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Household goods to Chile: duty-free up to US$ 6,750, within 120 days of your arrival

Anyone moving to Chile with temporary residence may import used household goods up to a value of US$ 6,750 FOB free of import duties and VAT, and work tools up to US$ 2,025. The shipment must arrive between 120 days before and 120 days after your arrival. The exemption is for people coming on a temporary permit.

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Written and checked by Auke on , against the sources at the bottom. Is something no longer right? Report it below and I'll fix it.

Your household goods can enter Chile free of import duties and VAT if you come to live there with temporary residence. Chilean customs, the Aduana, calls it the partida 0009.05 exemption: for foreigners who enter with a residencia temporal or a work visa of a year or more. Since 1 April 2023 the limit has been US$ 6,750 FOB for household goods and US$ 2,025 FOB for work tools. The main catch is the timing.

What Amount or deadline
Household goods, free of duties and VAT up to US$ 6,750 FOB
Work tools up to US$ 2,025 FOB
When the shipment arrives together with you, or up to 120 days before or after
Extension of that period once, in special cases
No selling or renting in the first year after import, unless you pay the duties after all
Using it again only after three years
Customs broker compulsory above US$ 1,500 FOB

FOB means the value of the goods themselves, without freight and insurance.

What conditions must the household goods meet?

According to the Aduana, the exemption only covers goods that:

  • are used;
  • come from your country of residence and were bought there before you left;
  • are not commercial, in quantity and type intended for you and your family;
  • were not bought in a Chilean free trade zone.

The exemption applies to the whole family together, not per person. The boxes must be in the beneficiary's name in the transport document.

The Aduana writes that foreigners who enter "a residir definitivamente", to settle permanently, cannot use any franquicia. The scheme is for people who come with temporary residence or a work visa of a year or more. So time your shipment to coincide with your first entry on that permit.

How does the timing work?

The household goods must enter with you, or up to 120 days before or after your arrival. Your temporary residence starts on the day you enter Chile on your permit; see the residence routes. So only ship once you know when you will enter on your permit. The regional director of customs can extend the period once in special cases.

After import you may not sell, rent or lend the goods for a year to someone who was not entitled to the exemption, unless you pay the duties and tax after all. You can only use the exemption a second time after three years.

Rather have everything for Chile on one list?

Then we'll send you the departure checklist for Chile, with every step in order, and five mails about the pitfalls and the real costs. You can switch it off at any time.

We use your address, and your departure date if you fill it in, only for the checklist, the guide and the mails after it. You can unsubscribe under every mail.

What do you pay for work tools?

Here two Aduana pages contradict each other. The older page for foreigners mentions an import duty of 6% on work tools, without VAT. The newer page on returning Chileans and foreign residents says that household goods and work tools both enter without duties and VAT. Check with the customs broker before you ship tools.

Whatever does not fall under the exemption can come along as "other goods of travellers" up to US$ 4,050 FOB. According to the older page you pay 6% import duty and 19% VAT on that.

Which papers do you need?

You go to the customs office where your goods enter the country, with:

  • the original bill of lading or air waybill;
  • a list of your personal belongings, household goods and tools, with the value in dollars per item;
  • your passport, or a travel certificate from the PDI.

Above US$ 1,500 FOB you must, according to the Aduana, use an agente de aduanas, a licensed customs broker; you agree their fee with them yourself.

What do you take in your luggage?

Medicines in a quantity that suits your stay, over the counter or on prescription, count as luggage according to the Aduana. Cash or negotiable instruments above 10,000 dollars you declare to customs on arrival. If you bring an animal, you fill in a declaration for the agricultural service SAG and customs; see pets to Chile. A car does not fall under the household goods scheme; see car and driving licence. Medicines for the journey itself: see taking medicines across the border.

In Vertrekklaar this is phase 4 of 5 of the journey, step 4.2: the same steps, but for your situation — in your order, tickable, and with the deadlines watched. See the whole journey to Chile or go straight to step 4.2 in the open plan.

Want to know more about this?

Then we'll send you the departure checklist for Chile, with every step in order, and five mails about the pitfalls and the real costs. You can switch it off at any time.

We use your address, and your departure date if you fill it in, only for the checklist, the guide and the mails after it. You can unsubscribe under every mail.

What this rests on

The facts in this article come from these official pages. Rules change. When in doubt, go by the source, not this article.

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