Travel: what tax does the AFIP charge for bringing products from abroad and what are the exceptions

Many Argentines who travel abroad take the opportunity to buy electronics, toys, cosmetics and other products that

 by converting their price to the "card" or "Qatar" price.

But they do not always take into account that this value

 upon re-entering the country.

Whether at the airport, at the port or at any of the land border crossings, the passenger must present himself with all his luggage for a

.

And if you were to

for products purchased abroad, what seemed like a great opportunity could end up being much less convenient than you thought.

Or directly a bad business.

To

surprises

Of this type, it is best to know the current rules well: what merchandise can be brought in without taxes, how much must be paid for the rest and how to

so that no one tries to charge more than what is due.

Customs controls luggage to verify that travelers have declared everything they bought abroad.

Photo: German Garcia Adrasti.

The first thing: when leaving the country, declare the imported products that are taken

While still in Argentina, and

, travelers must 

 before the Federal Administration of Public Revenues (AFIP) all products originating from other countries that they are carrying.

The procedure is done at the customs posts in the terminals and airports, filling out the

, either in

(download it here) or

(from this link).

There it will be necessary to detail, on each article, data such as the

and the

.

The AFIP has a

 for this procedure, here.

Why is it important

 plenty of time to do this?

Because, otherwise, when returning to Argentina, Customs could demand that taxes be paid for those products, as if they had been 

.

And the passenger will be in trouble to prove that he already had them.

The procedures are done at the airport itself before Customs and AFIP officials.

Photo: Lucia Merle/File.

Upon returning to the country, a second statement

Of all the purchases made abroad, the tourist must

and have them on hand when re-entering the country.

Otherwise, the Customs personnel could calculate the tax based on an

than the one actually paid.

"If the invoice is not available or if it is presumed to be

, the value generally

will be taken into account ," warns the AFIP in this regard.

For the customs procedure, it will be necessary to fill out an

detailing what products were purchased

and their

.

This can be done

in the official AFIP Travelers app and in self-management terminals, or by filling out a form (the

OM 2087/G5 or OM 2087/G6).

What products can be brought from abroad without paying customs taxes?

Since 2018, Argentines have been allowed to return to the country with

and one

 per person purchased abroad,

, since they were considered items for personal use.

Customs should not charge taxes for everything that has been

or for bringing

prescribed medicines and other objects in the suitcase

for used personal

, as long as there is no reason to suspect that they are being entered

(for resale).

Outside of these exceptions, travelers can bring products without paying taxes

, which is known as "

".

How much is that franchise currently?

on how you are entering the country:

-

.

You can bring in up to

in merchandise duty free.

-

.

You can bring in up to

in merchandise duty free.

In addition, if you return to Argentina by plane or by sea, there is an

for what is purchased in the

.

On the other hand, when arriving by land or by river, this benefit does not apply, except in Puerto Iguazú.

To make purchases in the arrival free shop there is an additional franchise.

Photo: File.

Can different members of the same family add their franchises?

yes

.

Married couples, people in a cohabitation union and children under 16 years of age

their deductibles to complete the customs procedure, even when they bring a single product.

For a couple, like this, the excess when arriving by air will be

.

However, in the case of those

(who have not yet reached that age), their tax-free amounts are

: instead of US$500 each, they have US$250;

and instead of $300, they add up to $150.

What tax can the AFIP charge for what exceeds the franchises and how is it calculated?

If the value of what is purchased abroad or in the

Argentine 

will have to be paid

, applicable only to the 

.

For example, if you return by plane with products for

, the franchise of US$500 will be exceeded by US$200. Then the AFIP will charge a

, equivalent to 50% of those US$200.

How is the payment of the customs tax made, in case of exceeding the baggage allowance?

The fee is

, but it can be

, either in cash, by card or with a bank deposit.

The amount to be paid will be the one that arises from converting the amount into dollars according to the 

of the moment.

For everything that is paid, always, you must demand the 

 corresponding official

MDG

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