Export & Import Business in Argentina

[Attorney in BA]

I (...) am currently working on the details of shipping, taxes, legal, etc.
Any advice, warnings, comments or concerns in this area would be greatly appreciated.

I can give you information on the legal aspects of your business, especially corporate, labor and an overview of applicable taxes. You may contact me through my website www.fandinoabogados.com or by email at [email protected].

As for importing/exporting, you will have to register the company with the Dirección General de Aduanas (Customs) in order to export. This registration is not simple for a new company and you may have to show assets or submit a guarantee. You may find information on getting registered with customs here (in Spanish) http://www.afip.gob.ar/genericos/guiaDeTramites/categoria_list_detail.aspx?id_padre=727

If you will have any kind of transactions, operations, contributions etc. with a related entity abroad, you will have to consider transfer pricing issues.

 

[steveinbsas]

I found a product (with an attractive profit margin) to export (by taking it on the plane in my checked luggage) that has no export duty from Argentina and no import duty into the US. I had to get an export license from the Aduana, but that only cost the cabfare to and from the airport the day before my flight.

The only problem is that I enjoy owning the products even more than I enjoy selling them.

 

[tourist2townie]

Thank you all very much for your advice... from the little research I've done so far I think I'm on the same page with most of you in that basically the export/import gig is quite an extensive project and seems like more "palm greasing" and loop-hole-finding than profit (until I find the right product, price, distributors, shipping, handlers, timing, etc., etc., etc.).

Very interesting stuff none the less.

I will keep working on ideas to keep my bank account in the black and this BA dream alive!

Until then, thank you all again and keep the good advice coming!

 

[RobeartoNYC]

That's great Steve... very informative. Ha!

I found a product (with an attractive profit margin) to export (by taking it on the plane in my checked luggage) that has no export duty from Argentina and no import duty into the US. I had to get an export license from the Aduana, but that only cost the cabfare to and from the airport the day before my flight.

The only problem is that I enjoy owning the products even more than I enjoy selling them.

 

[dennisr]

A friend does some exporting and know he trucks the goods by land to Chile and then by sea from there. According to him, Chile is user friendly and the Chile connection cuts down the cost and Argentine BS paper work substantially. Do not really know all the details, but it is an option, maybe?

 

[Ashley]

somebody import me some pancake mix... peanut butter, syrup, ranch dressing, real bacon, and what the hell .... newcastle beer!!!!! hahaha

I would think it would be also just toooooo damn difficult.... but I hope your import/export works for you.... I will come back and look at this thread later see what others tell you!!! ...I would also love to find something to do here other than drink wine and eat steaks..but I am not complaining!!!! cheers...

mmmm...newcastle brown beer. I'll second that!

 

[Alzinho]

Bacon?

*drool*

There's not much I wouldn't do for the occasional supply of bacon...

 

[ElQueso]

Alzinho, I'm with you on that, if you're talking about US-style bacon.

BTW - I've found a way to get close to that here.

Buy a a kilo or so of panceta, buy some liquid smoke (you can find it in China Town - I have a liter bottle I paid 40 pesos for). When you buy the panceta, have it cut thicker than they normally do here - paper thin isn't good for cooking it and also for holding in the smoke flavor. Separate the strips of panceta and place them on edge in a plastic food storage thingy (like Tupperware). Fill the storage thingy with a solution of water, liquid smoke and salt. Let it sit in the fridge overnight and take the panceta out in the morning, let it dry, then pack it away for use.

Not quite the same, but really close. Makes damned good BLTs.

 

[studiodio]

Dennisr's post about trucking stuff to/from chile and then shipping by sea got me thinking...I have alot of my paintings and stuff in oregon, but getting them trucked to texas or florida and then shipped down here seems daunting...anyone have experience shipping to chile ?

 

[DonnyBman]

PS - Shipping electronics into Arg? I assume you are aware of all the difficulties?!

No Kidding

I sent an external hardrive (price 80.00US) to a friend there via DHL (never again !!!!! )

He is in Mendoza

Ok the hard drive gets there and they want certain documents to release it (understandable) and a whopping $485.21 in Tax and Duty to release it

Well to make a long story short my options were
1. pay 125.00 more to ship it home to me in the US
2. Pay 225.00 to Israel (where his dad is and he can get it next month)
3. Skip it all loose the hard drive to DHL and get him a new one when he comes here at the end of the year spending just $80.00 additional


Hmmmmmmmmm Option 3 it is