Hello,
I have just accepted a contract to a open a new restaurant on the coast near Puerto Cayo and would like some information regarding how strict customs is when importing spices and personal cooking equipment. I'll be coming with all the basics including my knives, hand tools and 2 attachments for a kitchen aid mixer. Also ingredients like truffle oil, salts, citric acid, rennet and mixed spices. All the equipment is used and wont be in any boxes. Would any of this be a problem bringing in and would I likely be charged a duty?
The owner is currently looking for a Kitchen Aid mixer. He found this site http://www.olx.com.ec/nf/search/kitchen-aid My Spanish isn't so good and I can't tell if this site is like an Ebay or Craigslist or if it's even reliable. Could anyone tell me the cheapest place to find a brand new kitchen aid in Guayaquil or Manta? Is this site is reliable? Any help is much appreciated. This is my first time to South America, I'm very excited to spend some time in Ecuador and bring my style of cooking to the coast.
Bringing cooking tools and spices into Ecuador
Dear Rasta John,
Welcome to the Ecuador forum.
I've never heard before of an Ecuadorian sponsor or employer giving a contract to a non-Spanish-speaking Gringo to move to Ecuador and open a restaurant.
If you have an Ecuadorian sponsor, they should be assisting you in the matters of residency visa and customs.
In order to live ongoingly in Ecuador, you may have to get your contract approved by the Cancillería (cancilleria.gob.ec) in the context of a permanent-visa application.
If you're not getting full support from an Ecuadorian sponsor or employer, I advise that you contact an Ecuador-based immigration attorney to help you verify that your contractual offer is valid and workable. A good attorney based in Quito -- although most of his clientele is on the coast -- is Sebastian Cordero, email: scordero(at)gcabogados.com .....
cccmedia in Quito
If you have a valid contract, you should breeze through customs if bringing in a reasonable amount of cooking tools and spices into Ecuador.
Even without a formal contract, most of the tools are probably allowable.
Knives may have to be inspected closely by the Ecuadorian aduanas agency, SENAE.
SENAE's website now has an "English" option, but IMO that option a joke. Only a few headings are in English. The rest of the site appears to be in Spanish in the longstanding SENAE tradition of being a law unto itself and one of the most opaque bureaucracies in La Republica. The website is www.aduana.gob.ec ....
cccmedia in Quito
Thank you for the information. I'm arriving on a 3 month tourist visa as this is a short term, very informal verbal contract and there is no payment involved. If I like the area and I feel the place has possibilities, I may look into extending my stay and applying for the necessary visa.
Good to know about the knives. I travel quite extensively with them and the hand tools as well. Since I always have a flight out of the country and people are generally allowed to import household cooking goods, I've never had a problem and I always declare them just so if they want to check me out I'm being honest. What types of knives are not allowed? These are all kitchen knives. However I usually carry a 4" pocket knife as well, do you think this will this be a problem? That site is useless to me
Use common sense and bring what you consider appropriate.
Have your sponsor send you a letter in Spanish confirming your understanding even if it is not a formal contract, so you have something to show SENAE supporting your need for bringing knives to Ecuador.
Nobody on this site can reliably predict what SENAE will allow in terms of the import of knives.
cccmedia in Quito
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