Essentials to live in Brazil

The question of what one should bring when moving permanently or temporarily to Brazil is one that is often asked, and has been covered here before. My advice to everyone is always the same, but here it goes again.

Unless your household belongings are rare antiques or certain items that have great sentimental value to you and just can't be replaced DO NOT BRING ANYTHING TO BRAZIL, unless your employer is paying to have them shipped. It is simply too expensive, and they will end up sitting in Customs for a prolonged period of time.

Importing any electrical or gas appliances, fridges, washers, dryers, stoves, etc., would put you at great risk in terms of legal liability should you ever have a house fire and authorities determine they were the source of ignition. All such appliances MUST bear the INMETRO seal of approval here in Brazil, which is the Brazilian equivalent of UL, Energy Star, etc. Foreign approval is not recognized here and in order for you to obtain INMETRO approval you would need to go through exactly the same costly process as if you were the manufacturer of the product. Without that approval you would be personally liable for any and all damages caused should the product be determined as the cause of a fire. Insurance companies would not cover the losses at all. Imagine living in a large apartment building and having a fire that destroyed not only your apartment but also several others. Imagine how much that would cost you if your insurance refused to cover the loss. It certainly would wipe you out financially.

Furniture and household appliances here in Brazil aren't terribly expensive, so it's far less expensive to purchase everything you need here in the long run. When I checked into shipping 14 years ago the company wanted $10 thousand to ship a container from Canada. I bought everything new and more for around $5 thousand. I never regretted that decision.

You should check your airline's excess baggage rates. If they're not too expensive you can bring things like sentimental items, photo albums, documents, your computer system, etc., if you can stay within that limit.

If coming to Brazil on a temporary work assignment, far better to put your household belongings in storage or leave them with family and friends for safekeeping.

Cheers,
James
expat.com Experts Team

What James is saying is perfectly fine and good advise would like to add for the people who are coming from pakistan and India as I know their needs are different.
Ok people coming from pakistan and India all you can bring an extra bag of things that you will never find in brazil and that is your food ,like daal ,spices ,banaspati rice and Lipton tea.
Always book extra baggage which will cost 100 U.S. Dollars at the time of booking but when you will arrive in Brazil you will be greatful.
Thanks

Bring it all is my advice! Yeah the expense of voltage converters sucks but well worth it. The quality of American products are worth the cost of shipping. My stuff only sat in customs a few weeks. And burning down a house here will take an act of God...cement doesn't burn too well! 😂

Craig I know your intentions are good, but have you ever seen a house fire in cities like São Paulo, Rio or Belo Horizonte? They have been known to burn down whole blocks since houses are packed cheek to jowl. Apartments are even a greater risk since the intense heat from one apartment is all it takes to ignite something in the surrounding apartments. While you're correct that cement doesn't burn, the heat weakens the structure to the point where a building must be demolished because it is unsafe. This is not North America where the Fire Department arrives on the scene in a matter of a few minutes. It's Brazil, where even in major cities it can take 30 minutes or an hour for them to arrive. By then it's too late to even prevent damage to surrounding buildings.

No amount of insurance coverage would protect you from liability if something you brought here, and was not approved by Brazilian agencies were determined to be the cause of a fire when any insurer would simply void your coverage.

If you wish to accept that risk for yourself it's fine, but please do not counsel others to do so. I've had 14 years studying how the bureaucratic machine works in this country and my considered advice is NOT to take unnecessary risks that could end up wiping you out financially. Remember, this is NOT our country, we're always considered outsiders and everybody in the land believes all gringos are millionaires (including the judges who will acess damages), we're at the mercy of the Brazilian justice system and a judge wouldn't hesitate to award a Brazilian damages in the millions if we were at fault. Trust me, I do know what I'm talking about.

Cheers,
James
expat.com Experts Team

I stand corrected folks! If you live out in the middle of no where in a solid concrete house bring it all.

Just for any non-believers out there...

Apartment building fire in São Paulo (just look how many floors are involved)

Row Townhouse fire in Belo Horizonte

Cheers,
James
expat.com Experts Team

I agree with James. I gave away almost everything. I have been here since April 2013. I bring some personal items with me every trip back and forth and once in awhile I buy something to bring back.

James: I'm a retired fire insurance underwriter from the U.S. I was an underwriter for 40 years. Well spoken. I could not have said it better.

ndfansince53 wrote:

James: I'm a retired fire insurance underwriter from the U.S. I was an underwriter for 40 years. Well spoken. I could not have said it better.

