Brazillian import taxes?
 

People, how is it?

Not an especially exciting question, but does anyone know if the rumours of 100% import taxes into Brazil are true and unavoidable? Hoping to get some spares sent out...

Cheers, Dan (in Buenos Aires - give us a shout if you're in the area, I've just taken the apartment for another three weeks)

Yeah, they are. I was told 160% more or less by a dealer in Fortaleza. You can have whomever sends you the parts declare a lower-than-true price, but customs has a great big book listing everything and it's value, so it can't be ridiculously low. Locally made parts, if they're suitable, are heart-warmingly cheap but also shoddy. Sorry, mate.

James (also in BA)

Dan

Do you have a carnet for bike? We have heard that some people are succesful in avoiding the import taxes by showing the carnet and that they are with a bike that is temporarily imported and will be leaving the country - not sure if it has worked in Brazil through.

But maybe if you get whoever is shipping them out to say "temporary import only" on the shipping documents, with a copy of bike's temp import permit / carnet, then you could wangle it through??!! Alternatively, we got away with no import taxes in Panama, by sending the bits to a charity as a gift? We have always heard that sending normal post can slip under the net of Customs, but then you run the guantlet of it never showing up at all. It's all a bit desparate I know . . Maybe you could see if there is a nice lady in the Customs who can help you . . .

We get into BA on 2nd March. Only have 4 days to sort out bike as we fly back March 6th. Give us your address. Won't gate crash your solitude, but ice cold beers after a day of crating sounds like too good to miss . . .

[This message has been edited by GlobeBusters (edited 21 February 2005).]