Update on Packages from Abroad

You did very well.

I ordered a plain drainboard from Amazon US last month - not the drying rack, which is available in Brazil, but the plain, molded plastic tray that takes the drainwater back to the sink, rather than pooling on the counter, and that I couldn't find here.
It arrived right after Carnaval. Amazon price was $16.95.   $13.66 to ship - and $29.12 in Customs duties, ICMS, and handling at Viracopos.  😱
Solved our counter flooding problem, though. 

Yeah that´s about right (approx 100% in Federal & State) because they routinely also
tax the shipping! Believe it...

Not only that:  ICMS is charged on the total of the merchandise and the import duty - tax on tax!
I used to make a very good living, helping companies import capital goods into Brazil without losing their shirts.  If a company did everything right, they could be looking at a combined tax rate of 40-45% - and that's on equipment that the government WANTED imported.   It didn't take many innocent mistakes or paperwork errors to push that to 100% or more.  Crazy!

Yes! I forgot to mention that "tax on tax phenomenon." I was so mad one time when that
happened and I felt insulted to the max for being treated like an idiot!

So it can be concluded that if there´s a Federal tax origin, the State whacks you more with more impunity!

We need Trump to straighten Brazil like what´s he´s doing with China.

Be careful what you wish for! 

As it happens, Bolsonaro leaves for the US on Sunday.  Chances are that the meetings will not go so well, though.  Brazil wants US support to join the OECD,   But Trump is as distrustful of the OECD as he is of all international organizations, and his minions are already warning the Brazilian side that he's not on board, nor is he likely to be.

We can certainly hope that Trump will at least be civil to Bolsonaro, them being kindred spirits and all.  But he IS very preoccupied with his Wall and that pesky Constitution thing right now, and with his attention span ... Well, let's hope for the best anyway. 

OECD fuels globalization which Trump is not so keen in supporting because it favors mostly emerging economies and not the developed countries like the USA. This is against his MAGA objective.

Brazil... Imagine if Brazil stops levying excessive taxes on American goods... Commerce would be very favorable for the US since Brazilians love iPhones
etc. Imposing too much taxes on imports is a form of protectionism and forces citizens to buy poor quality locally made goods.

Well, it looks like his fight for the WALL will end up in courts as Congress passed a resolution turning the emergency move down. There were also Republican senators
that broke their support for him in Senate. He´ll veto.

The US is really in quandary on that wall. We spent trillions on wars in the Middle East;
lost American lives and a LOUSY 5billion dollar wall can´t be appropriated for. Homeland Security wants that badly for our forces to effectively deter illegal entrance.
A wall discourages would be illegals especially terrorists! It saves time and money on patrol frequency and prevents unnecessary loss of life. Time has changed. There are now massive caravans going for economic migration to the USA; global displacement of people is at it´s peak and becoming a trend and a responsible country has to protect it´s citizens and resources. It´s all technical because the opposition wants to prevent future presidents from using the emergency excuse.

Yes, he´s got lots of things in his mind from impeachment to the Mueller report; Cohen´s  accusations; a contrarian press esp. CNN etc. etc...

God Bless America!

Trump will beat it all, yes he and Bolsonaro are kindred spirits and environmental nightmares.

Trump has his plate full yet, it's like eating a elephant one bite at a time.

I consider Brazil a ally with the Venezuela thingy going on and the things behind the scene.

The tax on tax thing for what I need it's cheaper to fly home pick up the goods and save the cash for shopping.

The Omgawd moments of thinking of ordering anything of quality on line is a financial hardship (kkk).

I recently lost my cellphone and I needed 2 new ones the customs and duty doubled the price.

The ticket home was less than the tax, so plane trip it is.

I agree the love of electronic devices here in Brazil and other quality items would boost the economics of both countries and we could have a MBGA & MAGA thingy happening.

Tax on Tax insane.

I bought a HP laptop before moving here for backup all I know is it has 1 terabyte and has less than 40 hours on it, I think I paid $700.00usd here forget about it.

The wall thingy would not be necessary if people did as we have, entered Brazil jumped through the hoops and got through the cannon fodder and we're in.

