Customs Taxes on Items Brought into Bolivia Through the Airport?

by Larry
(Birmingham, Alabama, USA)

I am traveling to Bolivia soon. A friend of a friend asked me to take a few items to a relative living in Santa Cruz. When the package arrived, there were about 18 blouses, a few pieces of costume jewelry, etc. There was not ONE receipt. A person I know in Bolivia went to the customs office to ask what is done if there is no receipt. Again and again they repeated, there must be a receipt. Here are my questions:


1. Am I correct to assume that they will come up with a value and charge accordingly.
2. What is the percentage of value that is charged for clothing and toys?
3. If the tax on the items without receipts is too high, can I abandon the property at customs, or am I forced to pay the tax to enter the country. This is what will determine if I am going to even attempt to take the clothing in. I can't afford to pay hundreds of dollars.

Comments for Customs Taxes on Items Brought into Bolivia Through the Airport?

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Jun 08, 2018
Information on customs duties in Bolivia
by: Anonymous

What you need to do is cut off all the tags and remove all packaging from all the clothing and just pack them along with your regular clothing as if they were yours. That's what we all do.

When you get to the airport, you will retrieve your luggage and then before exiting, you will pass through an inspection area. You will press a little button and if a green light comes on, you will exit the airport without inspection of your luggage. If a red light comes on, they will open your luggage and just sort of rifle through it a bit with their hands. They don't make you completely empty your suitcase or anything. They only time they do that is when you arrive with a bunch of stuff that has packaging and labels and tags and is obviously new.

Don't sweat it.

However do mix it in with your stuff so it doesn't look new or obviously different from all your other items. The taxes, if you were to pay any, can be between 20-50% so it's not worth it.

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