Can I send books to Colombia?

Before you ship to Colombia

Tax-free limit

Courier shipments worth USD 200 FOB (about COP 660,000) or less, not counting delivery costs, pay no duty from any country. They also pay no IVA if they are not commercial and come from a country whose trade agreement with Colombia expressly bars the tax. The US agreement does: it rules out duties and taxes on express shipments of USD 200 or less, restricted goods excepted. DIAN doesn't name other qualifying agreements, so from other countries, plan on 19% IVA from the first dollar.

Receiver ID

Cédula de ciudadanía (or cédula de extranjería for foreign residents; NIT for companies) needed. The receiver's ID number is declared on the courier waybill, and the receiver signs that waybill at delivery. Under Colombian rules the signed waybill is the simplified import declaration, so the receiver should keep it for 5 years. If the receiver has no Colombian ID yet, ask the courier which number to use before you ship.

Transit

3-6 business days from North America; 4-7 from Europe; 5-8 from Asia

Read the full Colombia guide

Questions

Ask about a specific item

Official sources

1. 1.

   Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales (DIAN)

   Guía para que sus envíos lleguen a Colombia sin problemas (opens in a new tab)
2. 2.

   Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales (DIAN)

   Modalidad de tráfico postal y envíos urgentes (opens in a new tab)
3. 3.

   Instituto Nacional de Vigilancia de Medicamentos y Alimentos (INVIMA)

   IVC-INS-IN69 Instructivo para la importación o introducción de objetos o productos al territorio nacional bajo la modalidad de importación de tráfico postal y envíos urgentes (opens in a new tab)
4. 4.

   Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales (DIAN)

   Compilación Jurídica de la DIAN - Decreto 1165 de 2019 (opens in a new tab)

General guidance, not legal advice. Customs in Colombia makes the final decision on every box.