FedEx/Custom taxes...Is it worth it?

[AlyceInWonderland]

I currently have a package being held hostage at customs in Ezeiza airport. A few weeks ago I had the misfortune of having my ipod stolen and breaking an attachment to my computer. Nothing life changing, but a little upsetting. Luckily I had an older ipod sitting at my parents house in the states, and with my warranty I was able to have a replacement piece to my computer free of charge.

Although I was able to obtain both pieces I lost/broke for free, I asked my parents if they could please mail them to me. Although I should have researched it a little bit, I have had other objects (books/important papers) delivered here with little to no problem.

First off my parents, although they have good intentions, forgot to put the number of my apartment on the shipment, which held it up for an extra week (a week and a half if you include Carnival which just so perfectly fell in the middle of all this mess). Then today I get a letter delivered saying I have to travel all the way to Ezeiza, plus pay "at least 230 pesos in fees", which is from what I understand just going to keep getting larger as the days go on. On the paperwork it also said my father had claimed the items were valued at US$120 (although technically they were free), and I'm wondering if this has something to do with the large customs fees.

Basically I'm wondering if it is even worth the hassle (and the money I don't have) to go to Ezeiza, argue with customs and get my package. I'm thinking about just leaving it there. Does anyone who has done this before have any advice? And is there any way to maybe sweet talk my way out of the fines? Is there a website that states the fees so I have a concrete idea of what I should be paying? Any advice will help. Thanks.

 

[notebook.fix]

Hi, sorry to hear...my advice...may sound extreme but I would recommend that you take a cam & record video of your excursion to the Eze Aduana offices & when they ask you to stop you inform them with a BIG smile that you are updating your travel blog regarding your experiences in Argentina.

It is totally outrageous & criminal on their part the way they rob tourists & locals at Ezeiza while the Gov looks the other way.

The usual scam is they find any excuse to hold your item & delay giving you notice of the fact, this way they get to charge you extra for storage fees..this is not including import taxes. PLus additionally the courier company may also attempt to shake you down for US$50 or more to release the correct permit papers that give you permission to go to the Aduana. Expect to loose a whole day there inc travel time as they'll have you running around their offices for 3 to 5 hours...you'll be very very exhausted & angry by day's end.

I hope I'm wrong & this doesn't happen to you....cause it happened to me, except that with me they backtracked after I threatened (DHL) to start an investigation to see why they charge the US$50 to retrieve something that I had already paid US$60 so that I could get it as an express delivery.... they rang back & waived the fee....this is an additional fee on top of the Aduana mafia's storage & other fees. I was EXTREMELY angry.

I know one guy who told me he almost fell over when they informed him that he had to pay up US$1000 to get his package of clothing out...when they told him he suddenly lost it & threw his hands up in the air, running out of the Aduana offices like a mad man...after a while he went back & miraculously... they had a change of heart & allowed him to take his property away without having to pay that US$1000 they had first demanded of him...he still had to pay some a storage fees though....it's a circus run by the Mafia over there.

This is exactly what was told to me by this person....I don't think he was making it up.

Good luck...If I have to go there again I will make sure I walk in & record the whole experience with a video cam. They don't like too much attention.

I currently have a package being held hostage at customs in Ezeiza airport. A few weeks ago I had the misfortune of having my ipod stolen and breaking an attachment to my computer. Nothing life changing, but a little upsetting. Luckily I had an older ipod sitting at my parents house in the states, and with my warranty I was able to have a replacement piece to my computer free of charge.

Although I was able to obtain both pieces I lost/broke for free, I asked my parents if they could please mail them to me. Although I should have researched it a little bit, I have had other objects (books/important papers) delivered here with little to no problem.

First off my parents, although they have good intentions, forgot to put the number of my apartment on the shipment, which held it up for an extra week (a week and a half if you include Carnival which just so perfectly fell in the middle of all this mess). Then today I get a letter delivered saying I have to travel all the way to Ezeiza, plus pay "at least 230 pesos in fees", which is from what I understand just going to keep getting larger as the days go on. On the paperwork it also said my father had claimed the items were valued at US$120 (although technically they were free), and I'm wondering if this has something to do with the large customs fees.

Basically I'm wondering if it is even worth the hassle (and the money I don't have) to go to Ezeiza, argue with customs and get my package. I'm thinking about just leaving it there. Does anyone who has done this before have any advice? And is there any way to maybe sweet talk my way out of the fines? Is there a website that states the fees so I have a concrete idea of what I should be paying? Any advice will help. Thanks.

 

[GuilleGee]

Yea, it is going to be at least a day of arguing, know that.

I had a package held up a while back, of much less value, that my parent's had sent via Fedex. Long story short, I went, bitched out Fedex on the storage fees, since they hadn't given me notice until after a week. And then argued plenty with the administrative staff until they finally agreed that I wasn't importing goods for resale and wouldn't charge me ridiculous import duties. I think I got out paying 20 or 30 pesos on storage and nothing on import duties, but for electronics you are going to have an uphill battle.

 

[John.St]

For items valued at US$120 the import tax is US$ 60 or around AR$ 240.

 

[Napoleon]

PS- Give your parents lumps o' coal for Christmas this year. (They deserve much worse, but this is the easiest that they should get off.)

 

[mini]

Go pick up your iphone & computer piece try to get out of paying the fees but if you can't just pay it. As John says the import tax is normally around 50% of the price of the item (including shipping, btw). You can argue strongly that the items are used and hope to get the fees lowered. Tell them you can only afford $100 and see what they say.

 

[Hoags]

I had a second hand iPhone sent over from NZ. My mother also put food and clothing in the package, prohibited imports so I found out, I was expecting a charge on the phone but not some chocolate and green curry paste!

It took about two weeks of hassling and in the end I had to fork over $500 USD to these thieves to get the package off them. I couldn't tell them to send it back because I doubt it would have made it back. And they would charge storage, handling fee etc. never mind the 50% in taxes blah blah these guys can charge what they want if they know they have you by the short and curlies. The money goes into their pockets, reminds me of Indonesia.
I now have the most expensive IPhone in the world, which may or may not work in Argentina, still trying to sort that out.


In short, the Customs are a legalized extortion racket which I advise not to have anything to do with, I have told my family and friends not to send me anything, not even clothing for our baby due in two weeks, its not worth the hassle.

 

[Desde2008]

In short, the Customs are a legalized extortion racket which I advise not to have anything to do with, I have told my family and friends not to send me anything, not even clothing for our baby due in two weeks, its not worth the hassle.

I agree that it is not worth the time, effort and money that is involved to have high value items sent into the country. It might take two a three days of your time plus taxi fare plus the custom fees. You are better off saving all the hassles and looking for the item on Mercado Libre as you will probably end up saving money in the long run.

As a side night my sister sent me food and clothing through the postal system and it was not inspected. Of course, it meant a morning waiting at the Central Post Office but such is life in this big city.

 

[starlucia]

A well-intentioned American friend once sent my GF a brand-new iPod from the States. It was meant as a thank-you gift, but she ended up paying more than double the price of the iPod just to get it out of Customs.

I remember being horrified by this poster's experience:

http://baexpats.org/expat-life/1301...ante-de-aduana-customs-handler.html#post93556