Customs Won't Let Me Retrieve Shipment

[tangoguitar]

Hi All,

I moved to Argentina in October and shipped my personal affects from New York to Buenos Aires. My shipment arrived in November.

I sent the shipment from my name and address in NYC to my name and address in Buenos Aires, apparently a huge mistake: since I am not yet a resident, I can't clear customs and my stuff has been sitting in a warehouse for four months.

My fiancé is Argentine and we are getting married in June. I've started collecting documents to apply for residence (my FBI background check was processed and I hope it arrives safely in the mail).

Unless there is some other way around this, I'll need to wait until I have my residence in order to clear customs and go to the warehouse to pick up my shipment (which is all personal affects).

Has anyone here been through this? I'm wondering if I have any alternatives, like:

a) ceding the shipment to my fiancé (Argentine citizen) and paying taxes on it
B) somehow declaring myself merchant and my stuff 'merchandise.'

all ideas welcome. Thanks!

 

[citygirl]

Holy hell.. 4 months in customs. THat's going to be very, very expensive to get released.

Have you talked to a customs broker? Your best bet might be gong to one and understanding the only way out may be a huge coima. Or let's call it a fine if we want to be PC.

 

[nikad]

A dear friend that runs and intl moving company might be able to help ( or at least give you an idea of what you are facing $$$ ), if you want to give him a call, send me a message and I will give you his contact info ( not sure I can post it over here )

 

[steveinbsas]

I'm wondering if I have any alternatives, like:

a) ceding the shipment to my fiancé (Argentine citizen) and paying taxes on it

B) somehow declaring myself merchant and my stuff 'merchandise.'

Has anyone else been through this?

In almost eleven years of reading and posting here, I don't remember anything like this.

Since the shipment was made by you and you are also the recipient, you cannot cede ownership of the shipment to your fiancé. Even if it was allowed, she would have to pay the import tax on the full (new) value of everything, unless she was a returning citizen who had been out of the country for one full year.

As you are now painfully aware, shipping (importing) used clothing and used personal effects to Argentina is not permitted, except for those who already been granted temporary or permanent residency or are returning Argentine citizens and do it within the allowed time frame,.

You cannot "declare" that you are merchant anymore than you can declare yourself a resident. Even if you were a "merchant" your personal effects would not be allowed entry for the purpose of resale.

 

[DrPat]

Hi
So sorry to hear what you are going through. It is a total nightmare! Unfortunately I am not surprised. Before moving back to Argentina (14 months ago), the owner of an international moving company warned me that if I wanted to bring my furniture, books and clothes, the cost would be 7000 US. However, he also added that unless I would pay the "coima" (illegal fee) to the Customs, my things would be kept in Customs forever... When I heard that, I decided to bring everything I could in many pieces of luggage (16 suitcases!) in an airline (Lan Chile). I hope you can get your things soon. Good luck!
Warmly,
Patricia

 

[Somewhereinba]

Bienvenido Argentina !! This is only the first in a long line of bureaucratic robbing thieving ignorant stupid people you will deal with on a daily basis for things that in other parts of the world are quite easy. Get your patience hat on and have low expectations and accept things are going to cost a lot more than you think.

 

[tangoguitar]

Thanks to all for your replies.

Regarding the storage fees, they are much higher than anything I can afford, but I've spoken with the company that brought the shipment and because of my situation they believe that we can work out a reasonable fee with the warehouse.

My understanding is that there's been a crackdown on bribes in imports. In fact I chose not to go with a mover who did things the 'old fashioned way' and I'm glad I did because I heard that he's now facing serious problems.

I chose not to use a customs broker in hopes that I would save money.

Hopefully this thread will provide a useful lesson for people in the future. As steveinbsas said: the only people who can receive a shipment of personal affects are legal residents or Argentine citizens returning from residing abroad (and repatriating their belongings).

I'll check back in when the saga is over and let you all know how it went.

 

[Sockhopper]

Five years ago, we were instructed while still in Canada that once we applied for Arg temporary residency (pensionista) via its embassy there and satisfied Arg rules there, we'd then turn up in BA and THEN could receive shipment of everything, (all our furniture and belongings) duty-free for the first 6 months of our Arg residency ONLY. No shipment that arrived in Arg after that period would be given duty-free status. (Our plan was to find and secure residential property and be moved into it within 6 months. Until then, our Canadian shipper would store our shipment in Canada until we instructed it to ship it to Arg.)

In general -I've moved house across the sea several times to different countries - I would not ship my household effects to any country without having gained beforehand, first, the right to reside in it. Customs everywhere require when they see household shipments arrive at their border the formal paperwork that accompanies the shipment - so as to know if it is dutiable. Shippers take care of all that as brokers before they agree to ship your belongings. They have to by law ensure it's done before a person's effects LEAVE the country of export (where you packed to move house from). The goods are still 'in transit' during shipment and during brokers' bonded storage somewhere en route. The shipment hasn't been imported anywhere yet. It's just still 'in international transit'.

In your position, I'd turn up and ask what you need to do to be given your shipment. I would also first ask an Arg international shipper to inform you of what may be going on with Arg Customs re your shipment. That may be useful info in your cirumstance.

Nowadays, one can't apply for Arg residency from abroad where he lives as we were doing. Arg rules on that have changed since about 2012.

Also, no, the name of 'importer of record' can't be changed after the fact of your having exported something in your name.

 

[Sockhopper]

How is paying owed duties (per Arg's law on duties being applied to used goods) a bribe?

I find that law meanly harsh but had you applied for Arg residency before the goods arrived and asked about the duty status re 'new residents household shipments', your shipper would have had the proof of your new Arg status and its special duty-free permission to show Arg Customs WITH the shipment when it arrived in Arg.

I once long ago mailed to Spain some of my clothes - as a long-stay traveller. I had to include in the box a Canadian drycleaner's receipt showing that every single garment had been drycleaned before being sent - even underwear and socks! Health regulations. I would be in Spain by the time the box arrived there. That law was later taken off the books.

 

[steveinbsas]

How is paying owed duties (per Arg's law on duties being applied to used goods) a bribe?

If I remember,correctly, someone with temporary residency once posted that, in spite of the fact that their household goods arrived during the duty free time period, they were told that if they wanted their stuff they would still have to pay.

I would call that extortion if a customs agent demanded payment.

I would call it a bribe if payment was offered by the owner of "personal affects" who doesn't have temporary residency.

I have the "impression" that's not likely to happen nowadays, but I'll never know from personal experience.