duty free

[katti]

An Argentine friend told me that when you come into Ezeiza, you can bring in items bought abroud and declare them (without paying tax) for 300 usd per person. When they travel, they always declare all the items they can, upto this amount and say that it stops the costums from searching any further. Mostly they just say 'ok, pass'.

Does this also count for residents?? Any idea? Is it worth the trouble?

 

[bloody_bloo]

An Argentine friend told me that when you come into Ezeiza, you can bring in items bought abroud and declare them (without paying tax) for 300 usd per person. When they travel, they always declare all the items they can, upto this amount and say that it stops the costums from searching any further. Mostly they just say 'ok, pass'.

Does this also count for residents?? Any idea? Is it worth the trouble?

That is correct, as a local you can carry up to USD 300,00 without any problem.

Things you should always declare: laptops.

 

[FAS]

I'm no expert, but in February I passed through customs twice and in both cases I had a ton of computer and photography equipment and even a bike in a box. Two laptops, a DSLR camera body and six lenses. None of it was formally declared. Total value deep into the thousands. When I approached the x-ray machine they asked me my nationality, I answered ("Uh, USA?"), and they waved me through.

It's always a mistake to draw too firm a conclusion from anecdotal evidence, even on an internet discussion forum. But my very limited experience has indicated that they don't really care what you bring so long as they are confident that you are a tourist and thus likely to take it back out when you leave.

 

[ssr]

I'm no expert, but in February I passed through customs twice and in both cases I had a ton of computer and photography equipment and even a bike in a box. Two laptops, a DSLR camera body and six lenses. None of it was formally declared. Total value deep into the thousands. When I approached the x-ray machine they asked me my nationality, I answered ("Uh, USA?"), and they waved me through.

It's always a mistake to draw too firm a conclusion from anecdotal evidence, even on an internet discussion forum. But my very limited experience has indicated that they don't really care what you bring so long as they are confident that you are a tourist and thus likely to take it back out when you leave.

Yeah, I never declare anything. If you're entering on a tourist visa, you're a tourist. You just happen to be carrying some stuff with you that you're expected to bring back out with you. Maybe it's different for residents but has anyone ever been asked about their visa status at the customs machines? I'm sure the customs folks don't really want to waste their time differentiating between foreign tourists and foreign residents. It's the Argies they're after, coming back from Miami with Wiis.

 

[bloody_bloo]

Something you should consider is also the christmas and new years eve. The bribemeter rockets to the sky.

 

[katti]

Yeah, I never declare anything. If you're entering on a tourist visa, you're a tourist. You just happen to be carrying some stuff with you that you're expected to bring back out with you. Maybe it's different for residents but has anyone ever been asked about their visa status at the customs machines? I'm sure the customs folks don't really want to waste their time differentiating between foreign tourists and foreign residents. It's the Argies they're after, coming back from Miami with Wiis.

It is true they never asked at the customs what visum we have. Maybe we should just hold our pasport in our hand and they will let us pass, no matter how much stuff we have with us. (we never had any problem in the past)

I have indeed been told that argentines coming from Miami are systematicly stopped at the customs. Other US destinations seem to be less popular for shopping it seems. Maybe we should just go shopping in miami too as the customs are too busy with the Argentines at that time

 

[Popper]

Customs is hit or miss. I've been here 18 months and never declared anything. But I have friends that returned for a holiday in the states and came back with a brand new macbook pro and unfortunately were stopped. They had to pay 50% import duty. I'm a resident now (as was he) so it might be harder for residents than tourists. There's no way they'd try and tax a tourist customs duties for a camera or computer. You're not coming here to sell it.

 

[fred mertz]

I probably arrived at Ezeiza about 30 times during my almost 7 years of living in BA. There is nothing on the Customs form that asks about the amount of goods that you're bring in and no one ever asked me. Maybe I look poor? They don't ask, I don't tell.

 

[EliA]

Yep, this is one area where tourists seem to have an across-the-board similar experience, every time this issue comes up the answer is always the same: if you're on a tourist visa there's no need to declare anything, customs won't even sniff in your direction. I've never heard otherwise from someone on a tourist visa, though residents clearly have some added complications.

 

[katti]

My husband got checked at the costums coming from Montevideo. He had a Bose dockingstation (quite big, in carry on lugage) of 370 USD with him. The agent said that he is only alowed to bring in things with the max value of 300 USD. He acted as if he didn't understand Spanish and talked a lot. The agent let him go, saying it's OK just for this one time.

So the 300 USD rule exists,....