Used Household Goods and Personal Effects

Required Documents

• Original Passport with Manifiesta Esperar Equipaje No Acompanado stamped by Customs
• Copy of bill of lading (OBL) / air waybill (AWB)
• Original national identity document(DNI) or original Residencia Precaria
• Permanent resident visa, if applicable
• Full contact details (phone, e-mail, address of delivery)
• Migration certificate (indicating the entries and departures of owner of good for the previous 2 years)
• Caution policy issued by local insurance company for the shipments (foreigners holding temporary visa)
• Clave Unica de I dentification Laboral (CUIL) certificate / Clave Unica de Identification Tributaria (CUIT) certificate
• Customs guarantee
• Diplomatic franchise from the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affrairs (diplomats and military personnel)
• Residence certificate (returning citizens)
• Temporary permit for foreigners with temporary visa

Specific Regulations

• Owners of the goods must declare to Customs officers upon entry that a shipment is expected and a note must be provided in the passport (diplomats are excluded from this requirement).
• Diplomats must present a full copy of the passport stamped by the diplomatic organization or the official foreign organization where the owner of the goods is employed.
• The origin of the move is the last place of residence of the owner of the goods.
• If the owner of the goods’ passport was issued within 12 months, a previous passport must be presented; for citizenship in multiple countries, all passports must be presented.
• Shipments must arrive within 6 months of the owner of the goods’ stamped date of entry.
• Owners of the goods should be available upon request for attendance at Customs clearance.
• All shipments are subject to physical inspection.
• Documents must be received by the agent at least 48 hours prior to the arrival of the shipment.
• The residence certificate must be issued by the Argentine Consulate in the origin country and state the time lived abroad; if the owner of the goods has lived in multiple countries during the previous 2 years, certificates are required from each country.
• The diplomatic franchise must be obtained by the diplomatic organization or the official foreign organization where the owner of the goods is officially employed.
• If the owner of the goods has lived abroad for more than 12 months and has not re-entered Argentina for more than 60 cumulative days during the 12 months prior to re-entry, the shipment can be imported duty free. The owner of the goods can only import one duty free shipment every 3 years (Argentine and foreign citizens with a permanent visa).
• If the owner of the goods has been living abroad for more than 2 years, the shipment can be imported duty free.
  • Customs will not consider how many days the customer has accumulated in Argentina during the 12 months prior to re-entry.
  • The owner of the goods can import only one shipment duty free every 7 years (Argentine and foreign citizens with a permanent visa).
• Shipments of foreigners holding a tourist visa cannot be imported.
• All documents written in Spanish must be translated by an official translator and certified by the Colegio Argentino de Traductores.
• All documents must be certified and legalized by the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Foreigners with a temporary resident visa must pay taxes and duties for the importation of household goods and personal effects of approximately 50% of the freight on board (FOB) value or bring them into the country under temporary admission

Motor Vehicles

Documents Required

• Owner of the goods’ original passport
• OBL / CRT/ AWB (2 copies)
• Vehicle title / documentation (foreigners holding a temporary visa)
• Original purchase invoice, certified by the Argentine Consulate at origin country
• Diplomatic franchise (diplomats and military personnel)
• Temporary admission forms, completed and signed by owner of the goods (foreigners holding temporary visa)
• Resident certificate (issued by the Argentine Consulate in the origin country)

Specific Regulations

• The vehicle title must be under the owner of the goods’ name for at least 3 months prior to departure from the origin country.
• Vehicles must arrive within 6 months of owner of the goods’ entry date.
• Vehicles must be registered / titles under the owner of the goods’ name.
• The importation of new vehicles is subject to the Ministry of Commerce regulations and is limited to certain types of vehicles.
• New vehicles may not be imported.
• Diplomats can import used or new cars with a diplomatic franchise issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs duty free (should confirm that diplomatic status will allow the procedure).
• Returning Argentine citizens may import used vehicles only (one car and one motorcycle for each adult member of the family). The importation will be dutiable, except in very specific cases.
• Foreigners with permanent resident status may import used vehicles only, under the same rules that apply to returning Argentine citizens.
• Foreigners with a temporary visa may import used vehicles under temporary admission and will not be charged duties and taxes. Vehicles are only allowed temporary admission for the duration of the visa and can be renewed upon renewal of the visa.

• Vehicles must be removed from Argentina prior to the expiration of the visa.

• Vehicles must retain original plates.
• Argentine citizens possessing a residence certificate, issued by the Argentine Consulate from the origin country, and living abroad for more than 2 years can import one car duty free unless the car is valued at more than USD $15,000, then duties and taxes will be assessed on it.
• The duties and taxes are as follows:
  • Standard autos              81% of the cost, insurance, and freight value (CIF)
  • Diesel                           100% CIF
  • Motorcycles                  110% CIF

• The residence certificate must state the duration the owner of the goods has lived abroad (Argentine citizens with permanent residence visa).

Pets

Documents Required

• Vaccination record
• Veterinarian health certificate

Specific Regulations

• The veterinary health certificate must be issued within 10 days of arrival and stamped by the nearest Argentine Consulate, if possible.
• All documents must accompany animal for entry.
• Dogs and cats arriving from Asia (except Japan) and Africa must obtain a special import permit prior to arrival.

Restricted/Dutiable items

• Archeological or paleontological patrimony (fossils, human, remains, collections and sediment geological, etc). Once admitted to the country, its export will not be permitted.
• Works of art and monuments of recent antiquity (authorization is required)
• Wood or items must be treated specifically for pests
• Weapons (must be declared and authorized by the Registro Nacional de Armas (RENAR)
• Alcoholic beverages (30 liters)
• Items considered commercial (determined through quantity, quality or type)
• Original paintings and works of art (specialized form is required)

Prohibited Items

• Items compromising public, animal, and agricultural health
• Organic products (soil, firewood, wood, animal parts, dried insects, etc.)
• Narcotics or illegal drugs
• Pornographic material of any kind
• Dangerous, toxic or flammable items
• Stolen or smuggled items
• Currency (actual or counterfeit)
• Food
• Spare parts or parts of any vehicle
• Items which contain an internal – combustion or outboard engines
• Items that are not considered as part of a move for Argentine Customs