Diplomatic Shipment to Brazil (HHG-PE) - Exclusive Customs clearance process

Diplomatic visa holders have special treatment when bringing HHG-PE to Brazil.

They enjoy exclusive privileges acquired in international treaties and have particular benefits, as you can see below:

- Only diplomatic visa holders can bring vehicles (cars);
- Customs clearance process for diplomati
c shipments is way faster than others;
- Diplomatic shipment container is never opened, not even during the physical inspection.

One important thing we must keep in mind regards to the documentation. Although many of documents demanded by Customs seem similiar to other visas, some of the diplomatic documents must be sent to the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and it can take some time to be prepared. One of them is filled in with information declared on the OBL which is issued after the departure of the vessel. The Customs clearance process initiates only after presentation of all the documents, that's why this documentation issue must be very well managed in order to avoid delays and even higher port charges.

Be sure to choose a good partner in Brazil to handle your diplomatic shipments.

Note: This is valid only for foreigners! Brazilian citizens with diplomatic status overseas have not the same treatment. When coming to Brazil they are considered as Brazilian citizen return, the Customs clearance is different of the diplomatic one. Remember that.

If you need any assistance, I can provide you a consulting about this type of process.

MB

Inheritance (HHG-PE) - Avoid import duties

Inheritance is something that almost all the people have to deal with, it's a legal right.

However, when you need to make an international removal, the stress can be added to sadness.

How to avoid it?

We all know it's a tough thing to deal with, after all, beyond the loss of someone that might be important to the heir, the bureaucracy sprinkles some stress over the sorrow...

So, if you intend to bring HHG-PE as inheritance to Brazil, make sure to consult an especialized professional in order to get very briefed about all the specific documents demanded by Customs to clear this kind of shipment.

If a customer of your is going through such situation, don't permit that unprepared people manage such process, the stress can be higher than necessary. It's very important that the Customs clearance process goes the smoothest possible.

Don't expose your customer to unpleasant situation by having the shipment retained at the Customs.

Talk to me, I can provide you the best consulting about this.

MB

International Insurance: V.I.P. (Very Important Procedure) for HHG-PE

My friends, please note that once you are sending shipments to Brazil the Insurance must be done. It can't be avoided. Why?

Not only because of the risk during the transit between origin and destination, but mostly because of the Brazilian Customs procedure that makes all the shipments go through the physical inspection.

The problem lies in the fact of the crew (employees of the port, not our packers) responsible for unloading/loading the CTR at the Port is not used to HHG-PE shipments, but to cargo. That's why they are not that careful in handling the goods and much often they cause damages in the customer's stuff...

Please make sure that your customer will ensure the goods that will be transported, do not allow him to deny of doing it in order to prevent future headaches for both of you...

MB

The Achilles heel of Relocation: Homesickness

Relocation is a stressful process that involves leaving your home and moving to a new house in a different neighborhood / city/ country which leads us to the following question:

"What do you look for while choosing a mover - service/price/experience?"

Allow me to answer...

According to the research informed by the brilliant Kristin Ash (Global Benefits Group), the cost to the US in failed expat assignments is approximately $2.5B per year.

Indeed it's an astonishing amount and shows exactly what a bad relocation can do.

Furthermore, as the waste of money was not enough to aggrieve the process, there's a very often condition that afflicts the expat overseas: the homesickness.

Different country, different culture, different language, different food... All of these things contribute to make the expat feels the homesickness. The expats miss their houses, their relatives and friends, their homeland. Note that such situation is way counterproductive and the company feels the employee's suffering by analyzing low results due to their low performance.

As you can see, relocation is a very important service, so I strongly recommend you to look for best service and experience.

Price is completely out of this concern.

For a good relocation, you must choose the best and the most experienced agent, who must collect both personal and professional data, must find the best place for the expat in a neighborhood with good schools for the kids, clubs and malls for wife and perhaps a city that offer to expat and family a bit of their own culture as food and things like this which can ease the homesickness.

Do not take only the costs too much into consideration when dealing about relocation, pick the best service possible.

If you need anything else, please let me know.

Regards"

MB

Types of the Brazilian Customs clearance: Time spent varies from 5 to 45 working days!!??

The time spent in the Brazilian Customs clearance varies according to the type of Customs clearance that will be used in the shipment.

The Brazilian Customs uses a special procedure to select what type of clearance they will apply upon the hhg-pe shipments coming to Brazil. This procedure is named "Parameterization".

It consists in sharing the shipments in three types: the vias green, yellow
and the red.

Green Via - The shipment is cleared with a shallow documental analysis and without physical inspection - it takes around 5-10 working days to be completed;

Yellow Via - The shipment goes through the documental analysis, but not the physical inspection - it takes around 15-25 working days to be completed;

Red Via - The shipment goes through both documental analysis and physical inspection - It takes around 30-45 working days to be completed.

Note: This is a procedure of Customs, they decide. We have absolutely no power to choose which one we want! My friends I really wish I could!

Usually we inform to our agents/customers that the Customs clearance process takes around 20-30 working days to be concluded because this is the average.

The bad news is that the red via is, for sure, the most used way to clear shipments in Brazil. Sometimes the yellow via is choosen. Rarely we are blessed with the green via, unfortunately.

It's important to inform that the origin of the shipment really has influence in which type of Customs clearance will be used.

MB

Vehicle to Brazil: Is it ok? May it be sent?

As long as you hold the Diplomatic Visa and if we are talking about a car, no problem, otherwise no way!

The Brazilian Customs law treats in different ways the shipments of cargo and hhg-pe.

Vehicles are not considered hhg-pe, so the Customs clearance is way different.