When people ask about the "Donald" and the Wall and Immigration, I let them finish spewing and up chucking there disdain for "Teflon Don"  I then reach for my documents and tell them, this is what I needed to live here in Brasil and that is all the Donald is asking for, apply,wait your approval or disapproval and jump through the hoops.

No Documents your Booted out of Brasil....fact....

The illegal Drugs and Human Trafficking must be checked and stopped.This is why the Wall or Whatever the want to call barrier,crossing gate," jus get er dun"....billions on wars and deaths and the libs and dems cry foul....

Obummer,Killary, McCain, Bush's all human traffickers. The reason Dilma had to go? She told Obummer no more.....Maduro has to go he told the USA no more and it's all about oil.

Brazil has a lot of oil...huuuummmm

Now they need to Stop the BS on taxing goods.....Nationalism @it's finest....

"The tax on tax thing for what I need it's cheaper to fly home pick up the goods and save the cash for shopping. ...
I recently lost my cellphone and I needed 2 new ones the customs and duty doubled the price.
The ticket home was less than the tax, so plane trip it is."

So, true!  That's why, for our Christmas trip, my brother and sister-in-law had half a closet set aside at their house, that we filled up with stuff from Amazon during the leadup!  Including LOTS of converters - fortunately,
electricity here is 120.  There's always that one little thing you forget, though. 
Our computers and electronics mostly flew back with us on one trip or another.  Same for phones:  if they go, might be doing like you, Alascana.

So, true!  That's why, for our Christmas trip, my brother and sister-in-law had half a closet set aside at their house, that we filled up with stuff from Amazon during the leadup!  Including LOTS of converters - fortunately,
electricity here is 120.  There's always that one little thing you forget, though.

I feel everything y'all feeling, I think this trip out will do me for 2 years. Been doing fine no cellphone for 4 months, don't Zap ,text and no one to call, if so messenger works great, and Skype for I do not miss sitting with folks texting and Zap and FB it's like do people converse here...kkk...the phone so I can tell people I own one or two. Miss my Cellphone Protector that thing would take a drop and bounce (ouch) no one here has Gator Boxes the screen repair guy gets much dinero. I need my Sauces and Elbow Macroni (lol) and quality shoes, the shies here suck as well as the size of clothing and I ain't about high water or tight slacks or stretch material (smh) oh spandex and neon orange,pink,blue, I need my Nike, and Adidas,Sketchers,Cole Hans ....and the flipping dollar store,Walmart ....that's it for me...oh and grits.....kkkk

BH phone went down went to US and purchased a new one. Had her place chip in new. Custom look at it but she turn it on and was set up for brazil. They let it though.

Texanbrazil wrote:

BH phone went down went to US and purchased a new one. Had her place chip in new. Custom look at it but she turn it on and was set up for brazil. They let it though.

Good plan on your part.  Did you need to change any settings before you could use it?  We did - not hard, but a little nerdy.  Fortunately, WE'RE a little nerdy. 

Actually no. We were at Apple store to see if they could fix. No way so we put in chip on new phone and they set it up via cloud and all settings were as old one.

I need 1 more cell phone for my main carry item. The other I will designate it for alarm in waking up or a timer for cooking and also to list groceries to be bought.

I go home every year to buy clothes, electronics, vitamins and necessities that I can´t find in Brazil. All my wine crystals and decanters came from the USA although they´re Irish. All my beautiful, durable and very functional cooking wares are from the US.  I need some more McCormick seasonings, a few SPAM and canned cornbeef that I can´t find in Brazil.

I´m still waiting for KFC to open in Canoas and Porto Alegre. There´s a new Burger King that just opened in Novo Hamburgo but not KFC. So, May I´ll hit KFC first in the US for the junky American fix. That´s why I ordered EDTA to clean up any atherosclerotic plaque in my arteries if it exists. Chelation therapy (IV) for the same purpose costs $4,000USD in the States. Sometimes I worry because I eat a lot of churrasco. I probably have a high hemocysteine level ideal for cholesterol deposition in arteries... I don´t need any coronary infarction in a place like Brazil.


robal

Have somethings in common.  too will bring McCormick and Webber seasonings back this trip. Along with some sheets, towels and clothes. love to bring some sausage (brats and polish) but hit and miss in customs coming back.
KFC or Popeyes for me.
Oral or IV EDTA? Could not find oral last trip, but only went to Walmart and CVS.
Know 2 people went in for bypass and did not make it here?

