Tea from Vietnam can enter the United States without an import licence, but four things have to be in place before the container sails: the factory that processes or packs the tea must be registered with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with a US agent; a Prior Notice must be filed for each shipment before it arrives; the US importer must run a Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) for the supplier; and the retail pack must carry an English label that meets FDA rules, including the country of origin. Pesticide residues are judged against US tolerances, not Vietnamese or EU limits. This guide walks through each step and says plainly what TRAVINA can and cannot do today.
| Requirement | Who is responsible | When |
|---|---|---|
| FDA food facility registration + US agent | The foreign facility that processes or packs the tea | Before the first shipment; renewed every even-numbered year, 1 October–31 December |
| Prior Notice | Importer or its customs broker (can be anyone with the details) | Each shipment: at least 8 hours before arrival by sea, 4 hours by air |
| FSVP | The US importer | Before importing from a new supplier, then kept up to date |
| English label, net quantity, origin | Brand owner, agreed with the packer | Fixed at artwork stage, before printing |
| Pesticide residues within US tolerances | Supplier, verified by the importer | Test agreed before the order, on the lot to be shipped |
1. Facility registration and a US agent
Under the US Bioterrorism Act and the Food Safety Modernization Act, any foreign facility that manufactures, processes, packs or holds food for consumption in the US must be registered with the FDA. A foreign facility must also name a US agent, a person or company in the US who can be contacted by the FDA. Registrations must be renewed every even-numbered year between 1 October and 31 December; 2026 is a renewal year, so registrations not renewed by 31 December 2026 are treated as expired.
The registration number goes into each Prior Notice. Without it, the shipment can be refused at the port.
Where TRAVINA stands: our facilities are not registered with the FDA in our own name today, as our certificates page states. For a US order, the processing facility has to be registered and a US agent named before the first shipment. We arrange this together with your importer; it adds time to the first order only, so build it into the timeline.
2. Prior Notice for every shipment
The FDA must be told about each food shipment before it arrives. Prior Notice is filed electronically and includes the product, the manufacturer and its registration number, the shipper, the country of origin and the arrival details. For ocean freight it must be submitted at least 8 hours before the vessel arrives at the US port, and no more than 15 days before. A late or incomplete Prior Notice means the cargo is held. In practice your customs broker files it, using the commercial invoice and packing list we send; see export documents for Vietnamese tea.
3. FSVP: the importer checks the supplier
The Foreign Supplier Verification Program is the importer’s duty, not the exporter’s. The US importer must assess the hazards of the food and the supplier’s performance, then verify the supplier, for example through documents, test reports or an audit. A supplier who sends clear records shortens this step. We can provide our ISO 22000:2018 certificate (La Bang facility), VietGAP for the raw-material area, recent pesticide residue reports and lot records; our 12 questions for auditing a Vietnamese tea supplier show what we answer and how.
4. Labelling a retail pack for the US
- Statement of identity: the common name, for example “Green Tea”.
- Net quantity: in both metric and US units, for example “Net Wt 3.5 oz (100 g)”.
- Ingredients: needed for blends or scented teas (for example green tea and jasmine flowers); a single-ingredient tea is named by its identity.
- Name and address of the manufacturer, packer or distributor; if it is not the manufacturer, the label says “Distributed by” or “Packed for”.
- Country of origin: “Product of Vietnam”, required by US Customs.
- Nutrition Facts: plain tea leaves are usually exempt because they contain insignificant amounts of nutrients, but the exemption is lost if the label makes a nutrient or health claim. Keep the label free of such claims.
Bulk tea sold to a US packer does not need the retail label, but the cartons must show the origin and match the packing list. For your own brand, we agree the artwork with you before printing; see private label tea in 7 steps.
5. Pesticide residues: US tolerances apply
In the US, residue limits for pesticides on tea are set by the Environmental Protection Agency. If a pesticide has no US tolerance for tea, any detectable residue can make the tea unlawful, even when the same level is accepted in another market. Agree the test list with your importer before the order and test the lot to be shipped, not an old batch.
The US as a market for Vietnamese tea
The US is one of the markets where Vietnamese tea is growing. Customs figures reported in October 2026 show exports to the US up 20.4% in volume and 42.4% in value in the first nine months of 2026; see Vietnam tea exports January–September 2026. Import duty for tea depends on the tariff code and current US trade measures; ask your customs broker for the rate that applies on the day you ship.
Planning a first US order? Importers can request samples of Traditional Northern Green Tea, Special Green Tea or Broken Needle Tea Bags through our Contact page, or message our export team on Zalo/WhatsApp at +84 855 318 678. Tell us your pack format and volume, and we will set out the registration and testing steps with your importer. Price terms are on MOQ, price tiers and lead times.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an import licence to bring tea into the US?
No special licence is needed for tea. The facility must be FDA-registered, a Prior Notice must be filed for each shipment, and the importer must meet FSVP.
Who files the Prior Notice?
Usually the importer’s customs broker. For ocean freight it must reach the FDA at least 8 hours before arrival.
Does plain tea need a Nutrition Facts panel?
Plain tea leaves are usually exempt, as long as the label makes no nutrient or health claims. Blends with added ingredients should be checked case by case.
Is TRAVINA registered with the FDA?
Not in our own name today. Registration and a US agent are arranged with your importer before the first shipment.
Are EU or Vietnamese residue limits accepted in the US?
No. US tolerances set by the EPA apply. Agree the test list for the US before ordering.
