Tunes to Buenos Aires

November 26, 2019 1:36 PM

What are normal non-commercial import duties in Argentina?

I sent a used CD and a small (1" diameter) sticker to my friend in B.A. Shipping was over $100US.

Now, FedX is telling me Argentinian customs wants another $70US in import duties to deliver it.

Is this normal? Fishy? Got any links so I can be more judicious in the future?

Thanks!

posted by j_curiouser to Travel & Transportation around Buenos Aires, Argentina (6 answers total)

Response by poster: there is *no way* recipient can pay any of the duties. because poor.
posted by j_curiouser at 1:39 PM on November 26, 2019

Best answer: I don't know what to tell you but Argentine custom regulations are bizarre. They used to have a blank CD manufacturing plant there that resulted in tariffs being imposed on blank CD media.

I mean the tariffs are byzantine and the process to pick things up is awful as well.

If you can, I would write the package off.

You might be better off looking for information here. https://baexpats.org/
posted by Che boludo! at 2:53 PM on November 26, 2019 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Yeah, there's no difference between "normal" and "fishy" when it comes to Argentine customs I'm afraid. Fishy is most definitely normal.

When I lived out there my Mum sent a parcel with a coat in it (and a new bank card in one of the pockets!) and I had to pay something like $110 dollars to go to the Fedex office to collect it. No way the coat even cost that new, but I needed the card, so no choice.

Everybody who has spent any time out there will have a similar story - there's no way to guarantee getting round it. If it's not urgent and fits inside a greetings card, you could send it through the normal correo, however, with absolutely no guarantee of it arriving.

I'm sorry to say I'm with Che here, it's a gonner.
posted by jontyjago at 3:49 AM on November 27, 2019 [2 favorites]

Yes, unfortunately the mail here is often sketchy and things don't get delivered. I've told friends from the US and around not to bother sending me anything due to horror stories like this. I never received any mail sent from the US to me in that it probably never even leave the post office. Some of my Argentine friends did receive letters I sent before. Mailing stuff to the US is more reliable but expensive.

I'm so sorry! Argentina is a wonderful country but import taxes are insane and so many systems just don't work.
posted by smorgasbord at 8:19 PM on November 27, 2019

Response by poster: Well, I bit the bullet and paid the duties with my shipping account. I'll let you know if it ever gets to the guy.

Caveat emptor, I shoulda asked this question before I even tried shipping. Thanks all!
posted by j_curiouser at 1:16 PM on November 29, 2019

Response by poster: I paid the duties from my end, and the recipient got it after a few weeks. Yay!

Fyi...a CD (this one was a rarity) from Colorado > B.A.

FedEx $130
Duties $70
Delivery 5 weeks
posted by j_curiouser at 4:11 PM on January 7, 2020