Shipping from China to Bissau
China → Bissau · via OXB air / Bissau sea · clearance by Alfândegas da Guiné-Bissau
For buyers shipping into Bissau, the practical question is not the ocean or flight time but what happens after arrival. Bissau is capital and the country's only significant port; cargo enters through OXB air / Bissau sea, and the inland leg is same-day, so the clearance date is effectively the delivery date.
Clearance itself is handled by Alfândegas da Guiné-Bissau, and typical dwell at the gateway runs 8–18 days.
How this lane actually runs
Bissau is a shallow-draft port with limited handling capacity, so cargo transships at Dakar, Abidjan or Las Palmas and arrives on small feeders. For anything time-sensitive, clearing at Dakar and trucking down is a routing worth pricing alongside the direct option.
| Air gateways used | OXB (Bissau Osvaldo Vieira) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 7–10 business days |
| Sea gateways used | Bissau |
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 30–42 calendar days |
| Gateway serving Bissau | OXB air / Bissau sea |
| Inland leg to Bissau | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 8–18 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Oct–Dec |
What you will pay on arrival in Guinea-Bissau
Alfândegas da Guiné-Bissau assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for Bissau consignees. Current regime: VAT 15%; WAEMU common external tariff 0–35%, plus community levies, with a de-minimis position of No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: Pre-shipment inspection for most commercial goods. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Guinea-Bissau: Port draft and equipment limitations force transshipment. Feeder frequency is low — build slack into any schedule. Pre-shipment inspection applies to most cargo.
Air, sea or overland into Bissau?
| Mode | Transit to gateway | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| ✈️ Air Freight | 7–10 business days | time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo |
| 🚢 Sea Freight | 30–42 calendar days | volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed |
Transit shown is China departure to the Guinea-Bissau gateway and excludes the same-day inland leg to Bissau and 8–18 days of clearance.
Pre-shipment checklist for Bissau
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: Pre-shipment inspection for most commercial goods.
- Put the Bissau delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
- Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front — retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Check the de-minimis position (No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
- Budget for the inland leg: same-day delivery beyond gateway clearance to reach Bissau.
Mode guides for Bissau
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Bissau take?
China to the Guinea-Bissau gateway is 7–10 business days by air, 30–42 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 8–18 days of clearance with Alfândegas da Guiné-Bissau and a same-day inland leg to Bissau.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Bissau?
Alfândegas da Guiné-Bissau applies: VAT 15%; WAEMU common external tariff 0–35%, plus community levies. 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 Bissau.
Can you deliver door-to-door in Bissau?
Yes. Delivery to a Bissau address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to Alfândegas da Guiné-Bissau, and the same-day 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.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Bissau?
Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965–970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via OXB (Bissau Osvaldo Vieira). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.
When is the busiest time on the China–Guinea-Bissau lane?
Space and rates tighten around Oct–Dec, 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 Alfândegas da Guiné-Bissau 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 (Pre-shipment inspection for most commercial goods). We prepare and file these as part of the service.
Other delivery cities in Guinea-Bissau
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Guinea-Bissau 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 Alfândegas da Guiné-Bissau or your broker before you ship.
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IPPC — ISPM 15 wood packaging standard
- WCO — Harmonized System nomenclature
- IMO — IMDG Code for dangerous goods by sea
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.
- Packaging Materials Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Laboratory Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Fabric Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Salon Furniture Beauty, Personal Care & Wellness
- Sheet Metal Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Compressors General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Electrical Cabinets New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Flooring Building Materials & Construction Products
- Plastic Products Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Ceramic Tableware Glass & Ceramic Products
- Tableware Furniture & Home Products
- Display Stands Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
Checking the Guinea-Bissau duty position yourself
Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Alfândegas da Guiné-Bissau 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 Bissau. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
Bill of Lading Explained (BOL) | Types, Components & Full Beginner Guide | Shipping Document — 10 Min For Supply Chain. 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 Guinea-Bissau
Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border — plus who files the entry.
Guinea-Bissau clearance requirements →