Customs for US Purchases in South America: Basics by Country

Customs for US purchases in South America follows the same basic pattern in every country: the parcel is declared with a description and value, the national customs authority assesses it, and the buyer pays any duty or tax that applies. The rates, allowances and paperwork differ by country and change often. This guide covers the general process and who to check with in Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay and Ecuador.

How customs for US purchases in South America works

The steps are similar whichever country you live in.

1. The parcel leaves the USA with a customs declaration listing the contents, the quantity and the value paid.
2. When it arrives, the national customs authority reviews the declaration, usually through the carrier or postal operator. The recipient can be asked for a receipt, proof of payment or identification.
3. Any duty, tax or clearance charge is worked out under that country’s rules, and the buyer pays it before the parcel is released.
4. The parcel is released for local delivery.

The detail changes from country to country: which goods are allowed, how personal imports are charged, whether the recipient needs a tax or ID number on file, and how payment is collected. We leave those numbers out of this guide because they change, and the authority’s own guidance is the reliable source. Read it before you buy, while you can still change the order.

The customs authority in each country

Search for the authority by name and look for its pages on personal imports, courier or postal shipments, and restricted goods. If the guidance is unclear for your item, ask the authority or your local carrier before you order.

What to have ready before you buy

A clean paper trail makes any customs query quicker to answer. Keep these together from the day you order:

• The retailer receipt or order confirmation showing the price you paid.
• A plain, accurate description of each item (for example "leather handbag", not "gift" or "accessories").
• The quantity and the paid value per item.
• Your full name as it appears on your ID, plus a working phone number and email for the carrier.
• Any tax or ID number your country’s authority asks recipients to provide. Check its current guidance to see whether this applies to you.

Our tracking and declaration guide explains how to declare a forwarded parcel with accurate contents and paid value.

Three ways to shop the USA with us

The first is a shop order. If the item is already listed in the Amaboxly shop, you order from the product page and pay at our checkout. Delivery to South American countries is a live quote per item shown at checkout, and international parcels go by FedEx. Pre-Order items have an estimated delivery of about 30 days from the order date, which is an estimate and can stretch with peak seasons, US store delays or customs inspections.

Pre-Order items can be paid with a 50% deposit. Orders for the Americas ship straight from our New Hampshire hub, so the balance is paid before the item leaves the USA. Customs, duties and taxes are set by your country, are the buyer’s responsibility and are not included in our prices or delivery fees. We declare the accurate item value on customs forms.

The second is Buy for me. You send the exact US product link through your Forwarding account, we review availability and eligibility, and we place the retailer order after you pay the payment request. There is a small assisted-purchase fee per checkout, shown on the Buy for me page and in your payment request. Retailer acceptance and stock are never guaranteed.

The third is forwarding a parcel you bought yourself. You get the complete receiving address and suite details from us before checkout, buy from the US retailer, keep the receipt and tracking number, and declare the parcel in your forwarding account. We charge no purchase fee when you buy it yourself. The worldwide parcel forwarding page sets out the steps.

Freight and what sits outside it

Every route outside Malaysia needs a destination-specific quote before you buy or ship. A listed country does not mean every item, carrier route or postcode is accepted, so ask first.

Billed weight is the higher of actual weight and dimensional weight, with a minimum of 1 kg per box. Standard worldwide air freight is twice the corresponding Malaysia rate per kg. Three examples from the rate card:

• 1 kg: USD 36.00 x 2 = USD 72.00
• 10 kg: USD 11.50 x 2 = USD 23.00 per kg, x 10 kg = USD 230.00
• 30 kg: USD 8.73 x 2 = USD 17.46 per kg, x 30 kg = USD 523.80

Brazil and Argentina are among the destinations that use a benchmark-based rate instead, so the figure comes in your quote. Parcels over 30 kg also need a quote. Rates are reviewed and may change.

Freight is one line of the quote. Door delivery, import or clearance charges and any extra services are confirmed separately, and your country’s duties and taxes are on top. We do not sell freight insurance and our forwarding terms give no loss or damage cover, so fragile items travel at your risk unless you arrange cover elsewhere.

Items to check with us first

Some goods need extra review before you buy: batteries (installed or spare), power banks, liquids, aerosols, cosmetics, magnets, items with radio functions, fragile glass or ceramics, and bulky household items. Your own country may restrict some of these too, so check both sides.

Prohibited items can be held and disposed of, and we may open a box when a check is needed. Send the product link on WhatsApp at +1 (603) 440-9886 or through our contact page before you pay the retailer. A real person replies within Malaysian business hours.