When I re-enter Argentina with my new iPhone, will the aduana charge me

[Girino]

Afterwards, locals said I should have had a special receipt created when purchased closer to the cap.

I don't understand well this part. They suggested you should have gotten a lower invoice (say, for $300)?
My SIL once asked to a family member to bring over a new paraglider for her. Both were Argentinians residing in Argentina at the time. The family member got pulled over at the airport and had to pay a duty on the paraglider. The value of the paraglider was decided by Aduana because he had no invoice (it had been purchased online by my SIL and delivered to the hotel).

I remember hearing a comment of how it would have been less if he had an invoice to show. Perhaps with tax free purchase + invoice + blue rate, the fee would be reasonable. I wouldn't like to drive back to Ezeiza on the next day to get the goods 'released, though.

 

[¡Sencillamente yo!]

I can hardly imagine myself having enough pesos on me to pay a 900 USD import duty in Ezeiza when coming back from abroad. But I guess it would work for someone else if you can pay by card and you have an Argentinian account loaded with pesos.

I don't think they let you out without paying... I imagine the payment is due on the spot and that they won't keep the goods 'on hold' while you go outside to exchange your USD on the blue market.

I am confident that there is an option to pay with plastic.

If you are carrying plastic from another country, the transaction will go through, it will be converted to pesos. You will see this on your monthly statement along with a line item for a foreign transaction fee, if they are part of your cardholder agreement. And oh yes, the conversion will be at or near the official rate. (You don't need to carrying a wagon load of Argentine bank notes!)

 

[¡Sencillamente yo!]

I got caught bringing in a new bicycle a few years back. I was surprised the Aduana agent quickly pulled up a page with the sales price, about equal to what I had paid. He responded to my pleas of not having pesos or local account by pulling out a remote posnet, said they accepted amex, visa, Master. Or they would "hold" the bike for days until I could pay the tax, 50% over $350 I think at that time.
I paid imaging I'd never see the bike again if I walked out.
Afterwards, locals said I should have had a special receipt created when purchased closer to the cap.

Brandon,

I avoided this one Christmas.

How?

Instead of doing what you did. (Bringing the bike into the country.) I purchased the bike in Argentina and after all was said and done, my wallet felt the same as your's did! The cost of the bike, relative to what it was, style, quality etc ... was very expensive. But I had a very good reason for what I did. The reason was two fold: #1 - I didn't care to drag a bike with me from the other side of the world to Argentina. #2 - It was a Christmas present for my niece. When it comes to children, and making them happy, I never would let extra cost stand in the way of doing the right thing. I might deny myself something, but never someone else. (FYI - I am working on treating myself the same as others. I deserve it too!)

 

[Girino]

I am confident that there is an option to pay with plastic.

If you are carrying plastic from another country, the transaction will go through, it will be converted to pesos. You will see this on your monthly statement along with a line item for a foreign transaction fee, if they are part of your cardholder agreement. And oh yes, the conversion will be at or near the official rate. (You don't need to carrying a wagon load of Argentine bank notes!)

Which is exactly the difference between paying 90k ARS@100 and @180. I would be reluctantly okay with a 30% duty fee, but 50% seems draconian.

 

[¡Sencillamente yo!]

Which is exactly the difference between paying 90k ARS@100 and @180. I would be reluctantly okay with a 30% duty fee, but 50% seems draconian.

NO! It's not better to pay at the official rate. I was merely stating that it can be done without possessing pesos. ie The Argentine government will happily accept plastic. It will cost you more, but it is an option.

BTW - I am not a fan of paying more than I have to for anything in this life, but sometimes it's about need or convenience.

 

[brandon]

I don't understand well this part. They suggested you should have gotten a lower invoice (say, for $300)?
My SIL once asked to a family member to bring over a new paraglider for her. Both were Argentinians residing in Argentina at the time. The family member got pulled over at the airport and had to pay a duty on the paraglider. The value of the paraglider was decided by Aduana because he had no invoice (it had been purchased online by my SIL and delivered to the hotel).

I remember hearing a comment of how it would have been less if he had an invoice to show. Perhaps with tax free purchase + invoice + blue rate, the fee would be reasonable. I wouldn't like to drive back to Ezeiza on the next day to get the goods 'released, though.

Apparently some have had store create a fake, lower invoice, often in Miami where they might understand this craziness. Just what a few people told me.

 

[brandon]

Brandon,

I avoided this one Christmas.

How?

Instead of doing what you did. (Bringing the bike into the country.) I purchased the bike in Argentina and after all was said and done, my wallet felt the same as your's did! The cost of the bike, relative to what it was, style, quality etc ... was very expensive. But I had a very good reason for what I did. The reason was two fold: #1 - I didn't care to drag a bike with me from the other side of the world to Argentina. #2 - It was a Christmas present for my niece. When it comes to children, and making them happy, I never would let extra cost stand in the way of doing the right thing. I might deny myself something, but never someone else. (FYI - I am working on treating myself the same as others. I deserve it too!)

I learned my lesson. After airline hit me w fee plus tax, I paid about the same just buying here. Maybe got a newer model but wasn't worth it.

 

[¡Sencillamente yo!]

I learned my lesson. After airline hit me w fee plus tax, I paid about the same just buying here. Maybe got a newer model but wasn't worth it.

Yes, I know.

I studied all this before making my decision to pay more (Ultimately about the same) for a bicycle inside of the country as opposed to dragging a bike with me on my journey. So I concluded what I did, was the best overall option.

HOWEVER:

A key point that occurred to me is that, your method would make more sense than mine, IF, you could not obtain a similar item / quality inside of the country. Then it would be a good option and probably worth the extra effort to drag something along on your journey, paying the taxes upon arrival.

There is no right or wrong way on this. Just what works best. (Two eighths = a quarter!)

 

[¡Sencillamente yo!]

I learned my lesson. After airline hit me w fee plus tax, I paid about the same just buying here. Maybe got a newer model but wasn't worth it.

Brandon,

Don't beat yourself up. You did the best you could. No one ever learned much of anything through success. The best learning comes as a result of dealing with adversity and failure. I have a healthy respect for a hot stove. My parents always warned me of the dangers of being careless. They said I would burn myself if I wasn't careful. They gave me their very best advice. Try as they did for me, they couldn't prevent me from eventually burning myself. More than a time or two. As you know, it is a painful experience. I learned more from my failure than I ever could have from correct advice.

Just live and learn. Do the best you can. It's okay to fail - Failure is life's classroom.