Shipping from China to Bolivia
China → Bolivia · clearance by Aduana Nacional de Bolivia
For buyers shipping into Bolivia, the practical question is not the ocean or flight time but what happens after arrival. Bolivia is served through Landlocked — via Arica or Iquique (Chile) under transit agreement; cargo enters through VVI air / Arica transit, and the inland leg is same-day, so the clearance date is effectively the delivery date.
The clearing authority is Aduana Nacional de Bolivia. Historical dwell on this gateway is around 7–15 days, and it lengthens in Sep–Nov.
Routing and transit on this lane
Bolivia is reached through Arica or Iquique in Chile under a long-standing transit treaty, then by road over the altiplano — a leg that adds a week or more and its own paperwork. Santa Cruz is the commercial center and is usually served through Arica; La Paz is closer to the border but the mountain road is the slower part of the journey.
| Air gateways used | VVI (Santa Cruz), LPB (La Paz) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 5–8 business days |
| Sea gateways used | Landlocked — via Arica or Iquique (Chile) under transit agreement |
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 32–45 calendar days including the Chilean transit leg |
| Gateway serving Bolivia | VVI air / Arica transit |
| Inland leg to Bolivia | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 7–15 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Delivery cities in Bolivia
Principal delivery points: Santa Cruz de la Sierra, La Paz, El Alto, Cochabamba, Oruro. Pick a city for the gateway it uses and the inland leg beyond clearance.
Import duty and tax position for Bolivia
Aduana Nacional de Bolivia assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for Bolivia consignees. Current regime: IVA 14.94% effective; duty 0–40%; ICE excise on selected goods, with a de-minimis position of No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: IBNORCA conformity for regulated goods; import registration for the consignee. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Bolivia: Chilean transit creates a second customs regime and bonded movement. Altiplano road conditions and altitude restrictions affect certain cargo. Contraband-control checks on consumer goods are frequent.
Air, sea or overland into Bolivia?
| Mode | Transit to gateway | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| ✈️ Air Freight | 5–8 business days | time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo |
| 🚢 Sea Freight | 32–45 calendar days including the Chilean transit leg | volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed |
Transit shown is China departure to the Bolivia gateway and excludes the same-day inland leg to Bolivia and 7–15 days of clearance.
What to sort out before the cargo leaves China
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: IBNORCA conformity for regulated goods; import registration for the consignee.
- Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
- Put the Bolivia delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
- Check the de-minimis position (No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
- Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Bolivia duty rate against it yourself.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Bolivia take?
China to the Bolivia gateway is 5–8 business days by air, 32–45 calendar days including the Chilean transit leg by sea. On top of that, allow 7–15 days of clearance with Aduana Nacional de Bolivia and a same-day inland leg to Bolivia.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Bolivia?
Aduana Nacional de Bolivia applies: IVA 14.94% effective; duty 0–40%; ICE excise on selected goods. 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 Bolivia.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Bolivia?
Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965–970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via VVI (Santa Cruz), LPB (La Paz). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.
When is the busiest time on the China–Bolivia 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.
What documents does Aduana Nacional de Bolivia 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 (IBNORCA conformity for regulated goods; import registration for the consignee). We prepare and file these as part of the service.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for Bolivia?
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.
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Bolivia 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 Aduana Nacional de Bolivia or your broker before you ship.
- Aduana Nacional de Bolivia
- 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: November 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.
- Hotel Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Textiles Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Restaurant Furniture Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Metal Fabrication Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Pressure Vessels Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Switchgear New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Doors & Windows Building Materials & Construction Products
- Corrugated Packaging Wood, Bamboo & Paper Products
- Glass Packaging Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Kitchenware Furniture & Home Products
- Home Textiles Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Inflatable Products Toys, Sports, Outdoor & Leisure
Checking the Bolivia duty position yourself
Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Aduana Nacional de Bolivia 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.
If you want to sanity-check a duty figure yourself, start from the heading rather than the product name — the WCO Harmonized System is the underlying nomenclature, and the WTO Tariff & Trade Data portal holds the applied rates by country pair.
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.
On the origin side, export declaration and any commodity inspection requirement fall under China Customs (GACC); we handle that filing as part of the service, but the requirement is theirs, not ours.
Watch: the process behind this route
This guide covers routing and clearance for Bolivia. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
Sea Freight from China: How to import from China to your country via Ocean Shipping — SINO Shipping. 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 Bolivia
Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border — plus who files the entry.
Bolivia clearance requirements →