Vietnam has seen a sharp rise in the import of cars by overseas Vietnamese in recent years.

Most cars used by overseas Vietnamese are expensive and quite new

According to Hanoi customs agency, the number of such cars has climbed to 70 in the first eleven months of this year, compared to 11 in 2010 and 13 in 2011.

All owners of these cars are overseas Vietnamese who have completed procedures to become permanent residents, the agency said.

The agency said in some cases people may have taken advantage of the government’s policy to facilitate overseas Vietnamese to bring their assets to Vietnam to illegally import cars to the country.

Several people completed procedures to have permanent residency in foreign countries shortly before entering Vietnam. Some registered to be permanent residents in locations different from their hometowns.

To clarify the situation, the agency has proposed relevant agencies to clearly define the purpose of overseas Vietnamese settling in the country.

State agencies should also tighten control over vehicle registration for these people to prevent possible tax evasion, the agency added.