Importing a car

[HenryNisental]

My nefew is an American born guy born in beatiful California.
He lives here now with DNI and everything. I wonder whether he can bring a used car from the States free of import duties.
Anybody has any info about this?

 

[steveinbsas]

I wonder whether he can bring a used car from the States free of import duties.

At the risk of sounding like a certain non-expat lawyer : NO

 

[ben]

In theory, yes.
But there are a lot of restrictions.
Your nephew had to have owned the car while living abroad for a minimum timespan, I believe it’s 2 years but may be more.
And pretty sure he must have initiated the import process before moving here, otherwise he’s SOL.

 

[steveinbsas]

At the risk of sounding like a certain non-expat lawyer : NO

After making this post I added the following, but it was not "saved" by the system:

PS; Google "importing household goods/vehicles into Argentina" for specific details.

 

[Rich One]

Regulations to import an automobile for Argentine citizens residing abroad see link below ... For foreign residents ?after getting Permanent residency?

Suggest you go to Customs Office in Plaza de Mayo , as I did?

https://www.comoimportarenargentina.com.ar/importar-un-auto-a-argentina/

 

[steveinbsas]

Last night I was logged in using my T and could only write with a mouse one letter at a time.

My answer (NO) was based on the fact that your nephew is already living in Argentina and even if he has permanent residency (according to the info in this link) he would need to have owned and used the car for at least three months before it arrives in Argentina.

https://www.angloinfo.com/how-to/argentina/transport/vehicle-ownership/importing-a-vehicle

This link does not include any information as to how long he would have after receiving permanent residency to bring the car into the country.

So, if he does not yet have permanent residency he can't import a car duty/tax free, but he might be able to if he leaves the country, buys a used car with a value of less than $15,000 USD, and uses it for three months prior to getting permanent residency.

I wonder, however, how it would be possible for a foreigner to do that in such a short time span. Returning Argentine citizens must have been out of the country for two years to import a car duty free. Perhaps the law actually works in favor of the foreigner in this case, but I doubt it.

"The vehicle may arrive in Argentina no more than three months before the owner's arrival in the country and no later than six months afterwards."

If your nephew already has permanent residency and has been living in Argentina for more than three months it simply would not be possible for him to leave, buy a car, use it for three months and return to Argentina within the allowed six month time frame.

If he only has temporary residency, perhaps he could pull it off, but only if he can spend three months using the car in the US while he applies for and waits for his permanent residency to be approved and the time previously spent as a temporary resident doesn't count..

 

[steveinbsas]

https://www.angloinfo.com/how-to/argentina/transport/vehicle-ownership/importing-a-vehicle

This link does not include any information as to how long he would have after receiving permanent residency to bring the car into the country.

The time limit (as I indicated later in the post) is six months after arriving in the country, but the question remains, could your nephew leave Argentina (with temporary residency), buy a car, use it for three months, and then return and get permanent residency (if he can qualify for it) while waiting for the car to arrive.

 

[cbonanni]

There is also the question of the title. It would need an apostile from the state of issue. Of course it may not have any liens upon it. Providing the specific details to a qualified despachante would determine if it could be imported. With Steve's comments noted above.

 

[steveinbsas]

I believe the two year requirement for living abroad before importing cars and household goods applies only to "returning Argentine citizens" and it may have been reduced to one year. I think I read that in a post in a previous discussion of the subject here, and I can't be sure if that's correct.

In any case, I think a foreigner who is granted permanent residency only has one shot at importing a car duty/tax free and that window is only open for six months after obtaining the permanent residency status. I'm just not sure if someone who already has temporary residency can leave the country, apply for and receive permanent residency, and then import a vehicle tax/duty free (provided the "value" of the vehicle including taxes paid abroad as well as the shipping costs do not exceed $15,000 USD according to the Aduana. and not necessarily based on the dollar amount actually paid for the vehicle abroad).

If that is correct, I can see how the Aduana could easily place a value greater than $15,000 USD on a vehicle that was purchased for less than ten thousand dollars in the USA as the "market value" of imported vehicles in Argentina reflect the costs of shipping as well as import duties paid by those who import them without an exemption (of the approximate 80%? duty).

If they base the value only on the actual dollar amount paid abroad (plus taxes and shipping costs), that would be a different story...

 

[sts7049]

i just can't fathom why someone would want to go through all the trouble to do this for a regular old used car