OMG, I couldn't get a better vote of confidence if I paid for one. You comments are not only appreciated, but I'm sure that they'll carry far more weight with our members than mine.

The risks of using non-type approved electrical and gas appliances anywhere, not just here in Brazil, are far too great to take lightly. Here in Brazil, it's not possible for the average guy to import an appliance and get it approved without going through the same process that the manufacturer would go through.

Cheers,
James
expat.com Experts Team

You really don't need to bring anything to Brazil except for things like Apple Laptops and expensive cameras and other high end gear like this which is expensive and hard to get the latest models...
Really anything else can be bought here quite easily....

I brought for example:
lap top
small action camera camera
a simple electric guitar with no real value that would not have been a disaster if it went missing but that is good for recording
A light weight plastic piano keyboard that fits in a suitcase
A  small bag of microphones
a full Set of Scuba gear Minus the heavy stuff - eg cylinder and weights
4 or 5 harddrives
various cabling and other computer Knick knacks
Clothing
some educational DVDs and books I use for teaching

I brought the basics  that I need to do my work in the recording/composing and video editing field

Besides the lap top and camera everything went in the hull of the plane
in standard suitcases that I locked
I think I payed for one extra piece of baggage that was not too expensive $20 or something

The big problem was storing all the junk for 2 months while we found a place.....family helped us out but it does not feel good cluttering someones apartment with 3 large Bags.

I really am glad I brought what I did though....the rest of my stuff is stored at relatives back home and my apartment there is rented out furnished.

We had to buy some desks , chairs , a bed , refrigerator , stove , pillows , microwave  ,printer and basic kitchenware here which did give our budget a  good knock
Luckily family gave as a dining table and chair set , old Tube tv and tv cabinet and a couch plus mats and carpets .

As far as the electrical thing goes Brazil is so ridiculous
I have 110 and 220 volt plugs in my apartment ,I already accidentally blew out a vacuum. No wonder they have accidents and fires!

did you bring the Wife ?????
or did you forget her, ??????????

all my 220 volt stuff is on the brattish 3 pin plugs around the my house, you cant make a mistake with the good old 3 pin plug

I always bring peanut butter, maple syrup, licorage, and Mexican fried beans.

James gave me the same advice before I moved here to Brazil in July 2015 and although I did bring everything I had I believe now that I would rethink that strategy.  Appliance wise we really didn't bring much, but we did bring our queen size tubular water bed with feather top, Jacuzzi, and lot of our personal stuff (new bikes, riding accessories, computers, desks etc).  In all it was about 2/3 of one container.........Cost was $15,000 USD from Dallas to Praia de Pipa.  Additional cost in bribes that you will have to pay in order to get the shipping company in Brazil to off load your container will cost you about another $1,500.00.  The US Government calls this a facilitation fee to prevent coming into conflict with the foreign bribery act.  A 3rd party will be required to be hire to facilitate the delivery of your household items will be another $1,500.00.  For that kind of cost you can pretty much buy a house full of stuff and you will have less heartburn over the 3rd party company, the shipping company, the bribes to be paid, all of the paperwork that must be gathered, documented, translated into Portuguese, and notarized.  I cannot begin to describe just how much frustration standing in line at the Cartario is going to be.  From shipping your household items to delivery at your new house in Brazil is going to be about 6 to 7 months.  No way around it......it's going to take time.  So if you here when your items get shipped your in for along wait.

Hi Gotcha 184,

Wow, USD $18000 in total - that's over R$72000 in today's money. There are still places in Brazil that you can buy a really nice 3 br. house for that. Certainly with that kind of a budget you can furnish a house completely with high-end furnishings and appliances.

Next time somebody asks me for advice about what to bring to Brazil you can bet your bottom dollar that I'm going to link them to your posting!!!

Cheers,
James
expat.com Experts Team

My wife and I have been bring our stuff by plane.  Delta allows you two 70# boxes at no charge and then you can pay about $100 a box for two more boxes.  That is eight 70 # boxes.  The rest of our stuff is in storage.  We go home twice a year and each time we bring eight boxes.

--------


I forgot to mention that when we bring eight boxes we have a letter from the Brazilian consulate giving us the ok.

