CUSTOMS

The customs treatment of baggage is regulated by IN SRF no. 117, of 10/06/98, IN SRF no. 120, 10/15/98, and IN SRF no. 140, of 11/26/98, issued by the Federal Revenue Secretariat of the Ministry of Finance. The following text is provided for preliminary information purposes only; any further analysis should be based on the complete original texts in Portuguese.

The Brazilian Customs considers “baggage” the goods, whether new or used, destined to be used or for personal consumption, compatible with the circumstances of the trip. “Accompanied baggage” is baggage brought with the traveler in the same means of transportation where he or she is travelling, provided that no bill of lading has been issued for the baggage contents. “Unaccompanied baggage” is baggage with a bill of lading or similar document.

Customs regulations exclude from the concept of “baggage”:

goods whose quantity, nature or variety demonstrates importation or exportation for commercial or industrial purposes;
automobiles, motorcycles, scooters, bicycles with an engine, rolling houses and other land automotive vehicles;
aircraft;
ships of all kinds, jet skis and similar, and ship engines;
cigarettes and liquor made in Brazil, destined to be sold abroad;
liquor, tobacco and similar manufactured products, when the traveler is less than 18 years old; and
goods purchased in duty free shops upon the traveler’s arrival in Brazil.

If you are a Brazilian living abroad and you decided to return to Brazil, please check the pages Guia do Brasileiro Regressado and Atestado de Residência, in Portuguese only.

Baggage of Non-Residents

Upon arrival, all travelers must present to Customs the form Declaração de Bagagem Acompanhada - DBA (it translates as “Accompanied Baggage Declaration”) duly filled in; the flight attendants always distribute copies of the form during flight. In the Customs area, the traveler must go to the “Goods to Declare” desk whenever his or her baggage includes:

animals, plants, seeds, foodstuff and medication subject to health inspection, weapons and ammunition;
other goods, when the traveler wishes to get proof of their admittance into Brazil;
goods subject to the regime of temporary admittance, only when their listing on the DBA is required (for instance, goods worth over US$ 3,000.00);
goods not considered by Brazilian law as baggage (such as goods brought for commercial or industrial purposes);
valuables (cash, checks or traveler’s checks) worth over R$ 10,000.00 (or equivalent in foreign currency).

The baggage of a non-resident traveler is admitted into Brazil under the regime of temporary admittance. Under this regime, the traveler’s baggage is exempt from customs duties for a determined period of time, provided that the goods are withdrawn from Brazil before the term of this period. This period of time is set by the customs officer in accordance with the traveler’s period of regular stay in Brazil. Brazilians claiming non-resident status must produce a permanent visa granted by the country he or she lives in.

Nevertheless, goods destined for consumption included in the traveler’s baggage (including gifts to be offered in Brazil) are subject to an overall limit of US$ 500.00 (when the traveler enters Brazil by air or sea) or US$ 150.00 (when the traveler enters Brazil by land, river or lake) per person; the goods in excess of the stipulated amount shall be subject to customs duties, calculated at the rate of 50% of their value; in this case, the traveler must go to the “Goods to Declare” desk at Customs. Books, leaflets, periodicals, as well as clothes and other garment articles, toilet articles and footwear intended for the traveler’s personal use are exempt from customs duties.

Goods purchased at a duty free shop in Brazil upon arrival are exempt from customs duties up to an overall limit of US$ 500.00 per person.

Baggage of Residents

animals, plants, seeds, foodstuff and medication subject to health inspection, weapons and ammunition;
other goods, when the traveler wishes get proof of their admittance into Brazil;
goods subject to the regime of temporary admittance, only when their listing on the DBA is required (for instance, goods worth over US$ 3,000.00);
goods not considered by Brazilian law as baggage (such as goods brought for commercial or industrial purposes);
valuables (cash, checks or traveler’s checks) worth over R$ 10,000.00 (or equivalent in foreign currency).

The following items from the accompanied baggage of a traveler arriving in Brazil from abroad are exempt from customs duties:

books, leaflets and periodicals;
clothes and other garment articles, toilet articles and footwear, for the traveler’s personal use, in quantity and quality compatible with the duration and objective of his or her stay abroad;
other items, up to the amount of:
US$ 500.00 or equivalent in another currency, when the traveler enters Brazil by air or sea;
US$ 150.00 or equivalent in another currency, when the traveler enters Brazil by land, river or lake.

Regarding "other items", above, the goods in excess of the stipulated amount shall be subject to customs duties, calculated at the rate of 50% of their value; in this case, the traveler must go to the “Goods to Declare” desk at Customs.

The exemption of customs duties can only be enjoyed once every 30 days.

Goods purchased at a duty free shop in Brazil upon arrival are exempt from customs duties up to an overall limit of US$ 500.00 per person.

Pets and Plants

In order to be admitted into Brazil, pets and plants must be accompanied by the following documents:

Plants

Phytosanitary certificate issued by the competent local authority:

USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ)
Tip O’Neil Federal Building
10 Causeway, Room 518
Boston, MA 02222
Tel.: (617) 565-7030

Birds (parrots, parakeets)

Certificate issued by the local office of the USDA stating that the bird is free of psittacosis.

Cats and Dogs

International Health Certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian and duly stamped by the local office of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) attesting:

That the pet is in good health one week prior to boarding;
That no contagious disease was verified in the area of origin in the 40-day period prior to boarding; and
That the pet was vaccinated against rabies at least 30 days before boarding and no more than 12 months.

IMPORTANT:

Please note that this certificate is valid for 30 days only.

Sanitary and Phytosanitary certificates must be authenticated by the Consular Office. Fee for authentication is US$ 20.00. Payment can be made in cash or money order payable to “Consulate General of Brazil”. Personal or company checks and credit cards are NOT accepted.

For processing by mail please enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope and send fee with a money order (no cash in the mail, please).

There is no quarantine for pets entering Brazil.

The admittance of other kinds of animals is subject to previous authorization from the Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil.

Address of the USDA:

Veterinary Services (Headquarter for New England States)

176 Providence Worcester Road

Sutton, MA 01590

Phone: (508) 865-1421 or 1422

Arms and Ammunition

The importation and customs clearance of arms and ammunition are regulated by the Brazilian Army, according to Decree no. 3665, 11/20/00 (Regulamento para a Fiscalização de Produtos Controlados). The following is a summary of customs clearance procedures for arms and ammunition brought into Brazil by travelers as accompanied baggage (i.e., with no bill of lading); further regulations may apply (such as in the cases of transit and registration).

Brazilians and foreigners entering Brazil with arms and ammunition, including gas pressure or coil action weapons, are required to present them to Customs. The arms and ammunition will be retained at Customs (the traveler will be given a legal document stating the retention), though the remainder of the traveler’s baggage will be allowed to proceed through customs clearance. Following that, the traveler should present a written request for clearance in due form to the Army through the office of the relevant Military Region, attaching the international import certificate – CII (issued by the Army prior to the trip; foreign travelers, though, are not required to present the CII in this case).

The clearance granted by the Army does not waiver the traveler from the legal requirements of the Customs Authority – it simply means that the Army has no objections. If the Army does not clear the equipment, it will be returned to the traveler upon his or her departure from Brazil.

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