Luggage Items Coming Into Argentina

[loudubon]

I will be traveling back to the USA in a couple of weeks for vacation. Was planning on bringing back some hard to find items here in BA, such as Maple Syrup, Pancake Mix, etc. Will I have any probloems getting these items into the country if they are packed in my checked in luggage? Really would appreciate your commnets. Thank you, Lou

 

[Joe]

No problem to bring those items in. Aduana is looking for people bringing in 10 iPads, 10 iPhones, etc i.e. something that clearly is not for personal use.

Given that pancake batter is so easy to make, why would someone waste precious iPad Air (or Victoria Secret Undies) space for commercial pancake mix?

 

[Girino]

We want Maple Syrup!

And Victoria's Secret undies. Thanks!

 

[ElQueso]

In January, I brought back two suitcases loaded to the weight limit with women's underwear (I had something like 30 pairs bras and panties - I was going to have a hard time explaining those if I got stopped!), clothing, maple syrup, spices of all kinds, even a little bit of Crisco. I also had 6 hard drives, a 3 terabyte external backup, an iPhone, and iPod, a watch, etc - excluding the electronics that were actually mine before I left. No problems whatsoever.

To be sure, I'd declare something like $250-$300 on your aduana forms in case someone actually asks to see them, but I have never been asked to inspect my bags and last time they didn't even ask me for my declaration. I know some people have been stopped but it's never been the case for me. My buddy a couple of weeks ago did get stopped and they encountered a professional camera he'd just bought. He talked them out of paying anything - he's a resident and managed to convince them it was his and purchased here on Mercado Libre.

Any electronics you may bring back, take them out of the packing and make it look like they're yours. If you don't have residency you can almost certainly talk them out of any taxes as long as it didn't look like you brought the stuff in for reselling - i.e., how it's packaged and the quantity of items brought in.