Air Freight from China to Asuncion
China → Asuncion · via ASU air / Montevideo transit · clearance by Dirección Nacional de Aduanas de Paraguay
Asuncion is capital and the main clearance point, and it is served through ASU air / Montevideo transit. That combination is what actually sets your delivery date on this lane — allow +2 days for the inland leg on top of clearance.
The clearing authority is Dirección Nacional de Aduanas de Paraguay. Historical dwell on this gateway is around 5–12 days, and it lengthens in Sep–Nov.
Duty, tax and clearance into 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.
What the routing looks like in practice
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 used | ASU (Asunción) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 5–8 business days |
| Gateway serving Asuncion | ASU air / Montevideo transit |
| Inland leg to Asuncion | +2 days from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 5–12 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Pre-shipment checklist for Asuncion
- Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Paraguay duty rate against it yourself.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Confirm the consignee in Asuncion can act as importer of record — Dirección Nacional de Aduanas de Paraguay will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
- Plan around the China-side windows too: Chinese New Year and Golden Week both compress capacity on the Paraguay lane.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Asuncion take?
China to the Paraguay gateway is 5–8 business days. 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.
Which port or airport does cargo for Asuncion clear through?
Cargo for Asuncion is routed via ASU air / Montevideo transit. Sea gateways for Paraguay are Landlocked — via Montevideo or Buenos Aires, then Paraná river barge to Asunción; air gateways are ASU (Asunción). We pick whichever gives the shortest total door time for your address.
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.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for Asuncion?
We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight — length × width × height in centimeters divided by 6000 for air — and bill the greater of the two, rounded up to the next kilogram. Light, bulky cargo is almost always billed on volume.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Asuncion?
Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965–970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via ASU (Asunción). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.
Other delivery cities in Paraguay
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.
- Dirección Nacional de Aduanas
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- World Bank — Logistics Performance Index
- ICC — Incoterms 2020 rules (DDP, DAP, FOB definitions)
- IPPC — ISPM 15 wood packaging standard
- WCO — Harmonized System nomenclature
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.
- Home Textiles Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Inflatable Products Toys, Sports, Outdoor & Leisure
- Bolts Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Industrial Boilers General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Building Materials Building Materials & Construction Products
- Plumbing Products Building Materials & Construction Products
- Engineering Plastics Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Home Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Garden Products Furniture & Home Products
- Illuminated Signs Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Metal Products Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Storage Tanks Metal Products & Industrial Components
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.
On the air side, anything with a cell or a battery in it, plus liquids, powders, magnets and aerosols, is governed by the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. Those articles are not refused outright, but they need to be declared at booking so the shipment is built correctly — declaring them late is the single most common cause of an air consignment being offloaded.
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.
Customs Clearance & Export/Import Procedures Explained | International Trade Made Simple — International Trade Talk. 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.
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 →