I bought Oral EDTA from Swanson Vitamins. Manufacturer: ArizonaNatural, 600mg,
100 capsules (a bottle good for 1 month). I bought 6. I´ll order more for 1yr supply before I go home this May to be brought back to Brazil. There will be lots of shopping to do.

Otherwise, it´s $4,000 from a clinic for chelation therapy (IV) accredited by ACAM (American College for
Advancement in Medicine.

robal

robal...Only online or do hey have shops which sell it?

I´m sure they have shops that sell them. Google a pharmacy in your city and research on their site if they sell it. Or you can call them now or when you arrive in the States.

I give it a try. Thanks

There also sites that sell them here. It´s more expensive but you can order at their site and print the boleto bancario to be paid at a bank or at a Loterica.

Upon payment confirmation, they order on-line from the US and the product will go directly to your address. But you still have to pay the taxes involved.

robal

Tex,

Here´s their site. The product is on the top right hand corner. If you scroll down there´s a
"find a retailer" locator that you can click...

http://arizonanatural.com/

robal

Dang PC will allow site but tried to put Las Vegas in and map "could not find location". Bet I has to do with the BR internet connection.
Think Walgreens or CVS carries such? I ill look for vitamin shops. Maybe NOLA, they have all the Voodoo shops. (LOL)
Last resort is order online and send to Vegas hotel. (Which will charge me $10 for receiving a package, but do it a few times just for car parts.)
Normally wife has a whole suitcase full of cloths and food stuff coming home, just declare and pay the tax (after rolling my eyes at her).
Amazing the little things she never tasted and has to bring back. (Once 5 packs of English muffins. 2 had mold before she eat them all!)

Tex,

Don´t forget to also buy a multivitamin and a mineral supplement to help your body recover faster:

1. Sodium EDTA binds to heavy metals like iron, cadmium, aluminum, lead etc and of course our main mission is calcium combined with cholesterol that lines the endothelium of blood vessels called the atherosclerotic plaque.

2. When the body notices a low calcium level in the blood due to removal by EDTA,
it stimulates the parathyroid gland to produce parathormone responsible for removing calcium from abnormal locations like arteries and deposit it in bones where it´s needed.
The displaced cholesterol go to the liver to be a conjugated bilirubin and secreted as bile.

3. EDTA increases blood flow to organs especially to coronary arteries because when combined with magnesium it´s a vasodilator.

4. It reduces platelet aggregation preventing or inhibiting  coagulation leading to thrombosis and therefore prevents cerebrovascular accidents or stroke and coronary
occlusion. You can now take off that 81mg aspirin if you´re taking one.

5. It´s a powerful antioxidant preventing peroxidation of cholesterol which is
prone to be deposited at the artery wall.

6. It can take all day for me to mention the benefits but I have an errand to run now and
the chopp keeps coming to mind...LOL!

7. Costco sells Nature Made that contains Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc and Vitamin D3 for  mineral supplement. They also sell their Kirkland Brand called MatureMulti (Vitamins and Minerals, adult 50+) without the Iron of course.

CVS or Walgreens won´t carry that. Nor GNC. Google it.

robal

Thanks robal.
Running low on the Nature Made and on the list.
Have  cold one for me.

I just use 50mg of Viagra and that keeps the pipes Clean....jus sayn....rotflmao

I had a Brazilian acquiantance that had a 24hour "Lava Jato" pipeline "rigor mortis"- like
tumescence because of that compound. Well, he didn´t give me a feedback if it did also
erode all the cholesterol lodged in his pelvic arteries to have caused his ED!

robal wrote:

I had a Brazilian acquiantance that had a 24hour "Lava Jato" pipeline "rigor mortis"- like
tumescence because of that compound. Well, he didn´t give me a feedback if it did also
erode all the cholesterol lodged in his pelvic arteries to have caused his ED!

Noa ED happing here...I just like the stuff.....I take it daily my smoking habit and heart and arteries enjoy the work out...lol....and the blood flow magnificent maybe 6 times a day. And I watch what I eat....lmao

Sure... I believe ya! My dog told me the same thing one time.

robal wrote:

Sure... I believe ya! My dog told me the same thing one time.

