafood to Middle Eastern countries, especially those with a Muslim majority such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman. Halal certification proves that seafood meets the requirements for processing, preservation, and consumption according to Islamic rules.
• Food safety certification : To ensure that seafood products do not pose a risk to consumers' health, food safety certification from competent authorities is required. Middle Eastern countries require imported food products to meet strict hygiene standards.
• International quality certification : International quality certifications such as
• ISO (International Organization for Standardization),
• HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) may also be required for some Middle Eastern countries to ensure that products meet food safety and quality standards.

Notes on consular legalization for seafood exports to the Middle East

• Accurate and complete documents : It is necessary to ensure that all documents and certificates related to seafood export dossiers are prepared accurately, completely and in compliance with the requirements of the importing countries.
• Ensure valid Halal certification : For products exported to the Middle East, Halal certification must be issued by a reputable Halal organization recognized in the importing country. This helps avoid problems with goods being rejected when inspected at the port of entry.
• Legalization time : The consular legalization process can take time (from a few days to a few weeks), so exporters need to prepare a reasonable plan and time to ensure that the shipment is cleared on schedule.
• Differences in requirements from each country : Each Middle Eastern country may have different requirements for legalized documents. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully study the specific requirements of each import market to avoid delays or risks.

Source: VASEP