🇵🇾 How to Import from Panama to Paraguay?

For Paraguayan businesses and entrepreneurs interested in purchasing duty-free products in the Panama Free Zone, three primary methods are available. The first, and perhaps most convenient, is purchasing online through Bridgemarkets Marketplace. This platform enables you to select products from multiple verified suppliers while managing consolidated freight forwarding directly to Paraguay. The second option is buying directly from the online storefronts of merchants in Panama. To do so, consult the Official Directory of the Free Zone, which classifies wholesale distributors by product category. Sales representatives provide comprehensive wholesale terms and guide you in selecting the optimal logistics provider for ocean, river, overland, or air cargo.

The third alternative is traveling in person to Panama to inspect inventory directly across the showrooms in Colón. Prior research on official directories is recommended to identify the distributors carrying your target merchandise. Spanning 1,064.58 hectares, the Colón Free Trade Zone is the largest in the Americas and the second largest globally, making structured advance planning essential to maximize time on-site. Following procurement, the buyer coordinates cargo transport and customs clearance with an authorized logistics provider.

HOW TO BUY WHOLESALE IN THE FREE ZONE?

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Importar desde la Zona Libre de Colón en Panamá hasta Paraguay

📦 What Products Can Be Imported from Panama to Paraguay?

Panama has firmly established itself as a premier wholesale commercial hub in Latin America, celebrated for its extensive product catalog and prestigious global brands. One of its greatest strengths in international trade is operational speed and efficiency in processing and dispatching goods, consistently outperforming distant manufacturing hubs like China. This efficiency is critical: while overseas manufacturing may offer low upfront unit prices, Panama guarantees immediate product availability, reliable inventory, and verified quality control, avoiding common procurement hurdles in distant markets.

Bilateral trade between Paraguay and Panama has grown substantially in recent years. According to UN COMTRADE data, Paraguay imports approximately $96 million USD in goods originating or distributed through Panama annually, highlighting the strategic importance of this commercial connection.

The primary product categories imported by Paraguayan entrepreneurs from the Panama Free Zone include:

✅ Beauty & Perfumes
✅ Sunglasses & Eyewear
✅ Furniture & Home Goods
✅ Textiles & Apparel
✅ Footwear
✅ Jewelry & Fashion Accessories



Agriculture



Food



Manufacturing Articles



Cars & Motorcycles



Babies



Beauty & Perfumes



Footwear/ Shoes



Cigars & Liquors



Sports



Electricity



Home Appliances



Electronics



Outdoors



Hardware



Hygiene



Home Goods



Lighting



Musical Instruments



Gardening



Jewelry & Watches



Toys



Glasses & Frames



White Goods



Marine



Medicine



General Merchandise



Christmas



Office & School



Industrial Products



Clothing & Accessories



Security



Textiles



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📄 What Are the Requirements to Import Goods into Paraguay?

Before beginning the import process into Paraguay, you must establish whether documentation will be submitted to Paraguayan Customs (Dirección Nacional de Ingresos Tributarios – DNIT / Aduanas) as a Legal Entity (Persona Jurídica) or an Individual (Persona Física). Importers must engage the services of an authorized Customs Broker (Despachante de Aduanas) accredited by customs authorities to manage declarations and clearance. The initial step involves registering across government oversight entities and obtaining required sector-specific import authorizations and sanitary registrations.

Civil Identity Card (for foreign nationals, permanent residency permit) (copy)
Importer Registration with the tax and customs authority (DNIT / SET)
Single Taxpayer Registry (RUC) (copy)
Property Title Deed or Lease Agreement for commercial premises (copy)
Municipal Commercial License (Patente Municipal) (copy)
Certificate of Business Opening / Tax Form 101 (copy)
Bank credit reference letter for current account (original)
Articles of Incorporation registered with the Public Commercial Registry (copy)
Treasury Legal Clearance Certificate (Constancia de Abogacía del Tesoro) (copy)
Digital Signature Token device containing the registered importer’s signature
Minutes of the last Shareholders Assembly (mandatory for corporations / S.A.) (copy)
Sole Proprietorship: Commercial Trader License (Matrícula de Comerciante) (copy)
Commercial Invoice
Bill of Lading (B/L), Sea Waybill, Consignment Note, or Air Waybill (AWB)
Certificate of Origin
Sanitary or Phytosanitary Certificates (where applicable)
Cargo Insurance Policy (optional but recommended)
Payment of applicable Customs Duties and Taxes (where applicable)

🚢 How Much Does Freight Cost from Panama to Paraguay?

Container specifications and destination terminal selection are crucial factors in determining freight costs from Panama to Paraguay. Loading options in Panama include the Port of Cristóbal, Manzanillo International Terminal (MIT), and Colon Container Terminal (CCT), routing multimodal shipments to river ports in Paraguay such as Asunción or Villeta via coastal ocean transshipment. Rates for a 20-foot container (suitable for small to medium-volume loads) start from approximately $2,285, while a 40-foot container (ideal for high-volume cargo) starts at around $2,540. Total intermodal transit time generally takes around 19 to 24 days. Obtaining itemized quotations from multiple freight forwarding companies is recommended to secure the best rates and routing.

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📁 What Are the Import Tariffs and Taxes in Paraguay?

Import tariffs in Paraguay are governed under MERCOSUR standards and national regulatory decrees. Paraguay’s Active National Tariff (Arancel Nacional Vigente – ANV) is based on the MERCOSUR Common Nomenclature (NCM) and the MERCOSUR Common External Tariff (AEC), which follow the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System of the World Customs Organization (WCO).

