Exporting Frozen Shrimp from Vietnam to the Philippines: Permits and Documents

Frozen shrimp from Vietnam enters the Philippines when four papers line up: an SPS Import Clearance (SPSIC) issued by BFAR to an accredited Philippine importer, an international health certificate from Vietnam's competent authority, a certificate of origin, and a commercial set (invoice, packing list, bill of lading). The SPSIC comes first. Load the container before it is issued and the shipment can be refused.

Philippine buyers know this sequence well. The exporter's job is to fit production, loading and documents around it, so the clearance window is not wasted. This guide follows the order a purchasing team checks things.

Who applies for the SPS Import Clearance?

The Philippine importer applies, and BFAR issues the clearance to the importer. The Department of Agriculture's Administrative Order No. 9, Series of 2010 requires an SPS clearance for any import of fish and aquatic products, and BFAR is the issuing office. Under Fisheries Administrative Order 195 (1999), importers file an application with a proforma invoice before arrival, and the release of the goods depends on the SPS certificate.

What the exporter supplies at this stage is the proforma invoice: species (Litopenaeus vannamei or Penaeus monodon), product form, size grade, net weight, packing and port of loading. Write it the way it will appear on the commercial invoice. A mismatch between the two is one of the easiest ways to slow a release.

How long is an SPSIC valid, and why does the B/L date matter?

For frozen fish and fishery products imported under the Department of Agriculture's recent import orders, the clearance carries a ship-by date. Memorandum Order No. 12, Series of 2025 set SPSIC validity at 45 days from issuance and stated that the loading date on the bill of lading cannot be earlier than the SPSIC issue date. Shipments that break this rule are subject to confiscation. The 2026 import circular, reported in March 2026, again gives importers 45 days to ship once clearances are released, with issuance starting 1 August 2026.

In practice this means production can start before the SPSIC arrives, but the container should not sail before it. We plan the loading date with the buyer as soon as the importer has a clearance date.

Which documents travel with the container?

FAO 195 lists the papers BFAR checks before imported fish can be traded: entry declaration, certificate of origin, international health certificate, bill of lading and the SPS certificate. Quarantine officers inspect the documents and the product, and documents must be submitted within 10 days of arrival.

What has to be on the carton label?

FAO 195 asks for packaging that prevents contamination and labels that show the country of origin, the species, the weight and the supplier's address. Frozen product must be held at minus 18 °C or colder during storage and transport. For shrimp we also print the product form, the count per kg or per lb, the glaze or net weight, the production date and the lot code, so a QA team can match each carton to the health certificate.

If you are comparing quotes, check whether the weight on the label is net or gross with glaze. Our guide on shrimp glazing and net weight explains how buyers verify it.

Wet market, processor or foodservice: does the channel change the rules?

Yes. FAO 195 routes fish for wet markets through government fish ports, and it exempts canning, processing and institutional importers from certain requirements. The 2026 import volume of up to 250,000 MT covers frozen fish and aquatic products including shrimp, and BFAR described it as supply for wet markets and restaurants. A processor buying raw HLSO for breading follows a different path from a distributor selling IQF PD to supermarkets. Ask your broker which category your company falls under before you fix the shipment month.

Which shrimp specs sell well in the Philippine market?

Buyers in the Philippines tend to keep the spec simple and the price sharp: raw vannamei HOSO or HLSO in blocks for processors, IQF PD or PDTO for retail and foodservice, and cooked vannamei for ready-to-eat lines. Our frozen shrimp range covers HOSO through PDTO, nobashi and butterfly, and we pack to the buyer's own spec and label.

If you are deciding between formats, read IQF vs block frozen shrimp.

Pre-shipment checklist for Philippine buyers

• Importer's BFAR accreditation is current and the SPSIC application is filed.
• Proforma invoice matches the planned commercial invoice: species, form, size, net weight, packing.
• SPSIC issue date is known; the loading date is set after it and inside the 45-day window.
• Health certificate request is lodged with Vietnam's competent authority for this lot.
• Certificate of origin (ATIGA Form D for ASEAN preference) is requested; the HS line rate is confirmed with the broker.
• Carton label shows country, species, weight, supplier address, lot code and storage temperature.
• Reefer set at minus 18 °C or colder; temperature log kept.
• Scanned document set sent to the importer before arrival so the 10-day filing window is easy to meet.

FAQ

Can a Vietnamese exporter apply for the SPSIC on behalf of the buyer?

No. BFAR issues the SPS Import Clearance to the Philippine importer. The exporter supports the application with a proforma invoice and product details.

Can we load the container before the SPSIC is issued?

Production can start, but the bill of lading date should not be earlier than the SPSIC issue date. Under MO 12 s.2025, earlier loading exposes the shipment to confiscation.

Does shrimp need a histamine test for the Philippines?

FAO 195 sets a histamine limit for tuna-like species and sardines. Shrimp is not on that list; microbiological and sensory checks still apply at arrival.

Does TBESFOOD pack under the importer's brand?

Yes. We produce OEM to the buyer's spec and label, from HOSO to PDTO, including nobashi, butterfly and cooked shrimp.

Get the spec pack and a quote

Send us your form, size and monthly volume and we will reply within 24 hours with the pangasius and vannamei spec pack and an indicative quote. Email export@tbesfood.com or WhatsApp +84 932 072 978.

Sources

• Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Fisheries Administrative Order No. 195, s. 1999: rules on importation of fresh, chilled and frozen fish and fishery products (summary via jur.ph), accessed 11 Nov 2026.
• Department of Agriculture, Memorandum Order No. 12, s. 2025, guidelines on importation of frozen fish and SPSIC (da.gov.ph), accessed 11 Nov 2026.
• Philippine National Trade Repository, SPS Import Clearance (DA AO No. 9, s. 2010), accessed 11 Nov 2026.
• Context.ph, "DA sets rules for importing 250,000 metric tons of fish", 11 Mar 2026, accessed 11 Nov 2026.

Last updated: 11 November 2026. By Tbes Editorial Team.