Well, everything is so darn overpriced here that I would suggest you bringing as many thing as possible!  Musts: bed sheets, beauty products: makeup and face creams. Shoes and bags. If needed, contact lenses. Vitamins if you use them. No matter how much money  you earn/have earned, it's not a question of being able to afford things, it's the principle. Nobody appreciates being madly overcharged all the time for everything.

If you like to cook or bake, I recommend checking with someone to see if your favorite spices or other ingredients are available. Hard to find: cream of tartar, real vanilla extract, onion and garlic powder, chocolate chips (although if you have a good chef's knife, it's easy to chop up a chocolate bar), a reasonably-priced chef's knife, chipotle spice, chili powder. Maple syrup and peanut butter are available but expensive.

I came alone; single, no children. And with a high likelihood of returning to Canada after my stay here.
I brought some food items that I simply cannot get in Brazil such as sriracha sauce, Aunt Jemima Syrup and organic AC vinegar. I also brought a few kitchen items that are quite cheap in Canada but expensive in Brazil. I only came with two suitcases so I fit everything quite well alongside my clothes and shoes.
Any knd of Apple products are impossibly expensive here so I thank god my iphone and Mac laptop are still working :-)

Louisville Slugger (baseball bat).......

Hi pamelaroz,

Where in the world are you shopping? If you find your being constantly overcharged for things then there's something very wrong? Especially if you consider the high exchange rate on your US greenback you get far more bang for your buck here. Do you speak Portuguese? Maybe that's the problem, you could be paying "gringo" prices by not speaking the language and haggling over prices.

What exactly do you find to be so overpriced? Furniture and appliances are not expensive in Brazil if you shop at the large chains.

Cheers,
James
expat.com Experts Team

LolaaLolitaa wrote:

Any knd of Apple products are impossibly expensive here so I thank god my iphone and Mac laptop are still working :-)

It only seems overpriced here because of the different exchange rate. What makes the iPhone impossibly expensive is the 60% import tax the country imposes on everything, and that's on top of all the other hidden taxes built into the price.  But yes, anything to do with computers and phones you should aways bring with you just for that reason.

Cheers,
James
expat.com Experts Team

James , I always read about this bargaining you mention but I have never really experienced it here.
Either I have just been totally shielded from Gringo rip off prices or I don't frequent the same Locals that you do....
I generally shop at supermarkets where the prices are fixed and I've never seen any other Brazilians I know engaged in active bargaining....
Sure occasionally you can bargain at a farmers market , know a few bucks off a nights accommodation in the off season and knocked R$5 off a Kayak rental at the beach the other day....and waters and other goods sold at rip off prices on the beaches

So I don't know if it's that I'm not in tourist cities most of the time , if it's that I'm often with Brazilians or if it's the suburban circles I move in here , but I really have not experienced a huge amount of bargaining or differing prices in Brazil

You're right, it's not possible to haggle prices at a supermarket anywhere in Brazil. Farmers' market or Mercado Central you can always bargain them down a bit. Any of the big chain furniture stores like Casas Bahia or Ricardo, etc., and at almost any small shops if you're paying cash you should always ask for a discount for cash. Traditionally you should get anywhere from 5 to 10 percent off the marked price for cash.

Cheers,
James
expat.com Experts Team

Yes you're right , but isn't that pretty standard....I remember my dad always telling me to ask for a cash discount.....What I'm talking about though is gringo prices , people pushing up the price to double for a Gringo ....but I have not experienced it yet to my knowledge

Don't know where you live Steve, but "gringo prices" are pretty common in almost every tourist destination where I've lived or been anywhere in Brazil. In Porto Seguro - BA, for example, it's so bad you wouldn't believe it. They have THREE price lists for everything, one for local residents, one a bit higher for Brazilian tourists, and a third higher still for foreign tourists. You have to carry around a light bill or water bill if you live there or you get charged the "gringo price" every time. One time I took the ferry from Porto Seguro to Arraial da Ajuda and the guy at the ticket office tried to charge me R$12. I asked him if he didn't notice that the plates on my car said Porto Seguro - BA on them. He said that it could be a rental car, when I showed him my registration he apologized and told me the charge was R$5. In some of the nightclubs there if you have proof of residence you don't pay an entry fee, without it you pay R$15 just to get in the door.

Cheers,
James
expat.com Experts Team

I have mainly lived in Sao jose and campinas....not exactly tourist hubs
But I have travelled Brazil quite extensively...

