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Shipping from China to Asuncion

China → Asuncion · via ASU air / Montevideo transit · clearance by Dirección Nacional de Aduanas de Paraguay

Freight forwarding from China to Asuncion, Paraguay — container and air cargo handling
Cargo handling on the China–Asuncion lane.

For buyers shipping into Asuncion, the practical question is not the ocean or flight time but what happens after arrival. Asuncion is capital and the main clearance point; cargo enters through ASU air / Montevideo transit, and allow +2 days for the inland leg on top of clearance.

Clearance itself is handled by Dirección Nacional de Aduanas de Paraguay, and typical dwell at the gateway runs 5–12 days.

Routing and transit on this lane

Paraguay is served by the Paraná–Paraguay river barge system from Montevideo or Buenos Aires, one of the longest inland waterway movements used in regular commerce. Ciudad del Este on the Brazilian border operates a re-export regime that has made Paraguay a redistribution point for Chinese consumer electronics into Brazil and Argentina — a genuinely distinctive feature of this lane.

Air gateways usedASU (Asunción)
Air transit, China to gateway5–8 business days
Sea gateways usedLandlocked — via Montevideo or Buenos Aires, then Paraná river barge to Asunción
Sea transit, China to gateway35–48 calendar days including the river leg
Gateway serving AsuncionASU air / Montevideo transit
Inland leg to Asuncion+2 days from the gateway
Typical clearance / dwell5–12 days
Peak season to plan aroundSep–Nov

Import duty and tax position for Asuncion

Dirección Nacional de Aduanas de Paraguay assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for Asuncion consignees. Current regime: IVA 10%; Mercosur common external tariff 0–35%, with a reduced regime for goods re-exported through Ciudad del Este, with a de-minimis position of No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo.

Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: INTN conformity for regulated goods; import registration required. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.

Restrictions and known friction points for Paraguay: River barge schedules are seasonal and low water can suspend service. The Ciudad del Este re-export regime has its own tax treatment — confirm which regime applies before quoting.

Air cargo build-up used on the China to Asuncion (Paraguay) freight lane
Handling on the ASU air / Montevideo transit routing serving Asuncion.

Air, sea or overland into Asuncion?

ModeTransit to gatewayBest suited to
✈️ Air Freight5–8 business daystime-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo
🚢 Sea Freight35–48 calendar days including the river legvolume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed

Transit shown is China departure to the Paraguay gateway and excludes the +2 days inland leg to Asuncion and 5–12 days of clearance.

Pre-shipment checklist for Asuncion

  • Check the de-minimis position (No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
  • Get the conformity paperwork moving early: INTN conformity for regulated goods; import registration required.
  • Budget for the inland leg: +2 days beyond gateway clearance to reach Asuncion.
  • Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
  • Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Paraguay duty rate against it yourself.
  • Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front — retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.

Mode guides for Asuncion

Frequently asked questions

How long does shipping from China to Asuncion take?

China to the Paraguay gateway is 5–8 business days by air, 35–48 calendar days including the river leg by sea. On top of that, allow 5–12 days of clearance with Dirección Nacional de Aduanas de Paraguay and a +2 days inland leg to Asuncion.

What duty and tax will I pay importing into Asuncion?

Dirección Nacional de Aduanas de Paraguay applies: IVA 10%; Mercosur common external tariff 0–35%, with a reduced regime for goods re-exported through Ciudad del Este. The de-minimis position is No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Asuncion.

What certification do I need for Paraguay?

For regulated goods, plan for: INTN conformity for regulated goods; import registration required. Missing conformity paperwork is the single most common cause of a hold, and in most cases it cannot be remedied once the cargo has arrived.

When is the busiest time on the China–Paraguay lane?

Space and rates tighten around Sep–Nov, plus the China-side windows of Chinese New Year in January or February and Golden Week in early October. Book one to two weeks earlier in those periods.

Can you deliver door-to-door in Asuncion?

Yes. Delivery to a Asuncion address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to Dirección Nacional de Aduanas de Paraguay, and the +2 days inland leg. Confirm whether your consignee wants the goods at a warehouse, a marketplace fulfillment center or a shop front, because the last-mile requirement differs.

What documents does Dirección Nacional de Aduanas de Paraguay require?

A commercial invoice with HS codes, a packing list, the bill of lading or air waybill, a certificate of origin where it lowers duty, and any product certification (INTN conformity for regulated goods; import registration required). We prepare and file these as part of the service.

Other delivery cities in Paraguay

All Paraguay freight information →

References & official sources

Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Paraguay change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling — confirm the current position for your own HS code with Dirección Nacional de Aduanas de Paraguay or your broker before you ship.

Page data last reviewed: 10 月 2026.

Shipping by industry

This page covers the route and clearance picture for the destination. Packing, classification and the compliance step that actually holds a shipment depend on what you are sending — these guides cover that by commodity.

All 60 industry guides →

Checking the Paraguay duty position yourself

Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Dirección Nacional de Aduanas de Paraguay against your declared HS code at the time of entry; where the amount is material, verify the current rate through ITC Market Access Map before committing to an order.

Classification drives everything downstream: the same carton can attract very different duty depending on the heading it lands in, and the structure those headings come from is the World Customs Organization Harmonized System. If your product sits near a boundary between two headings, resolve it before shipping rather than at the border.

For ocean cargo, restricted commodities move under the IMO's IMDG Code, and the container has to be declared and stowed accordingly. Batteries, flammables and corrosives all have a compliant ocean path; what causes rolled bookings is finding out about them after the container is packed.

Watch: the process behind this route

This guide covers routing and clearance for Asuncion. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.

Ocean Freight 101 - What Is LCL Ocean Freight — Flexport. Published on YouTube by a third party; we link it because it explains the process well, not because we produced it or endorse the provider.

Get a rate for Asuncion

This lane is quoted per shipment rather than from a rate card: the landed cost depends on the commodity, its density, the conformity requirements above and the delivery point. Send the cargo details and we price it properly.

Answer these and you get a real price, not a range. These are the exact figures a carrier needs before it will quote. Fill them in once and we can price your cargo the same day — leave them out and we have to come back and ask, which is what turns an hour into a week.

kg
ctn
Carton sizeoptional
× × cm
m³
ctr
Built-in battery?* Lithium cells are dangerous goods.
Someone else's brand?* Logos you are not authorised to ship.
Magnetic product?* Speakers, motors, magnets.
Why these three decide everything

They determine whether your cargo can fly, and on which service. A declared battery changes the price; an undeclared one grounds the shipment at the airport and you pay storage while it sits. Unauthorised brands are seized at customs and the freight is lost with them. Magnetic goods need a field test — routine, but it has to be booked ahead. Telling us now costs a click; telling us later costs the shipment.

Sea or air?*
Tick both and we quote both.
When should it move?optional
Photographs of the goodsoptional
    Your details are used to prepare this quotation and nothing else.

    Customs clearance in Paraguay

    Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border — plus who files the entry.

    Paraguay clearance requirements →