Detailed explanation of Brazil’s customs clearance process and international trade risk avoidance strategies

Brazil customs clearance matters

Original bill of lading

Brazilian customs regulations require that the original bill of lading must be provided during customs clearance, and electronic documents are not accepted. In addition, the sea freight must be stated on the bill of lading for imported goods. If a freight forwarder’s bill (HBL) is used, the total ocean freight of the freight forwarder’s bill must not be lower than the shipowner’s bill (MBL), otherwise the entire box cannot be cleared at the destination port. It is worth noting that the sea freight in Brazil can only be paid in advance (Prepaid), and the sea freight cannot be paid on collect. The issuer of the freight forwarding bill must be a non-vessel common carrier (NVOCC) and be registered with Brazilian Customs.

Spot inspection

Brazilian Customs implements a random inspection system for customs declaration goods and processes them according to four different colors: green, yellow, red, and gray. If the goods are unfortunately drawn to the red channel for customs declaration, the time will be relatively extended, usually about fifteen days.

Free stacking period and free container use period

FreeTime Detention and Free Time Demurrage are the rent-free periods after the goods arrive at the port. These two time periods can be applied to the shipping company, but in order not to cause congestion at the terminal, the shipping company usually only provides a seven-day free container period. According to the general practice in Brazil, after the goods arrive at the port, customers usually ask the agent to drag the cabinets to the nearby Terminal outside the terminal to make full use of the stack-free period.

Import license

For customers who are doing business in Brazil for the first time or who are not familiar with the Brazilian market, it is best to first find the customs code (NCM NO.) of the product and check whether the product requires an import license required by Brazilian Customs. Import licenses are divided into automatic import licenses and non-automatic import licenses. The approval process for automatic import licenses is relatively simple and automatically approved; the application and approval of non-automatic licenses is handled by the Foreign Trade Bureau of the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Commerce.

Sail date

The time of cargo sailing is based on the cargo shipment date (ONBOARD DATE) on the bill of lading. If the import license application is issued earlier than the time when the import license is applied for, the consignee at the destination port needs to pay a penalty of approximately US$1,500.

International parcel customs clearance process and precautions

Customs clearance process

The process of international parcel clearance includes three main steps: declaration, inspection and release. Declaration refers to submitting cargo information to the customs, including the name, quantity, value, origin and other information of the cargo. Inspection refers to the customs inspection of goods to ensure that the goods comply with import and export laws, regulations and standards. Release means that the customs approves the goods to leave or enter the country after confirming that the goods meet the requirements.

Notes

1. Accurately fill in the declaration information: The accuracy of the declaration information is very important for the speed and success rate of customs clearance. Therefore, you need to check carefully when filling in the declaration information to ensure the accuracy and authenticity of the information.
2. Avoid prohibited goods and restricted goods: Customs is very strict about the inspection of prohibited goods and restricted goods. If the package contains prohibited goods and restricted goods, it may cause the package to be detained or Return it and even face legal liability.
3. Comply with customs requirements and regulations: During the customs clearance process, you need to comply with customs requirements and regulations, cooperate with customs inspections and audits, and provide relevant certificates and documents required by customs.
4. Purchase insurance: During international package shipping, packages may suffer loss or damage. Therefore, when sending international parcels, you can consider purchasing insurance provided by the courier company to obtain appropriate compensation in the event of loss or damage to the parcel.

Conclusion

International parcel customs clearance is an inevitable link in international express delivery services, and its speed and efficiency directly affect the arrival time of the parcel. Customs clearance usually takes a few days, but may be delayed due to special circumstances. When using international express delivery services, you need to understand the customs clearance process and precautions, and plan the time in advance to better manage and control the entire customs clearance process and ensure that the package can be delivered to the destination in a timely and safe manner.