BRAZIL
Used Household Goods and Personal Effects
Documents Required
Original bill of lading (OBL) / air waybill (AWB)
Notarized copies of passport (including all the blank pages) (2 copies)
Temporary work visa / permanent visa
Notarized copies of Brazilian tax card / Cadastro de Pessoas Fisicas (CPF Number) (2 copies)
Detailed inventory of new items in Portuguese
Detailed inventory of used items in Portuguese
Notarized copies of airline ticket (2 copies)
ISPM-15 Fumigation Certificate, if applicable
Notarized employment contract (non-diplomats)
Declaration of residence abroad (non-diplomats / returning citizens)
Copies of Registro Nacional de Estrangeiros (RNE) (2 copies) (non-diplomats)
Baggage declaration (non-diplomats, returning citizens)
Guarantee bond (non-diplomats)
Notarized copies of Declaração Simplificada de Importação (DSI) / diplomatic franchise (3 copies) (diplomats)
Authenticated copy of Ministério das Relações Exteriores (MRE) identification (diplomats)
Copies of supplemental form (3 copies) (diplomats)
Certificate of residence (returning citizens) / utility bill receipts for the preceding 13 months
Proof of residence abroad (minimum of 12 months required) (returning citizens)
Specific Information
The shipment should only be sent when all documents are complete and received by the destination agent, inclusive of the CPF number.
Confirm receipt of documents with the agent and wait for their “green light”.
The address registered in the CPF must be the same as the final destination of the shipment (returning citizens).
Diplomats must be in Brazil prior to shipment arrival to apply for the required Brazilian documents and may import duty free.
Diplomats may import household appliances if in the possession of the owner of the goods for 6 months and appropriate to the rest of the shipment.
A CPF number is mandatory for all shipments.
The visa must be valid for more than 180 days.
Goods can only be imported after the visa is authorized by the Brazilian authorities and the residence permit / visa is stamped in the passport by the Brazilian Federal Police;
The shipment will be Customs cleared under a bond, signed by the owner of the goods (non-diplomats).
The OBL must be rated showing the freight cost and Harmonized Code for household goods;
It should be consigned to the owner of the goods, not the agent or moving company.
The DSI / diplomatic franchise are provided by the Ministério das Relações Exteriores (MRE).
It takes approximately 15 days to obtain the diplomatic franchise (diplomats).
Foreigners with a temporary visa must sign a guarantee covering the amount of duties based on 50% of the declared value.
New and used household goods and personal effects may be imported duty free if for personal use and declared and new items are identified on the packing list.
Electrical / electronic items must be declared showing brand name, model, and serial number.
The packing list of items must indicate the values of each item in Brazilian Real showing quantity per unit with the total value and the brand, model, and serial number of each item must be included.
It must be signed and registered at a Brazilian Register Office.
Customs clearance can only begin after the arrival of the owner of the goods in Brazil and should begin within 90 days of the owner of the goods’ arrival;
Otherwise Customs may seize the shipment.
Shipments must arrive in Brazil within 180 days after arrival of owner of the goods.
Shipments under a tourist / business visa cannot be cleared.
Wooden packing material must be fumigated and a fumigation certificate must be sent to the agent with the OBL prior to shipment.
Food, beverages, or medicines should not be included in the shipment.
Items imported will have to be exported when the owner of the goods leaves Brazil (non-diplomats).
Returning citizens or those who possess a permanent visa must have lived abroad for at least 12 contiguous months prior to relocation to Brazil.
During this time, citizens or visa holders cannot have been in Brazil for the past 12 months, for more than a period of 45 days.
If the stay exceeds 45 days all items included in the move will be subject to the payment of import duties, excluding the following items that are exempt, regardless of the above rule:
Clothes
Shoes
Books
Magazines
Documents