Under regional MERCOSUR tariff adjustments, duty rates across thousands of tariff codes range from 0% to 12.6% for non-sensitive or non-locally produced goods. For items not manufactured within the trade bloc, tariffs frequently drop to 0%. Specific capital goods, industrial inputs, and consumer categories carry rates between 14.4% and 18%, impacting sectors such as food products, alcoholic beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, plastics, paper, and steel.

Products on Paraguay’s National List of Exceptions (LNE) retain lower preferential rates. In addition to customs tariffs, imported goods are subject to national Value Added Tax (IVA – standard rate of 10%) calculated on the CIF valuation plus customs duties, alongside municipal handling and port administration fees (ANNP). For updated tariff headings and specific HS codes, consult the official tariff database on the Ministry of Economy and Finance / DNIT portal.

📁 How Can You Legally Optimize Import Taxes in Paraguay?

While evading import duties is illegal and carries severe financial and legal penalties for businesses and individuals, legitimate customs planning mechanisms allow importers to optimize landed costs within legal frameworks:

Free Trade & Preferential Agreements: Utilizing regional trade frameworks to identify tariff preferences and duty reductions on certified merchandise.
Accurate Product Classification: Ensuring merchandise is correctly categorized under the Harmonized System (NCM) to apply the exact tariff rate and prevent default higher assessments.
Reviewing Concessions and Special Regimes: Checking whether machinery, raw materials, or capital equipment qualify for duty exemptions under domestic industrial incentive laws (such as Law 60/90).
Working with an Experienced Customs Broker: Partnering with a licensed customs specialist ensures strict regulatory compliance while identifying legitimate statutory savings.

These practices enable commercial importers to handle customs entries cost-effectively and transparently under national regulations.

🛬 Which Commercial Airports Receive Imports in Paraguay?

To choose the optimal airport, evaluate the cargo category, dimensions, and final delivery location within Paraguay, as facilities vary in freight handling equipment. Always confirm current customs regulations prior to scheduling air shipments.

Paraguay operates international commercial airports that provide critical connectivity for air passenger and cargo transportation:

Silvio Pettirossi International Airport (ASU): Located in Luque, serving the capital city of Asunción. It is the primary international airport in Paraguay, handling the bulk of commercial air cargo, passenger flights, and bonded customs facilities.
Guaraní International Airport (AGT): Located in Minga Guazú near Ciudad del Este in the Triple Frontier region, serving as a key air freight entry point for regional commercial trade.

⚓ What Are the Ocean and River Transit Times from Panama to Paraguay?

As a landlocked nation without direct sea coastlines, Paraguay relies on ocean-to-river multimodal corridors connecting neighboring seaports (chiefly in Uruguay and Brazil) via the Paraguay-Paraná Waterway (Hidrovía Paraguay-Paraná). This navigable river corridor enables barge and feeder container transit directly into Paraguayan river ports.

Total intermodal transit time from Panama typically spans around 19 to 24 days, with regular weekly vessel departures connecting to river feeder connections. For terminal specifications and barge schedules, consult the National Navigation and Ports Administration of Paraguay (ANNP). Key ports include:

Port of Asunción: Located along the Paraguay River in the Central Department, serving as the country’s primary general cargo and container facility. According to the ANNP, it features a 400-meter berthing dock for large river convoys, 10,000 square meters of covered warehousing, and a container yard accommodating up to 3,000 laden TEUs and 10,000 empty TEUs, equipped with 30 reefer plugs and heavy handling machinery.
Port of Villeta: Located south of Asunción in Villeta along the Paraguay River. Spanning 13.5 hectares, it features paved heavy-equipment yards, covered storage capacity of 20,000 cubic meters, reach stackers, forklifts, electronic weighbridges, and dedicated facilities for bulk and containerized commercial imports.

📄 Consulate of Paraguay in Panama

The Consular Section of the Embassy of Paraguay is located at Urbanización Nuevo Campo Alegre, Calle Las Acacias N° 60, Marbella, Bella Vista, Panama City. Contact via telephone at (+507) 269-4247 or by email at embaparpanama@mre.gov.py

🏨 Where to Stay When Visiting Panama for Wholesale Sourcing?

Booking early ensures optimal commercial lodging rates. Below are established hotel choices favored by business buyers visiting the Colon Free Zone. These accommodations offer strategic proximity and direct taxi or shuttle transport into the commercial complex.

HOTEL LA CUBANA

HOTEL ANDROS

HOTEL SOTELO

You can also check accommodation availability in Panama City and near the Free Zone for your intended dates. Through our arrangement with booking.com, visitors receive special corporate discounts for business stays.

HOTELES EN PANAMÁ

⚓ What Types of Ocean Shipping Containers Are Available?

Dedicated logistics services designed for cargo transit from Panama to Paraguay offer tailored equipment based on shipment volume:

Full Container Load (FCL) from Panama to Paraguay: Provides standard 20ft and 40ft units for shipments requiring exclusive container capacity. In addition, for commodities requiring specialized equipment—such as open-top, flat-rack, or temperature-controlled refrigerated containers (reefers)—specialized freight divisions in the Colon Free Zone arrange dedicated solutions.
Less Than Container Load (LCL / Consolidation) from Panama to Paraguay: For shipments that do not fill a complete container, shared consolidation service is available. Freight pricing is assessed according to cargo volume (CBM), with weight-based tariffs applied should the weight exceed statutory cubic meter thresholds.