Argentine Buying A Computer In The Usa

[cocineroargentino]

Hello, everyone. I wasn't quite sure in which forum to post this:


I have a friend from Buenos Aires who is coming to visit me here in the US (Chicago). He is thinking about buying a computer here since it will be cheaper than in Argentina, but he is unsure if / what he will have to pay when going through customs when he goes back to Argentina.

Most of the threads on the forum seem to be about foreigners bringing electronics into Argentina, so I wanted to know if anyone knows if there is any way that he could find out how much tax an Argentine citizen would have to pay on a new or gently used computer (it seems like it may depend on the mood of the customers agents that particular day, lol, but if anyone could offer any insight, we would greatly appreciate it.

 

[nikad]

Antything over 300 usd will pay 50% tax. so if the computer is 500 he will be paying tax on 200 ( 100 usd tax ). If he takes it out of the box and uses it, he can bring it back and not declare it - hopefully it will go through customs with no issues and will avoid paying the tax. If he is bringing a lot of stuff and flying back from MIA, he will be checked more thoroughly

 

[HenryNisental]

In general they will let you bring one computer as personal. Last mont I brought two with no problems at all.

 

[Johnny]

I walked through customs at Ezeiza 2 weeks ago with a brand new Dell laptop yet to be used. Picked a custom's guy talking with two friends. Bags through the machine and out the door. I wasn't even asked for the declaration card.

Have faith.

 

[jeff1234]

There have been reports of customs examining electronics more carefully and issuing fines. But a friend came in yesterday, no problem at all. I'd recommend a few minutes of making it look like he's had it for awhile.

 

[nicoenarg]

Tell your friend to set up the computer under his name, add his dropbox, or whatever he uses account, add some random documents etc. Forget the box. If customs agents stop him, he can show that it is his own computer for personal use. He won't be taxed on it. If he brings the box with him, he will definitely be taxed on it. (this is what Argentines that I know do, the only time they've been stopped was when one of them brought a macbook mini still sealed, he had other computers that were new as well (3 more) but the only thing the customs asked him to pay tax on was the sealed computer.

If he's bringing the computer to sell here then forget what I said above and tell him to pay the 50%.

 

[RodalfoWalsh]

As mentioned in previous threads, as with all crimes, big and small, its good to avoid posting about it on the internet.

 

[hannstew]

I couple years back, I brought a new computer back for a fellow baexpat member and I went to the trouble of signing it in with my name and password and putting a few docs on the desktop so that if they asked me to open it, it would look used. They did ask me to open and turn it on and when I did, he then went into some file to see when it had initially been started being used. They are not as stupid as you may think.
Since then I have come thru many times and never been checked. You can never tell what they will or wont do. They are hit and miss..

 

[cbphoto]

Some Argentine friends that had visited me over the years, had to show at EZE, receipts pertaining to their electronic items (and other items of value) on the way to the States, get them stamped by a customs official (to show they had purchased them in Argentina and not abroad)..and show these papers upon their return to insure not having to pay tax on said items. Not sure this still the case...

 

[AmigoArtistico]

As mentioned in previous threads, as with all crimes, big and small, its good to avoid posting about it on the internet.

You mean like poisoning/torturing cats?