laptop ´TAX´ at ezeiza?! BEWARE

[tangobob]

Syngirl I have sent you a message

 

[mini]

I have always carried my laptop as hand baggage, and have never had a problem.
It could of course be that mine looks like it has been through a war
I have never understood why they xray at arrivals, it would be interesting to find out if anyone knows why.

This is for customs agents to see what you have inside instead of opening all the suit cases that go thought. This is certainly not new. The first time I ran into this was about 8 or 9 years ago when I flew into Boston for a visit. I brought tulip bulbs from the Netherlands with me as a hostess gift. My bags went through the Xray machine & sure enough they pulled me aside & chastised me for not checking off "plants" on the customs forms.

However, the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen was travelling to MIA with Areoleneas - all ARG nationals had to register their electrical goods and *their batteries* - SN numbers etc with customs at EZE before getting on the plane.

Our moving company have to make a note of all the serial numbers for all the electronic equipment, all of it, cameras to microwave oven, that we are bringing in to the country in our container of personal goods.

 

[tangobob]

TangoBob -- mine is also well worn -- looks like I need to get one of the hinges replaced actually (showing first signs of going, i better get it fixed before it tears itself apart) -- have you had anyone do any laptop repairs for you? I've used a guy ages ago for a monitor backlight replacement and he was good but can't find his card. Also, I can't be without the laptop for too long, so if you know someone down here that can do quick turn around that would be great!

I have never needed it my self but I asked a freind who has and got this recomendation:

At the end I found a young computer guy and he is the best. He came to my place and now is also busy with other people I recommended him to. He speaks English and really understands.
Good guy!!!!
Ignacio Tozzini [[email protected]].

If he is that good let me know and I will keep recomending him.

 

[yillabean]

hi, i just wanted to add to this post for others who are coming into the country with laptops. i was very worried about bringing my two laptops with me (one 6 year old pc and one new macbook).

when i encountered the security check point before leaving the airport at EZE i chose the line with the kindest face at the end of it. the security asked where i was from (u.s) and asked me to put my bags throught he scanner (i had two large suitcases, a backpack with the laptops and my purse). i only put one large suitcase through security waved me though.

 

[mini]

hi, i just wanted to add to this post for others who are coming into the country with laptops. i was very worried about bringing my two laptops with me (one 6 year old pc and one new macbook).

when i encountered the security check point before leaving the airport at EZE i chose the line with the kindest face at the end of it. the security asked where i was from (u.s) and asked me to put my bags throught he scanner (i had two large suitcases, a backpack with the laptops and my purse). i only put one large suitcase through security waved me though.

That happened to us too. We had a bunch of stuff and they asked us to put things through the machine. We put one big bag on. As we struggled to get the other one, the guy indicated that it wasn't necessary, only one bag was OK. And then we went through.

My suggestion, don't volunteer to put every bag through unless requested.

 

[Napoleon]

I'm not positive, but I think I've actually walked passed the scanner and not even put anything through it. (Or was that just at Puerto Madero?) Sometimes "security" is anything but "secure".

 

[mini]

I'm not positive, but I think I've actually walked passed the scanner and not even put anything through it. (Or was that just at Puerto Madero?) Sometimes "security" is anything but "secure".

In this case we are taking about customs & not security. The scanners when EXITING the airport are customs scans not security scans.

 

[diosaarenosa]

mystery solved. i was talking to an argie friend of mine and he said that the reason why they probably asked me to pay for the laptop is because they were under the understanding that i was argie, in which case, hisrequest would be legitimate (although the haggling etc discredited this in my opinion, and no show of paperwork didn´t strengthen his case either).

as an argentine, you can only come in with x amount of electrical goods from outside, otherwise you have to pay a percentage in duty. next time sod putting on my best portenio accent and chatting in spanish, i will plead ignorance and be as mockney as they come....

 

[syngirl]

I have never needed it my self but I asked a freind who has and got this recomendation:

At the end I found a young computer guy and he is the best. He came to my place and now is also busy with other people I recommended him to. He speaks English and really understands.
Good guy!!!!
Ignacio Tozzini [[email protected]].

If he is that good let me know and I will keep recomending him.

Thanks TangoBob -- sorry only just saw this thread again today! I always forget to look for PM notifications!

 

[davosba]

I know when you arrive in Australia they xray your bags, prolly cause we are a really big island. I thought it was only stuff you bought duty free when its value is more than 500US they want you to pay some bull**** tax on. What is the point of buying duty free if you have to pay tax? Its an oxymoron.