Sending Package from US to BsAs

[SpanishStudent]

Hi!
I was thinking of buying a rather expensive Christmas/birthday gift for my brother (who lives here in BsAs), but unfortunately I can only get it shipped to a location in the US. The item is electronic (so can break), is worth around $500, and weighs about 16 ounces. As I am not a wealthy person, I want to make sure that this item arrives safely in BsAs. Is there a secure way of shipping this item? And if so, approximately how much would it cost?
Thanks!

 

[steveinbsas]

Hi!
I was thinking of buying a rather expensive Christmas/birthday gift for my brother (who lives here in BsAs), but unfortunately I can only get it shipped to a location in the US. The item is electronic (so can break), is worth around $500, and weighs about 16 ounces. As I am not a wealthy person, I want to make sure that this item arrives safely in BsAs. Is there a secure way of shipping this item? And if so, approximately how much would it cost?
Thanks!

First you would pay for shipping to the US and then you would pay shipping to BsAs? Whatever it cost to ship to the US, you will probably pay twice that to ship to Argentina. The combined shipping (insured) using FedEx would no doubt exceed $100. When the item arrives it will be subject to 50% duty on the retail value plus 50% duty on the shipping cost from the US to Argentina as well.

The last time I had some documents sent here by FedEx from the US to BsAs the cost was about $75, but that was over two years ago.

 

[Fettucini]

You can get round paying the 50% import duty by complaining to the customs. I had some music equipment shipped over from miami, all brand new, and they wanted to charge the 50%, but i complained saying i had no more money having spent it all on the equipment, also showed i had a foreign passport and that i would eventually take it to my country and after some time the guy said ok no problem and I paid no import taxes.

 

[steveinbsas]

You can get round paying the 50% import duty by complaining to the customs. I had some music equipment shipped over from miami, all brand new, and they wanted to charge the 50%, but i complained saying i had no more money having spent it all on the equipment, also showed i had a foreign passport and that i would eventually take it to my country and after some time the guy said ok no problem and I paid no import taxes.

Quizás, quizás, quizás.

 

[Celia]

Be careful, because my brother kindly sent me a couple of books and a tens labour pain reliever and the parcel was help by customs at Ezeiza airport, which is about 30 mins drive from the centre. I had to go down there at 9 months pregnant (they refused to allow my husband to go unless I had a legal document drawn up) and go through a 2.5 hour bureaucracy process to release the package. I ended up paying at least the full value in taxes. It was a NIGHTMARE and I have since begged everyone not to send me anything again!!

 

[Gearjammer]

Be careful, because my brother kindly sent me a couple of books and a tens labour pain reliever and the parcel was help by customs at Ezeiza airport, which is about 30 mins drive from the centre. I had to go down there at 9 months pregnant (they refused to allow my husband to go unless I had a legal document drawn up) and go through a 2.5 hour bureaucracy process to release the package. I ended up paying at least the full value in taxes. It was a NIGHTMARE and I have since begged everyone not to send me anything again!!

Also, if you send things through regular mail, they tend to go missing. My parents have sent a number of children's DVD's to my niece and nephew but they would never make it. They've subsequently quit sending them. Fed-ex would probably be the safest way to go.

I received a package when I was living there. I was surprised that it was delivered right to the door of the apartment I was staying in. But I think I payed about $60 in "taxes/customs."

 

[Jo]

Hi....

I have couried in Amazon books, have had baby parcels sent by registered post and other bits and pieces, a lot of which have gone missing.

My baby since died at 37 weeks gestation and I was so angry never to receive those precious baby packages.

I sent homemade thank you cards for attending Emily's funeral to family via FEDEX (thinking this would be safe) and a few of them were slit open and ruined and a couple of them missing. Think they were looking for money! They were cards with a photo of our babys hand on it in ours and her hand print. I can't tell you how angry this made me!!!!!

I will never ever use any courier or postal service here in Agentina again, don't risk it... it is just not worth it!

To be honest I can't wait for this expat assignment to be over!!!!! But that is another story!

 

[sergio]

Forget sending anything valuable (or inexpensive) to Argentina. It is subject to tax in most cases and will likely be stolen. Just forget it.

 

[Jo]

On the subject.....Just had an email from my mother in law, she sent christmas presents anyway hoping they would make it. As soon as they got off the plane in BA they went off the tracking radar.... they have been posted as missing!

Need I say more......

 

[EliA]

I can't believe what luck I've had with the mail system, so allow me to add my two positive cents. First, I sent 54 postcards in one month from BsAs (ok so I'm sort of compulsive) and as far as I've heard, all of them arrived (I've yet to talk to 4 of the recipients). This even included destinations in China and Africa. I've also sent two packages, one within Argentina and one to China, both of which came with a tracking number and both of which arrived (ironically it cost twice as much to send something that weighed half as much within Argentina since the box was bigger, so if possible, send SMALL packages).

Second, I've had five packages sent to me of varying value and all have arrived, on time and in good condition. Four of them came straight to my apartment. One of them was too big to deliver and I had to go to Retiro to claim it; it was a $500 tent and I had the sender write was 'used' in the description (no import or retail taxes on used items). The customs guy didn't say boo.

So, take heart! The correo is fully capable of working just as it ought to.