Are you interested in bringing products from the United States? In adsgroupinternational.com we will inform you everything you need to know to import goods to Colombia from the USA.

One of the main reasons why Colombia exports are to take advantage of market opportunities offered by other countries, which provide greater profitability to local goods internationally.

In addition, the country constantly imports to purchase products in countries such as the United States. If this is your case and you wish to import from the USA, you should know everything you need about it.

Import to Colombia from the USA

Importing from the United States to Colombia is not complicated. Just take into consideration there are no restrictions on the products you want to enter your country.

Similarly, it is important to meet certain requirements and submit different documentation to be able to import to Colombia from the United States in a successful way.

What products does Colombia import from the United States?

According to the latest DANE Technical Import Bulletin, in the period from January to November 2020, the country had an approximate variant of -19.1% compared to 2019.

However, this does not indicate that imports are not currently taking place, but the annual rate decreased. The products Colombia imports most from the USA are the following:

  • Machinery and transport equipment
  • Cereals and cereal preparations
  • Chemical products
  • Articles for animals
  • Non-edible raw materials
  • Petroleum and petroleum products
  • Manufactured goods
  • Foodstuffs such as: Legumes, fruits, fish, and crustaceans

Documentation required to import from the United States to Colombia

To import from the USA to Colombia, it will be necessary to submit the following documents:

  • Entry Manifest, or an Application and Special Permit for immediate delivery. It is important to remember it is also possible to present another form required by the Port Director
  • Commercial or proforma invoice
  • Evidence of right of entry
  • Packing List
  • Power of attorney or legal authorization of representation, and power of attorney or authorization for companies
  • Certification of associates, or individual, as applicable
  • Special commercial invoice requirements for each product
  • Carrier’s certificate
  • Total entry summary

Transportation Cost from Miami to Colombia

Transportation costs from Miami or elsewhere in the United States to Colombia will depend on many factors. These are some of them: Cargo weight, volume, and of course, whether it is shipped by sea or air.

Transit times (air and sea)

Cargo transit time to Colombia from the USA will depend on the service requested. In the case of selecting sea shipment, this time ranges between 15 and 18 days, and if you want air transport, about 3 to 5 working days.

Major Ports (air and sea)

Currently there are two main ports in Colombia: Cartagena Port and Buenaventura Port. However, there are other important ports like Puerto Brisa, Puerto Bolivar, Sociedad Portuaria de Santa Marta, Puerto Nuevo, Puerto de Barranquilla, and Puerto de Turbo.

Cartagena Port

It is the main port of Colombia and the Caribbean, and it is the fourth most important in Latin America.

Buenaventura Port

Secondly of the Cartagena Port is the Buenaventura Port, which also reports a high number of millions of tons per year. As for the ranking of Latin America, it currently ranks number 12.

Free Trade Agreements

Undoubtedly, a free trade agreement allows countries to increase the commercialization of products between them. Logically, this generates countless benefits in terms of production, employment, and investment.

At present, Colombia has the following free trade agreements: FTA Colombia – Mexico, MERCOSUR, FTA Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia – Canada, Colombia – European Union.

Restrictions on importing from the United States to Colombia

When you decide to import from the USA to Colombia you must consider some existing restrictions such as:

  • Detailed information on the distribution and marketing will be given in Colombia to the product to be imported
  • Certify that the value declared on the invoice corresponds to the price paid
  • The product must be imported only from certain parts of the USA
  • Constitute a guarantee for 200% of the unit price of the ‘threshold’, which must be multiplied by the quantity imported

Do I need insurance to ship freight?

In general, having insurance to ship cargo is always an excellent option as it gives the peace of mind of knowing that no matter what the goods are backed up at all times.

Therefore, in ADS Group we offer an excellent International Transportation Insurance, and our executives can advise you on the correct choice of the insurance, according to your specific needs and to support your cargo in air, sea or land route. Please feel free to contact us!