Quit feeding the thing, it's lying to you, starvation brings the truth...lmao...
Morning Wood is Good now throw that dog a Stick or a Bone....smh...
It will be truthful one day...Circulation is King....kkkkkkkkkkkķkkkkkkkk

"Quit feeding the thing, it's lying to you, starvation brings the truth...lmao...
Morning Wood is Good now throw that dog a Stick or a Bone....smh...
It will be truthful one day...Circulation is King....kkkkkkkkkkkķkkkkkkkk"

I did starve him and he left and never came back! He was always outside during mating season and only came home very thin and dirty just to eat and out again after. He was probably telling the truth because all the newborn puppies in the neighborhood looked exactly like him! Ha ha!

I think I´m over-dramatizing, but seriously if he was able to speak as I was yelling and mad at him at the time, he´ll probably say the same thing that you said.

But I did leave food outside the house and apparently other dogs or cats ate them.

After midnight nothing on the Streets other than a Man and Dawgs...

After months of naively giving Brazilians and their state institutions the benefit of the doubt, I have decided to share this thinly veiled rant my experiences regarding Correios with all you fellow Brazil survivors enthusiasts 

Let me start with a tale of yore from my family archives:

The year is 1906 [or a futuristic vision of Northern Brazil]:

A man boards a ship in New York, bound for Ireland, his name is Thomas Kirby. Three weeks into the crossing, one of his children falls ill and succumbs to TB. However, without means of him receiving the news on board, his wife decides to send a letter to the Irish relatives he intends to visit. Thomas spends two weeks with his relatives and then must return to his family and his general practice. Over 6 weeks later the letter arrives in Ireland and the family are distraught by the news. Poignantly, Thomas Kirby sails over the horizon, blissfully unaware of the immense tragedy set to be visited on his once harmonious family.

Fast forward to 2019: a postcard from his parents holidaying in Tenerife takes over 6 weeks to reach Brian, Thomas Kirby's great grandson living in Manaus, Brazil

Please feel free to disagree with the following personal observations, I've been wrong about lots of things before and all facts and personal experiences are welcome !

1. For a start, Correios is officially known as EMCT. Empresa Brasileira de Correios e Telégrafos. Telegraphs in 2019. Jesus wept. Maybe this also explains the lack of iphones in Brazil ?

2. The tax situation is absurd. I get that Brazil wants to boost domestic manufacturing and employment levels, but putting sky high taxes upon already sky high taxes to pay for it makes no sense. I'd love to know what these taxes and import duties mean for inflation, and employment in the area of the re-sale of imported electronics, toys etc.
I also have the sneaking feeling that much of the revenue gained from this is frittered away through hiring more people in Correios and the Receita Federal to inspect imported goods and creating bogus jobs that would be otherwise unnecessary if Brazilians just held their hands up and admitted they're dismally, and sometimes willfully inept when it comes to the provision of many goods and services. The problem is no matter how high you put taxes to discourage imports, you can't replace knowledge and 'savoir-faire'. Mass-produced queijo de coalho will never equal Roquefort cheese. The vile Chuva de Prata will never reach the levels of Champagne. Even in the area of non-geographic specific products, it doesn't seem like many Brazilians have said, hold on, with import taxes so high this is a great opportunity to make an equivalent product and cash in on a lucrative market ! Right ?! Nope. My mind would boggle if it wasn't already shattered by the cartórios 

3. Even with all these taxes and the dreaded 'despacho postal' things still wouldn't be as bad if they stopped messing about with 'liberando' this and 'fiscalizando' that for weeks on end before actually giving you the chance to pay the despacho and then receiving the parcel. By any chance, and this is a wild idea as Brazilian thinking goes but, would it not be better to let it go through to the local post office and then having the recipient pay there and then ? Or would this break the chain of propina ?