Sure in tourist towns like Porto de Galinhas I can imagine if you venture in the back streets where only locals go I'm sure you can find things cheaper , especially if you are a local.....All I'm saying is Generally in areas like this and also Morro de Sao paulo , I see the Brazilian tourists paying the same prices as me ....so if it is going on it's a very quiet locals only type thing....

For example I have never experienced someone quoting a different price to me than to the Brazilian tourist in front of me.....I don't know , maybe I just look like I don't have lot of money

Hi,

The first thing I would advice is that, if you plan to bring a lot of valuable stuff, make sure that the shipping and importing is going to be handled by a company that has experience (ask for references!) in exporting goods to Brazil for immigrants, and make sure it is all door-to-door.  I choose the wrong company, had to hire a "despachante" to arrange the actual import-process, and ended up waiting 5 months for my goods to be released by customs because the despachante made so many mistakes.  I can write a book on all the stuff that went wrong!!!

Also, you will need a very expensive list of all items that you are going to import; after I received my goods, some of the stuff was missing.  Customs is just as corrupt as any other part of the government, and I believe they just take what is not on the list...  And do not think they will not check: they will open every single box!  Also, make sure you have adequate insurance!

A note about electronics:

Brazil has a power-grid that operates on 60 Herts, but with two different voltages: 127 Volts and 220 Volts. 

Also, the latest standard (for all new buildings) of power-outlets has two versions (at least for the 127 volt areas): 10 Amperes, and 20 Amperes.  The difference is that the 20 Amperes has thicker legs, so if the plug does not fit in the holes, it is 20 amperes (things like high wattage microwaves etc. 

For example, on a 127 network, 1500 watts = 11.8 amperes, while a 220 network, 1500 watts = 6.8 amperes.  The problem is the thickness and length of the wire used to connect the outlet to the breaker-box.  Overload it (too many amps), and you can cause fire.

Some other notes:

- Most recent power-adapters (for laptops, cell-phones etc.) are able to handle voltages from 100 to 250 Volt / 50 - 60 Hertss, and are not not worry about.  Check the label on the adapter / charger.
- Power-tools, like drills, saws etc., or anything that has a motor in it, need to be specified at 60 Herts (check label); 50 Herts tools can be used with corresponding voltages, but at full speed (20% higher RPM) will likely burn out quickly.  probably very ill-advised to try.

A list of goods follows here:

Furniture:  sell what you have, and buy new or used here

Beds:  my experiences here is that a good mattress is rather expensive.  If you have a special condition, it might be worth shipping it.  However, the size of mattresses in Brazil is different than most other countries, and you might find it had to find something to put the mattress in or on that fits.

Computers (and related stuff like cell-phones, ipads, etc.):  all that stuff is expensive here (60% import-taxes), so take what you need, and it might even be worth it to buy new in your home-country.  Check for prices online (mercadolivre.com.br etc.)

TV's:  These are easily damaged in transport, and do not expect anyone to care about being careful with your goods.  Sell it / them, and buy new here.

Audio equipment:  Especially for the better stuff, it might be worth shipping.  In most states, that stuff is really, really expensive (3 times the price), or very hard to obtain unless ordered online from São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro etc..  If packed well, it should be OK.

Clothing:  this really depends on where you come from, and where you are going to live.  Use yor common sense here...

Personal valuables (jewellery, photos & what not):  perhaps it is best to put these in a box to take as extra luggage on the flight. 

Documents:  bring any and all documents you can think of in your luggage...


That is pretty much all I can give as advice, but if someone can correct me, please do so!

Regards,
Peter

Hi, my first post here. My fiancé (Brazillian) and I are considering my relocation to Brazil.  I am a Radio Amateur, I have a significant accumulation of rather expensive electronic equipment.  What are your thoughts on bringing this with me?

Hi,

I am not sure what type of equipment you are referring to, but if you are talking about legal stuff (SSB transmitters/receivers???), I would check first if you can actually use these legal here in Brazil.

If I recall correctly, at least 30+ years ago, this equipment required a rather large (round spider-web like) antenna to use it, and if this still necessary to use the equipment, this will definitely raise eyebrows with your Brazilian neighbours, or attract unwanted attention, like thieves.

As for transport...  I think you now better than I do how sensitive this equipment is to damage during transport.  If you have really old (I guess) equipment that uses tubes, I would remove these, and take them as (well packed) hand-luggage.

