Customs Information

Guatemala - All

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED Guatemala

Original passport with entry stamp (and 1 copy of complete passport)
Original bill of lading (OBL) / air waybill (AWB) - 2 originals of each
Original packing list in English or Spanish
Delivery and billing instruction including insurance information
Tributary Identification Number (NIT) card / RTU (Guatemalans, expatriates)
Copy of duty free exemption (diplomats)
Valued Inventory - Resale Value Only (for customs to determine taxes on the shipment)

CUSTOMS REGULATIONS

CUSTOMER'S PRESENCE IN GUATEMALA IS REQUIRED TO CLEAR SHIPMENT
Repatriating citizens having lived abroad for at least 36 months may qualify for a tax exemption.
Original bill of lading must be valued
Antiques, artifacts, carpets, and paintings are permitted if declared as part of the household goods shipment in reasonable quantities and indicated on the packing list.
The Tributary Identification Number (NIT) is a personal identification number the owner of the goods must obtain from the Finance Ministry in Guatemala or Superintendencia de Administration Tributaria (SAT).
- An alternative to the NIT card is the RTU. The RTU is still the tax ID the difference is that the RTU is two sheets of paper that show the date the tax ID was actualized and printed.
Owners of the goods are required to obtain an application form for the Tributary Identification Number (NIT); if no personal address in Guatemala, an employer address may be used (Guatemalans, expatriates).
It can take from 1 hour to 1 day to receive the Tributary Identification Number (NIT) card number.
A copy of the passport and the Tributary Identification Number (NIT) card are needed for Customs clearance.
The address on the Tributary Identification Number (NIT) card must match the name used on the original bill of lading (OBL) / air waybill (AWB) or cargo manifest, or the shipment cannot be cleared.

MOTOR VEHICLES

Will undergo physical inspection by Customs, to verify: make, model, year, engine size, serial number and accessories - any "luxury" accessories such as radio/cassette, air conditioning, magnesium wheels, etc. will result in VERY HIGH DUTY
Autos with foreign license plates may enter country with temporary permit (30 days), but the owner cannot leave the country unless his car has been re-exported or all import duties have been paid
Duties will be based on C.I.F. value as determined by Customs
If documents required are unavailable or incomplete, the owner of the goods will be charged USD150.00 for an inspection.
The original bill of lading (OBL) must include the following information regarding the vehicle (POV):
- Number of chassis
- Engine number
- Number of doors
- Make
- Year
- Style,
- Color
- Number of cylinders
- Vehicle identification number (VIN)
- Fuel type
- Cubic centers (cc)

Documents required:

Passport with entry stamp (original)
Original Title (proof of ownership)
Original Bill of Sale and two copies or Invoice legalized by the Guatemalan Consulate at origin
Registration card
B/L invoice, and proof of ownership documents must be legalized by Guatemalan consulate at origin
All vechicle data is verified by customs officials who also determine the value for payment of duties and taxes.
It is advised to NOT consolidating autos with the HHGs shipment! It takes an average of 2 weeks to customs clear a vehicle. Registration and application for license tags are a separate process.

PETS

The pet must arrive at the beginning of the week to avoid weekends in Customs care; the flight must arrive in the morning.
Pets are subject to the payment of duties.
The veterinary health certificate must be issued in the origin country and dated within 30 days prior to arrival.
An electronic copy of the documents must be sent to the agent to obtain the veterinary health certificate; it takes approximately 3 business days.

Documents required:

RESTRICTED / DUTIABLE ITEMS

Firearms (authorization by the Ministry of Defense and special permit is required)
Alcohol / wine (permission from the Health Ministry is required and a maximum of 6 bottles are permitted)
An original commercial invoice and certificate of origin are required.
Food items (2 kgs)

PROHIBITED ITEMS