Inattention after an international trip can be costly. Taxpayers who do not correctly declare goods when returning to Brazil are fined and may even face administrative and criminal sanctions if they try to enter the country with goods above the permitted value or with prohibited items.
To avoid setbacks, the Federal Revenue prepared the Traveler’s Guide, which serves as a reference source for travelers who have doubts. The omission or false or inaccurate declaration of goods classified as baggage will result in a fine of 50% of the value exceeding the exemption quota.
Goods that do not qualify as personal use are subject to the payment of Import Tax, but there is an exemption quota. For air or sea travel, the limit is $1,000. For arrivals via lakes, rivers or land borders, the quota is US$500 per person. The taxpayer is entitled to an additional quota of US$ 1,000 on purchases made at airport duty-free stores.
Exemption limits for arrivals via airports, lakes, rivers and land borders were elevated earlier this year. for purchases in duty-free shopsa quota has been readjusted in January 2020 <>.
Quantities
The IRS clarifies that tax exemptions are individual and non-transferable. You cannot add up the quotas to benefit, even within your own family. In addition to the value quota, there are quantity limits.
The taxpayer can only enter the country with up to 12 liters of alcoholic beverages. If the quantity is exceeded, the items will normally be treated as baggage if the taxpayer can prove that it is for personal consumption, without commercial or industrial purposes. However, there will be no tax exemption for goods above the quantity.
Purchases that exceed the permitted quota must be declared and taxed at 50% on top of the exemption limit. Cash, in national or foreign currency, over R$ 10,000 and items monitored by the Health Surveillance, the Agricultural Surveillance and the Army must also be declared.
The declaration can be made online, through the Electronic Declaration of Property of the Traveler (e-DBV). The advance payment expedites the passage through customs. It can be done in cash, at the collection network or by debit card at the customs service desk. It is also possible to pay home banking or through self-service terminals.
prohibited items
Taxpayers must also be aware of items prohibited from entering the country, such as cigarettes, exclusive drinks for export, replica firearms, pesticides and narcotics. The transport of prohibited merchandise, with commercial destination, of pirated prohibited products or of another person; hidden products, in the body or in the luggage, are subject to administrative and criminal sanctions.
Check the baggage exemption rules:
|
Item |
Rule |
|
Books, pamphlets and periodicals |
Totally exempt, no restrictions |
|
Goods for personal use or consumption |
Compatible with the circumstances of the trip or professional activity carried out |
|
Exemptions linked to the quality of the traveler |
• Moving to Brazil; • Members of diplomatic missions; • Crew, military and civilian in official capacity abroad; • Other special situations |
| too many goods |
• Up to $1,000 exemption for air and sea travel • Up to $500 waiver for land, river, or lacruster trips • Exemption of up to US$ 1 thousand for purchases at duty-free shops |
Source: Federal Revenue
Check out the main items prohibited from entering Brazil:
• cigarettes and beverages manufactured in Brazil, intended exclusively for sale abroad;
• firearm replicas;
• animal species of wild fauna without technical advice and license;
• aquatic species for ornamental and agricultural purposes, without permission from the competent body;
• counterfeit or pirated products;
• pesticides;
• intoxicating substances and drugs.
