Lifestyle & relocation

Household goods customs: clearing your container and menaje in Paraguay

Your container is on its way, and we organize the customs side in Paraguay: the despachante, the declaration of your household goods (menaje), port handling and the appointments through to release, whichever forwarder carries the freight.

Price: from $789
Duration: Customs clearance usually 1 to 4 weeks
For whom: Movers shipping a container or shared load

Get in touch Calculate your price

Sea freight only gets your belongings halfway. When the container reaches Paraguay, a licensed customs broker (despachante de aduana) declares the goods, customs checks the documents and often inspects the load at random, and only then are your things released. Without Spanish and local contacts this stretch is hard to manage, and a poorly briefed broker can cost you weeks.

That stretch is what we take on: the despachante, the menaje declaration, port handling and the coordination of appointments on the ground. It works with any forwarder, including one you booked yourself long ago. The sea freight remains a separate contract between you and the forwarder and is not part of our service.

Whether your household goods enter with reduced duties or none at all depends mostly on timing. The menaje privilege requires your residency to have been granted and covers an import within six months of that date. That is why we fix the shipping date with you before the container leaves the port in your home country.

What's included

Appointing and briefing a despachante de aduana in Paraguay
The menaje customs declaration and an advance check of the documents: bilingual inventory, proof of ownership, proof of residency
Port handling through to customs release
Coordination of appointments between the forwarder, the despachante and you
Timing the shipment against your residency process so the menaje privilege can apply
On request, a free referral to our forwarding partner, who compares quotes from several shipping companies

Process

1Intro call: what is coming, when your residency will be granted, and whether a forwarder is already booked
2If you wish, a quote comparison through our forwarding partner; you sign the freight contract directly with the forwarder
3Preparing the customs papers: an inventory in Spanish and your own language with values, purchase receipts or photos, proof of residency
4Arrival in Paraguay: declaration by the despachante, document check and, where selected, inspection
5You pay the duties, official fees and the despachante, and the goods are released

From pickup to delivery in Asunción, experience puts the total at 6 to 12 weeks from Europe or North America. Most shipments go through Buenos Aires and cross the border by truck, fewer through Montevideo or the river port of Villeta. Customs clearance in Paraguay accounts for 1 to 4 weeks of that, longer around public holidays. Port and customs set the pace, so we cannot commit to a fixed deadline.

Who is this for?

For people moving furniture, a workshop, instruments or heirlooms to Paraguay by full container or shared load (LCL). Whether shipping pays off at all is worked through in our shipping guide: for many households, buying locally comes out cheaper.

Pricing

Household goods customs clearance (Menaje)from $789 plus duties and fees

The price is our fee for organizing the customs clearance in Paraguay. All third-party costs come on top: the despachante's fee, duties and official fees, port charges, transport from the port to your door, and the sea freight you agree directly with the forwarder. The referral to our forwarding partner costs you nothing: the partner pays us a commission, and your freight price stays exactly the same.

Important note: Paraguayan customs (Aduana), not us, decides whether your goods are recognized as menaje and which duties apply. Duty rates and menaje rules change often; what counts is the position when your shipment arrives. We coordinate and work with a despachante de aduana, but we are not a legal or customs adviser. Transport and cargo insurance are matters for the forwarder and your own transit insurance.

FAQ

Can you clear my household goods through Paraguayan customs if I booked the forwarder myself?

Yes. Our work starts when the shipment reaches Paraguay and does not depend on the forwarder. We only need to know early when and on which route the container is coming, so the despachante can prepare the declaration.

Is sea freight included in the household goods customs service?

No. Freight is a separate contract between you and the forwarder. On request we refer you free of charge to our forwarding partner, who collects and compares quotes from several international forwarders, shared loads included.

Do you earn anything from the forwarder referral for a move to Paraguay?

Yes. The forwarding partner pays us a commission for the referral. It costs you nothing and does not change the freight price. You are under no obligation to book that way: our customs service works the same with any other forwarder.

What is menaje in Paraguay, and which conditions apply?

Menaje is the import of household goods on a permanent move, at reduced duty or none. As we understand the rules, the items must belong to you, be used, have been in your possession for at least six to twelve months, and serve personal use rather than resale. The import has to happen within six months of your residency being granted, and the privilege can be used only once per person. The volume must match a normal household: customs treats two 40-foot containers as a commercial import. Customs decides each case.

Can I ship my container to Paraguay before my residency is granted?

You can, but without proof of residency on arrival the menaje privilege is lost and full duties apply. If the container sits in the customs area waiting for you, storage charges build up as well. The sensible plan is to time the shipment so your residency is in place when it lands.

How does Paraguayan customs treat new appliances and furniture?

New goods do not qualify as menaje and are cleared normally, with duty by tariff category plus 10% IVA and clearance fees, so shipping new electronics or furniture rarely pays off. Restricted items include weapons (special permit only), drones (registration with customs), certain medicines, food, and plants and seeds (phytosanitary certificate).