Bringing a cell phone into Argentina as a gift

Sojourner

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An Argentine friend has asked that I bring in a new or used cell phone the next time I come to BA. I (not Argentine) could take in a personal phone, use it with a MoviStar sim or whatever and leave the phone for her to load her sim when I depart.

Two questions I guess – would this work and just how illegal might it be to do?

I have a vague memory of a law passed a while back related to government-registered IMEI codes and pirated blocked phones.
 
Just take it out of the box before you leave and carry it in your pocket when you go through security. I regularly travel with 2 phones and I never have an issue. Security never checks your pockets anyways.
 
Your allowed to bring a device back now, no? Either way, do as above and you will be fine.
 
Just take it out of the box before you leave and carry it in your pocket when you go through security. I regularly travel with 2 phones and I never have an issue. Security never checks your pockets anyways.
2 open phones are legally allowed.
 
Just take it out of the box before you leave and carry it in your pocket when you go through security. I regularly travel with 2 phones and I never have an issue. Security never checks your pockets anyways.
Actually my concern isn't with getting a phone into or out of Argentina (I routinely take two with me for different purposes), but whether the phone I gift can be used by my friend. As I say, there was a fuss a while back about a new law aimed at phone thieves to keep stolen phones from being allowed access to in-country service. Somehow it involved registration of IMEI codes.

It was never clear to me whether this would prevent service to a phone brought "unregistered" into Argentina. I routinely obtain SIM cards for temporary use without problems but I'm not sure this is quite the same thing as a resident Argentine using the phone with their usual provider.

If anyone has had experience gifting or has knowledge of the law, it would be interesting to know (& thanks).
 
I bought a Samsung phone in Amsterdam. Brought it back into argentina and popped my Claro prepaid sim in without issue. No problems.
 
Actually my concern isn't with getting a phone into or out of Argentina (I routinely take two with me for different purposes), but whether the phone I gift can be used by my friend. As I say, there was a fuss a while back about a new law aimed at phone thieves to keep stolen phones from being allowed access to in-country service. Somehow it involved registration of IMEI codes.

It was never clear to me whether this would prevent service to a phone brought "unregistered" into Argentina. I routinely obtain SIM cards for temporary use without problems but I'm not sure this is quite the same thing as a resident Argentine using the phone with their usual provider.

If anyone has had experience gifting or has knowledge of the law, it would be interesting to know (& thanks).
Well, a little googling and I may have answered my own question (yes, all lines must be registered):

¿Todas las líneas telefónicas de celulares tienen que registrarse?
Sí. Todas las líneas telefónicas de celulares tienen que registrarse. Se incluyen las líneas que tienen contratación prepaga, pospaga y mixta que pertenezcan a personas, empresas u organismos. Resolución 8507-E/2016, Anexo, Art. 1. Ente Nacional de Telecomunicaciones. https://www.argentina.gob.ar/justiciacerca/registrolineacelular

Four methods of registering, online/in person, are provided. If I am understanding correctly, if an Argentine user obtains a different phone, all that is needed is to advise his or her service provider of the new IMEI: Si la línea de telefonía móvil cambia de titular, hay que informarle a la empresa de telefonía móvil para que haga el cambio de registración. In my specific case I presume it would be needful only to have previously registered the phone as a result of obtaining a temporary SIM card (DNI holder) in order to facilitate my friend's "cambio."

Or maybe it is not needful to provide my friend with a pre-registered phone. I may be overthinking this. In either event I appear to be covered.
 
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