If you can provide some additional info, I can probably help a bit better.

Cheers,
Peter

Thanks for the reply.  It's all modern, state-of-the-art equipment, and I have checked, it's all legal here. SSB, CW, Phone and digital all native in the transceivers.  The spiderweb antenna you refer to is called a hex beam, and I don't use one? I use mostly Yagis, flat antennas with the elements parallel to the ground. The size is predicated by the frequency it operates on.

I am more curious about import duties, electrical certification...the stuff is mostly made in Japan. Are there any special duties imposed on high-end electronics? What are the normal duties, and how would I go about checking to see if they are INMETRO certified?

Hi,

I assume you are going to get married, and are going to live here in Brazil.  If that is the case, you do not have to pay any taxes on anything you bring as personal belongings. 

As a side-recommendation...  Get legally married where you live, and apply for a permanent visa there as well.  The process is easier and quicker; in Brazil the application for a visa can take up to 1,5 years...

As for the certification...  All radio equipment here has to be certified by ANATEL, at least all stuff that I have seen here has their certification-label.  But that has more to do with the ability to sell imported or locally produced products here (if there are any, anyway), and I do not believe it is illegal to use radio-equipment of foreign origin in Brazil, even if not certified by ANATEL.  That would be a bit tricky with cellphones...

When you are talking about INMETRO, do you refer to the Brazilian institute?  If that is the case, I believe this does not relate to your personal belongings you wish to bring into the country, but stuff that is imported for resale purposes here in Brazil. 

Another thing...  Is there a community of radio-amateurs in Brazil?  I am not sure where you want to live, but here in Espírito Santo, I have never hear of anyone that has this as a hobby. 

I also have no idea how far you can get nowadays with this equipment, but if I recall correctly from 30+ years ago, people from The Netherlands (where I come from) were happy if they got to talk to someone from England, Germany, France etc...  Pretty much a 500 KM radius, perhaps a bit more under ideal conditions.

Perhaps with current technology, such as (I assume) directional antennas, that range might be extended quite a bit.  I dunno...

Hope this helps a bit!

regards,
Peter

If you are not coming in on a retirement visa...........get ready for some pretty stiff tax on any and all electronics!

Gotcha184 wrote:

If you are not coming in on a retirement visa...........get ready for some pretty stiff tax on any and all electronics!

Hi,

Unless the law changed since 2010, I believe this to be incorrect information.  Can you please tell us where you got yhis information?

Thanks,
Peter

Peter, I had a permanent residence visa up to last year.  In preparation for my 2nd move back to Brazil I contacted the Federal Police about moving my personal belongings (about 2/3 of a shipping container).  I was advised in early 2015 by the Federal Police in Natal that tax would be assessed on my items being shipped into Brazil under my current visa unless I changed my Permanent Reside Visa into one for Retirees.  I made that change and received my shipment last November.  During the process I had to fill out paperwork that indicated that I was moving here to retire and that under my present retirement visa that no tax would be assessed.  I don't know how much you actually know about Brazil and how it is hurting for money but they tax as much as they can at amounts that defy common sense.

The process for a permanent visa based on marriage is not difficult anymore. About 60 days.

Gotcha184 wrote:

Peter, I had a permanent residence visa up to last year.  In preparation for my 2nd move back to Brazil

Hi,

I am not sure, but I think this has something to do with the fact that you moved to Brazil twice.  I know that you can only import personal belongings only once (I had to sign a document that stipulated this), and within six months of obtaining the visa, or while waiting for it when one applies in Brazil.  Perhaps in your case, the devil was in the fact that you already had (had?) a visa...

Anyway, it does not make sense to me at all that Brazil would tax-exempt people who retire in Brazil, but tax all others...

However, as I recommended in my first post on the topic, it is best to contact a reliable company that knows what they are doing to get the latest information on importing personal belonging to Brazil. 

I have been living in Brazil for little over six years now, and while I think I know "how stuff works" here, I still get surprised almost every day.  sometimes in a good way, and sometimes not so much...

Regards,
Peter

Nothing to do with moving twice.  The 1st time was from 1998 to 2004.  It is a problems if you move twice within 5 or 7 years.  The first time they taxed the company that moved me here for my household items.  The second time they were going to tax me as I was not working.  That is why the retirement visa was brought up and then changed.