Note: No kind of vehicles is allowed, not even part of them! e.g.: cars, boats, motorcycles, tires, sail, wheels, shock absorbers, etc.

If your customers intend to bring vehicles, please make sure that they hold the Diplomatic Visa, otherwise the Customs will retain the shipment!

My friends, it's important to inform you that to a Brazilian citizen who is a diplomat overseas it's not allowed to bring car because he is considered Brazilian citizen returning. Diplomatic status is granted only for foreigners, non Brazilian shippers.

There are some specifics procedures that involves shipment with car, please contact is for further information.

MB

The Brazilian Customs is very strict regarding to brand new items...

Due to the fact of the products be commercialized (in Brazil) with the most expensive prices on Earth, many people prefer purchasing the products abroad and then bringing them to Brazil.

However, under the make up of "protecting the internal market", the government applies heavy import duties over the brand new items brought from overseas. This way they keep the escape of capital under control. Actually, if they don't do this, people would buy overseas to re-sell in national territory.

Ok, but what if you have no intention of commercializing such goods? What if it's for your own use?

In case of bringing brand new items in a CTR to Brazil you must keep in mind two things: 1- The Brazilian law allows you to bring brand new items in your CTR; 2- If the items values don't match with the price of the market, the Customs officer can apply the values at his free will.

Note: Reasonability! Be reasonable in the quantity of brand new items, don't exceed 20% of the CTR, be reasonable on the price of such items. Plus, inform what's brand new in your shipment, highlight the electronic items.

If you intend to bring a shipment with some brand new items, let us know first. We can help you to fit your desire of bringing new items to the conditions demanded by law.

MB

Shipment to Brazil (HHG-PE): How to avoid import duty?

If there's something that pisses anybody off, it's the cost charged in Brazil regarding to Customs clearance process of shipments (air and sea).

The Brazilian government charges everything, regarding to shipments they keep the average of earning as much money as they can.

The port charges in Brazil are among the highest in the entire world and they're unavoidable. However if you know how to proceed along with the Customs demands, regarding to the Household Goods and Personal Effects, you can achieve the exemption or suspension of the import duty charged upon them.


How?

First we should keep in mind that, even though there are a plenty of visas that allows the entry of people into Brazil, only few of them allows the entry of HHG-PE.

I will talk about three of them, namely, Permanent visa, Brazilian citizen returning or Temporary visa.

Brazilian Citizen returning / Permanent visa - If you are a Brazilian citizen or if you hold a Permanent visa, you can obtain exemption of the import duties, as long as you satisfy some demands from the Brazilian Customs. Besides the documents that you must present to Customs, two conditions must really be attended: 1- You should have lived overseas for more than 01 year; 2- You should have not spent more than 45 days in Brazil in the period of 01 year before your arrival to Brazil. 
Note: Of course that you must present proofs, so please contact me to know how to do it.

Temporary visa - If you are a Temporary visa holder you can obtain the suspension of the import duties by presenting some specific documents. The main document is what we call "Termo de Responsabilidade" (something like "term of bond"). This document is signed at the moment of the arrival and assures you that the import duties will be not charged, as long as you fulfill the deadline informed on the document.

e.g.: you come to Brazil and your Temporary visa is valid for 2 years.
You sign this term of bond and then Customs doesn't charge you the import duties. So you enter in Brazil "free" of paying import fees.
However, if you don't leave the country with the stuff you brought up to the expiring date, the suspended import duties will fall upon your head and then you will be obliged to pay such fee + penalty (for not fulfilling the deadline).

Note: The term of bond can be extended or cancelled, however there are a plenty of requirements that must be satisfied in both case.

Remember that we are talking about IMPORT DUTIES! You can't avoid of paying the PORT CHARGES, one thing has nothing to do with the other. Port charges is charged by the Port which is a private company, it's not a governmental department or something.

If you need any further assistance, please feel free to contact me.

MB

Leadership & Management: Why companies face so many problems?...

Management is something that can be taught, in fact there are a plenty of schools that teaches the procedures and ways to give you a good knowledge demanded for any kind of management.

The problem lies in the leadership issue. You can't create leaders because leaders already born leaders... Although there are also good schools for teaching this, we all know that a leadership is like style, you got it or not. These schools work way better when a real leader is over there, not only for learning, but for improving his own leadership gifts.

Many companies suffer because most of them gives the leadership to unprepared people. They are not there for their merits, they are there because of indication or kinship with some big shot.

Ok, sometimes the leadership is not given to people like that, but to someone who can't bear the pressure of managing another people.

As I use to say, not always a good actor will be a good director ...

What must we do to hit the target of leadership?

You must search and localize the leader inside your company. Leaders are natural, they don't need high-ranking, they have spontaneous followers, they are fluent upon the group where they belong, they know how to talk, how to convince people to do things the way they want, they hear the people and people hear his voice, the followers admire their leader.

I'm pretty sure that you have thought about someone like this...

If you belong to the board or if you are someone with power enough to make something about it, I ask you: what the heck are you waiting for?

It's never late to straighten things out, so do it. Give the opportunity for whom deserves and you will not regret.

What it takes to make the Brazilian Customs clearance process the smoothest possible? Regarding to HHG-PE, please take note...

Brazilian Customs clearance process is among the strictest of the entire world. To make this nightmare even worst, the port charges are the 3rd most expensive on earth. As you can see, everytime a shipment is coming to Brazil, the customers and agents must get ready to present deep pockets. The only way to avoid even higher costs is by following some procedures and attending all the demands regarding to the documents. We always make difference when our customers do what we recommend. Our expertise and deep knowledge on managing such process along with the Customs authorities can really turn this stressing process into a smooth one...

Contact us and get relaxed...