Andréa Novais

Andréa Novais


The Brazil Business

Updated

Sea turtle

Hand Carried Import to Brazil

Andréa Novais

Andréa Novais


The Brazil Business

Updated

This article will give you information about what a items you can bring into Brazil under the rules of hand carried import and what additional taxes and fees that will apply for such import.

Hand carried import is the easiest way to import product samples and marketing material to Brazil when visiting clients or attending trade-shows.

In general, product samples without any commercial value can be carried to Brazil as hand carried import without paying import tax. However some products samples may require previous authorization from specific government departments (especially health related products).

Prohibited items

If you are arriving at Brazil through one of the countries international airports, you will have to follow Infraero's rules and regulations for prohibited items.

The list of prohibited items include:

  • Guns and Firearms
  • Explosive and Flammable Materials
  • Chemicals and Toxic Substances

There are also restrictions when it comes to liquids in the carry-on luggage, they can not exceed 100ml and the container has to be packed in a plastic bag.

Receita Federal states that all types of food must be declared, but does not specify what can be transported in the carry-on or in the checked luggage. In this case, we suggest the traveler to check these information with the airline company.

You can import flowers as hand carried luggage while vegetables and seeds must be declared.

Temporary Admissions

The Brazilian temporary admission regime allows for travelers to bring their regular baggage into the country for a specified period and with no duties. Items brought into the country under a temporary admission regime cannot be sold or take part in any industrial process while in Brazil. This regime includes goods for both personal and professional usage, including:

Unaccompanied luggage must be covered by a cargo bill.

Customs clearance

Customs clearance is done at the port of entrance to the country, requiring a declaration ("Termo de Responsabilidade") signed by the traveler by which the person will take responsibility for bringing the goods out of the country once he/she leaves Brazil.

An itemized list of the goods is required when applying for the temporary admission regime. If the list is not specified in Portuguese, customs authorities may at special occasions require to have the list translated into Portuguese by a Public Translator ("Tradutor Juramentado").

When entering Brazil by land coming from other South American bordering countries, the traveler must direct himself to the nearest Customs Authority Office (Secretaria da Receita Federal do Brasil) in order to register his goods for Temporary Admission.

Taxation

It is possible to bring other items with the intention of leaving them in Brazil as long as the overall value does not exceed the quota of exemption, which is currently in the amount of USD 500 for air or sea travel and USD 300 for land travel.

The value exceeding the exemption quota will be subject to customs duties, calculated at a flat 50% rate. The goods’ value to be considered by the Customs Authority will be the one stated in the invoice or receipt of purchase. In case of absence or inaccuracy of these documents, the value will be calculated and established by the Customs Authority.

The traveler must direct himself to the places indicated as “Goods to Declare” when bringing items that will remain temporarily in Brazil, whose unit value are over BRL 3.000.

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