Moving your possesions

Bernd,

Unless your furniture is made up of rare antiques or things with sentimental value that simply cannot be replace you should forget entirely shipping them here to Brazil. It is far too expensive, takes a long time and things can be held up in Customs once they arrive. Also things like appliances, electronics, etc., may not be able to be used here or will require extensive modifications to make them suitable for use. ONLY when a company offers to pay these costs for a prospective employee coming from abroad would I recommend shipping.

Your personal items, documents, photos, keepsakes, etc., should be boxed up and you should arrange to bring them with you as EXCESS BAGGAGE, the airlines will make a charge for this, but your belongings will arrive where you are and when you are there since they will come on the same aircraft.

I don't believe you are allowed to import vehicles into Brazil except for temporary use (with specified exit date) and even if you can that would be subject to backbreaking taxes.

When coming here with a plan to staying permanently, you really need to think in terms of starting your life all over again from the ground up. It's a lot cheaper that way in the long run too.

Cheers,
William James Woodward - Brazil Animator, Expat-blog Team

So it looks like I'm heading back to Madrid to sell my items I have in storage. I'll give myself a month to sell the items and then I'll be flying back to Rio with some rather expensive items I want to keep. I've already looked at fees for "additional baggage" flying with Iberia but I have a question about taxes.

I'm guessing I will probably pay for an additional 4-5 boxes to fly with me. In those boxes will contain my semi-professional SLR camera, home audio amplifier, desktop computer, high-end computer speakers, LCD desktop monitor, electric guitar and some clothes/shoes. Those will be the main items. Will I be subject to taxation on any of this stuff? Do they look inside the boxes? None of the items are brand new but all in excellent condition and most less than 2 years old. Most items I have the original packaging.

When I moved to Spain from California, I flew with 2 extra boxes with contained my 2 desktop computers and monitor and wasn't charged anything or they didn't look inside but of course that was Spain and this is Brazil.

Thanks,
Dean

No, if the items are used and you have receipts for them you shouldn't be required to pay any taxes on them being imported into the country since they're your personal possessions. I'd suggest that you make a detailed list of all the items you box up, include serial numbers of numbered items, that should speed up the process at the immigrations checkpoint when you return.

Cheers,
James      Expat-blog Experts Team

Hello James, to continue on this post. I'm leaving tomorrow from Madrid back to Rio. My email confirmation of my itinerary from Iberia says all travelers who enter or leave Brazil with valuables in the form of domestic or foreign currency, in an amount greater than R$10,000.00 (ten thousand reales) or the equivalent thereof in another currency, must present the e-DBV-Brazil

I don't have 10,000 reales but I went to read it and fill it out and there was a section about something like only a $500 exemption limit. So I filled out all the information providing details of what the items were, serial numbers, and the value and my total came to $2,575 USD in value.

At the bottom it says "Goods acquired abroad and considered as baggage are subject to the Import Tax. The tax is levied on the amount in excess of the exemption limit and must be paid prior to clearance of the goods. Articles that require compliance with specific formalities for customs clearance are not included in the calculation, since prior payment of the tax in such cases is not possible.

Total Value of Selected Goods:
US$ 2.575,00
Exemption Quota:
US$ 500,00
Taxable value:
US$ 2.075,00
Dollar/Exchange Rate:
R$ 3,1431
Taxable value in Real:
R$ 6.521,93
Import Tax:
R$ 3.260,97

I have only saved the online form to which you can finalize and transmit to the Federal Revenue of Brazil database.

Am I missing something here? I thought I wouldn't be liable for taxes. Will I really be liable for the tax? Or only if I submit this form? Of course I got scared off so I just saved it and thought to ask you.

I have printed receipts of all my possessions which show when I bought them and for how much so I'm really hoping I've just put a big scare to myself for nothing.

Please tell me something good!

I'm sure you will find that the R$500 limit exemption is for NEW items purchased while abroad and brought back into Brazil. As I said, if you're a permanent resident and recently applied for permanency the government should expect that you are going to wish to bring some of your personal belongings with you. We are NOT talking about items intended for re-sale or to be given to others, but rather for your own personal use.

Cheers,
James    Expat-blog Experts Team

Okay, I sure hope so. As for you mentioning if you're a permanent resident and recently applied for permanency I am not of course and have not applied for anything. If I'm not mistaken the criteria required to apply for permanent residency is quite difficult for foreigners.

I'm simply going for my 3 months allowable with the plan to extend another 3 months like I did last time and then work on applying for the business investment visa during that time. I met a Brazilian who I've become good friends with so we are talking about starting a business.

In that case I would strongly advise you against trying to bring your belongings into Brazil with you. This will have the effect of setting off all kinds of doubts on the part of the Federal Police and they could refuse you entry to the country alleging that they believe you're planning to simply overstay your visa and remain here permanently. Not a very wise thing to do. Since you'd be here on a Tourist Visa you are not able to work, so you couldn't even claim that you needed any of those belongings for a 3 to 6 month stay. I'm sure you'll be asking for more problems than it's worth. Just leave your things at home and if things work out and you do end up applying for permanency you can arrange to bring them into the country later.

Cheers,
James

Yep, if you can't afford to pay the taxes, don't bring the items. I'm not saying that you'll be charged, but it does happen (even on used items) and there's nothing you can do if they want to make you pay taxes.

I brought some expensive electronics here on a tourist visa. I was nervous going through customs. It got worse when they asked to x-ray my bags. Luck was on my side though, because something came up right before my bags went in the machine and the guy checking the machine got in an intense conversation with another worker while my bags just went on through without him looking.

They could have let me through anyways since everything was used. But they also could have just taken them and held them for ransom (errr taxes) and there's NOTHING really I could have done.

There are times where they just let everyone go right on through if they walk in the "nothing to declare line", but then there's times where they x-ray EVERYBODY