4. Clueless staff without fear for their jobs. Before I left for Brazil I sent a parcel so that I'd get it shortly after arrival. Less than 10 minutes was spent between filling the customs form out, handing over the parcel to be sent and paying for postage. After waiting 35 minutes in the queue in the Correios in our local PAC, a customs form was given to me to fill in. After an additional 20 minute wait I was made wait another 25 minutes as all the data had to be put into the still Windows XP operated computer. There wasn't even a tracking number on the receipt for the R$167 express post I paid for. The difference between An Post and Correios: it only took 4 days 

So, the parcel which I was sent from Ireland was before I left was done on October 18th. On December 24th it was available to be 'liberado'. Not being familiar with Correios 'unique' way of operating, I naively just used the Irish postal service's website to track the package. Correios, as I later found out, tracks using our 'order number' and not the tracking number. 'In customs' was displayed. 'Oh, just a case of waiting and maybe paying whatever's due' I thought. 'Uhhuhhh' the employee in Curitiba said, eyeing my parcel. 'Back to Ireland with you'. So what next ? a) Send me reminder messages by e-mail, phone, SMS to pay the despacho maybe ? b) Even charge me extra fees or interest for the delay ? More money for them, right ? c) Or ... maybe using R$312 in Brazilian taxpayers money to send it back and spite this treasonous receiver of foreign goods? Option C it is then.

Basically, what Brazil and the Correios are telling you is: yes, technically you are allowed to receive goods and parcels from abroad. But hell you will pay extra fees, taxes and charges on everything. You will wait an eternity to receive your parcel. You will be made suffer for ordering competitively priced, good quality products that show us up for being half-assed charlatans when it comes to providing most goods and services. Ame-o ou deixe-o bitches.

Yes, I know it looks like I'm more bitter than a bottle of concentrated Campari and yet I'm really looking forward to being at the Manaus meet-up on Saturday, I'm delighted to be able to stay another 4 months here, welcome my first son into the world here and spend some amazing time with my Manauara wife to be. Peace out and happy Friday, expats !

How does one track a Registered Letter ( yes I am the one) send link to website...
Thanks in Advance...just a simple registered letter brazil intra brasil. ..

Alascana,

Here´s an example of how to track registered mail and the link to Correios. You have to fill up the registered no. or code or your CPF (if you informed them during postage).

https://www.correios.com.br/precisa-de- … -um-objeto

Brian,

Believe it or not, before cellphones, telegrams were flying around Brazil day and night!  Few people had landlines, so if you had an urgent message, you wired it from the Post Office. 
I'll save the rest of my PO horror stories for Saturday.

abthree wrote:

Brian,

Believe it or not, before cellphones, telegrams were flying around Brazil day and night!  Few people had landlines, so if you had an urgent message, you wired it from the Post Office. 
I'll save the rest of my PO horror stories for Saturday.

Gotta Love ya Ab3, it's on and poppin like corn...lmao

Ok, so my Registered Mail arrived, I know it was mailed on a Tuesday so not counting Tuesday and the weekend it arrived Wednesday of the following week so it took 6 days projection was 10 days.

So I would say similiar to mailing a letter in the USA from State to State.

Intra Brasil 7 days ok.. What the kicker is I expected to have to sign for the letter, yet NOA....I found it under the door....lmao....

I also mailed a letter "Simples/Regular Mail/Par Avion" as usual the clerk tried to up sale me to "Registered Mail" I understand "Secure Mail" the clerk claimed Registered was faster than "Air Mail" and I was like WTFace(lol/kkk).

I thought Registered mail is accountable or traced every step of mail processing physically? ???????....

I mailed the letter on Thursday from Bahia to Alaska, the transportation was truck to Salvador and Airplane to the USA .

I will update when letter arrives in Alaska....

Has anyone mailed a package from the USA to themselves?
And how was the duties and customs cost applied for Permanent Resident?

I read somewhere if one mails a package to themself they are allowed a certain amount of goods with no hassle or extra duty and fees with the customs and import fees....

Example " I want to mail a XBOX to myself and 2 cellphones " insured and registered of course....

Thanks in advance

Alascaca my friend you picked "electronics"!! Are these new? If new, it will cost a pretty penny at customs RF. (around 60% of cost). If used and personal you can with no issues.

Texanbrazil wrote:

Alascaca my friend you picked "electronics"!! Are these new? If new, it will cost a pretty penny at customs RF. (around 60% of cost). If used and personal you can with no issues.

It was a test question (kkk)...Thanks the "Airfare is Cheaper"
Once again Texas saves Alaska is John Wayne with you?. LMBO...
I still wonder why I want the Dagone thingy.
Nobody called me when I had one before, there was never a Emergency and I don't do whatszapp.....lol.....