***Info for sending packages***

Customs taxes in Juiz de Fora (From mission president)

 As many of you are aware there is a risk of paying a tax when receiving a 

packages from outside Brazil. In an attempt to help those of you who will be receiving 

future packages I would like to explain a way that could help to avoid paying the 

customs tax. The following will explain how and why they take the packages. 

Explanation: The package upon arriving in Brazil is weighed and determined if the 

value of the packages is correct, if anything suspicious Is detected the packages will be 

opened and examined to evaluate the true value of the objects within. When the 

package is examined and a certain object of high value is not declared on the 

box/package, the package will be taxed and the recipient will have to pay the allotted 

value in “Real” to receive it. 

The following precautions should be taken to avoid paying the taxes. Do not 

forget to explain to your families the process in order to avoid this problem in the 

future.     

Precautions:

1. The receipts of all items placed inside the box should be saved until the 

missionary has received the package. All other items that were not bought in a 

store, should be declared as the store price on the package.   

2. A photo should be taken of all the items that will be sent inside the package, it 

should include all the items in a single photo.

3. All items inside the package should be declared when sending it. If an item with 

high value is not declared and the package is taxed, the tax will almost always 

be at a very high price.  

4. If a package is sent at a high price, it has a bigger chance of getting held by the 

Correios. (Brazilan post office). In order to avoid this a smaller package would 

be cheaper and less likely to be held by the Correios.  

If a package is held, the mission office will contact the missionary and advise him how 

much it will be to take it out. The missionary should be in contact on the next P-day 

and ask the family the value of the items inside the package.

If the packages continue to arrive with a high customs fee we can show them that the 

tax is too high and the package will be given to the missionary for free.