How to send a package to Chile?
Are you a company or an individual
and you send parcels or documents to Chile?
Swiss SMEs or individuals with family in Chile, you want to send a package to Chile? You should know that with Swiss Post, the delivery time can be up to 20 days. This time does not take into account the efficiency of the local post office, which can extend the time even further. With expedismart.ch, you can compare the prices of the world’s leading express carriers such as DHL, FedEx, UPS, TNT or Aramex as well as the delivery times.
If you send a parcel to Chile from Switzerland with one of these express carriers from expedismart.ch, you can send up to 20 parcels of 70kg each. The prices we can offer you on the platform make you save up to 70% of the price you would find by going directly to these carriers. However, if you are a start-up company and you plan to send more than 20 shipments per month to Chile or elsewhere with carriers such as DHL, FedEx, UPS, TNT or Aramex, then contact us and we will be able to offer you a personalized price quote.
Customs formalities for Chile
Required documents
When you send packages under 70kg to Chile with expedismart.ch, it’s easy. All customs documents will be filled in automatically at the end of your booking and downloadable in PDF format. Whether you choose DHL, FedEx, UPS, TNT or Aramex, the customs documents required will be identical. This is a proforma or commercial invoice.
The proforma invoice (for the form) is not a classic invoice, it is a document which allows to indicate to the customs what your parcels contain, but also the value of the goods as well as the name of the sender and the recipient. As for the commercial invoice, the same information is required, but it must be chosen when it is a sale, for example when you are a Swiss SME and you send parcels to Chile as part of your commercial activity.
Another document that is indispensable is the Airways bill, otherwise known as the shipping bill. Just like the proforma or commercial invoice, if you book your parcel (or document) shipment to Chile on expedismart.ch, then this document will automatically be generated in the PDF mentioned above.
How to write a commercial or proforma invoice to send a parcel to Chile?
The proforma or commercial invoice must contain some essential information, here they are:
- It must be presented to the courier of the chosen carrier in 3 copies
- It must contain the full address of the sender and the recipient, i.e. name, surname, telephone number and email.
- The most precise description of the goods, as well as the quantities of each product. The description must always be in English or in the language of the destination country, which is Spanish. We advise you to use the language of the country of destination, as it is easier for customs.
- If the recipient of your shipment in Chile is a company, then you must also indicate the VAT number of the recipient
- You must not forget to sign and date your commercial invoice or proforma
- One last thing, if your customer is an individual, then you must also ask him to provide a copy of his identity card or passport. This will speed up the customs clearance process in case of a customs blockage.
CHECK-LIST
- Full address
- Proforma document
- Customs declaration
- No banned goods
Delivery of goods in Chile?
Customs tariffs
When shipping a parcel to Chile, customs fees will normally be charged to the recipient. If you are a company and you want to pay the customs fees, you can ask expedismart.ch to open a special option on your account. Please note that in this situation, it will not be possible to get a refund. These customs fees are mainly composed of VAT, a small amount may also be charged for processing fees.
For a parcel shipment to Chile, these fees are charged by the carriers such as DHL, FedEx, UPS and TNT. In Chile, the VAT is normally 19%. As for customs duties, these are 6%, as Chile is a member of the FTA, a free trade agreement that significantly reduces customs barriers. However, it is possible that these fees may be higher depending on the type of goods you are sending to Chile, so we advise you to inquire beforehand.
How to send a package to Chile? Goods that are prohibited from being imported
- Beverages containing alcohol
- Products of animal origin
- Animal skins
- Asbestos
- Dangerous products (explosives, etc.)
- Perfumes
- Coffee, even samples
- Cotton, but also its seeds
- Computer components, CDs, diskettes
- Films
- Perishable food that must be kept cold
- Firearms and knives
- Drugs
- Tobacco
- Pornographic items
Important information: this list is purely indicative and is not exhaustive. It is your responsibility to verify with the carrier you have chosen that the goods you wish to send to Chile are legal and that the carrier agrees to transport them.
Making express shipments to Chile
Fragile goods
Be careful, if you want to send delicate goods to Chile, there are a few things you should know. One of our articles explains the key elements that will allow you to pack a package correctly. You should also know that carriers such as FedEx or UPS offer packing guides. Don’t hesitate to ask us to send you one. One of the key elements is that your goods do not move in the box, for this there are different materials to wedge it.
The most accessible and easiest to use is newspaper. Tear it up and place it around your merchandise. When you shake the package, it should not make any noise. Also, choose the strongest possible packaging, for example a triple fluted cardboard box.
Delivery times
On expedismart.ch, when you make a reservation or a price test, we give you an ESTIMATE of the delivery date. None of our partner carriers can guarantee this delivery time. Why not? Because they are dependent on the goodwill of the customs of the destination countries. Indeed, random controls are carried out and your parcel can be retained in customs for inspection.
Customs officials may also ask the sender or recipient for additional information about the goods being sent. If this happens, don’t panic. If you book your shipment through expedismart.ch, our team is available to assist you with these procedures. In general, the estimated time for sending packages or documents with carriers such as DHL, FedEx, UPS or TNT varies between 5 and 7 days. Our clients send packages to the main cities in Chile, namely Santiago, Valparaiso and Vina del Mar.
Pick-ups and deliveries in Chile
Festive days
There are several holidays in Chile, we give them here because if your package should arrive or be delivered on one of these days, expect delays, or take them into account when making your reservation. Be careful, Chile has many holidays.
Here they are:
- January 1st
- Good Friday
- Holy Saturday
- May 1st, Labor Day
- Naval Glories day, May 21
- National Day of the Indigenous Peoples of Chile, June 21
- Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, June 27
- Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on July 16
- Assumption Day, August 15
- Independence Day on September 18
- Race Day on October 12
- National Protestant Church Day, October 31
- All Saints’ Day, November 1
- Immaculate Conception Day, December 8
- Christmas Day, December 25
Tracking of express parcels to Chile
Track your shipment
Carriers such as DHL, FedEx, UPS or TNT allow a quite precise tracking of your package or document. If you want to know more about it, you can read our article.
