Importing Tv As A Gift

[jackbower]

So my friend in the US recently purchased a 55in LED tv for me in the US for my birthday. They assumed they could just have it fed exed to me without a hassle. When they told me , i told them that that wasnt the case and I would probably have to pay alot of taxes. Now im traveling back home in December, I cant go any sooner because of school, and I was thinking of bringing it back with me then. But one of my Argentine friends told me if it was sent as a gift I shouldnt have to pay taxes on it. My question is, does anybody have an experience shipping gifts to Argentina or receiving gifts via fed ex?

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

Aduana cares not how you got the TV. Gift or not you'll pay import taxes on it.

 

[jackbower]

Aduana cares not how you got the TV. Gift or not you'll pay import taxes on it.

thats what i said. but my argentine friend is convinced it would work. wishful thinking i guess.

 

[Hybrid Ambassador]

thats what i said. but my argentine friend is convinced it would work. wishful thinking i guess.

Ask your Argentinean friend if he wager a bet in the event the "aduana" charges you for that gifted and shipped T.V. and if not at contrary, he pays for it..? I bet he would say NO to you..

 

[IABhutto]

WoW other day someone posted a thread "selling Ipad 4" got gift from a friend and now someone got 55" TV gift WoW WoW WoW. Where I can get these sort of friends :mellow:

 

[Sleuth]

It might still be worth bringing it back with you, but consider:

You'll have to pay:
- At least $150 to bring it on the plane with you
- the cost of buying extra packing material plus the cost/hassle of bringing it to the airport
- 50% tax on the value above U$S 300
- transportation from EZE to home

Plus, you will have absolutely no guarantee from the airline for damage.

Now, let's say the TV cost U$S 600 + $150 airline charge + $150 tax = U$S 900. At the blue rate of $9.30, that's $8370 pesos. A quick check on mercadolibre.com.ar shows that 55" LEDs go from $16,500 and up. It's up to you to decide if it's worth it or not and how much stress you want to deal with.

 

[internationalguy]

There's a quite funny Movistar commercial that goes more or less like this: Argentines like sharing and talking so much that they would just say anything about anything. They talk about stuff they have no idea. The commercial is just a side note here but it totally reminded me of it. How do you figure you could prove that the TV was a gift? It would be nearly impossible. Not gonna happen in the Argie system.

The bottom line is that as Sleuth mentioned, getting that TV here would cost 16,000+. Consider that the worst case scenario as far as bringing it back on the plane with you would be a lot less than 16,000 pesos. You can have someone who knows about it prepare it for transport and let the airline handle it. You can let Fedex do it but you will have to pay not only their shipping fees but also something on the side for handling the customs paperwork.

One solution I can think of and it's really a far fetched is that you contact an international moving company. Sometimes they have some space available in the containers they're using for other customers and they would be glad to make some money putting your flat screen in it. I've heard that has been done in the past. Only downside is you would have to wait for the right setup to take place (moving company getting the right shipment from the right customer for the whole situation to even be possible).

 

[jackbower]

thanks guys. i figured as much. ill just wait until im back home and bring it back with me then. its still cheaper than getting one here and im not about to deal with the hassle of picking it up at aduana and paying all the additional fees.

 

[John.St]

thanks guys. i figured as much. ill just wait until im back home and bring it back with me then. its still cheaper than getting one here and im not about to deal with the hassle of picking it up at aduana and paying all the additional fees.

If you are very, very lucky it goes straight through aduana because someone is playing a computer game or discussing futbol with a collegue - then, on the other hand, you may also win in the lottery without participating

 

[airiq]

I brought a brand new television in with the original packaging it was shipped to my work in the US. I was able to talk the airlines into not charging me extra for it since it was technically near the same dimensions as a large luggage. It was a 32" television. With your 55", is a bit larger so may have to pay, but even with the airline feel, MUCH cheaper than buying equivalent here.

When I went through customs, I simply spoke to them in English and told them I was bringing a TV with me during my stay and planned on bringing it back with me to the US when I left.

They were satisfied with that and I went on my way. However, that was a little over a year ago, and times may have changed, plus I may have gotten lucky with the customs official in my line.