another argentina reciprocity tax question

[mare s.]

I am a bit confused. We arrive in Buenos Aires by ship and then will fly on LAN to Iguazu (Argentina) returning to Buenos Aires a couple of days later. We then fly out of Argentina from EZE, returning to the U.S. From what I've read, we don't have to pay the reciprocity tax because we are arriving by ship (and it's not a departure tax) However, LAN just sent us an email telling us about the tax and reminding us to pay it before we leave the U.S. I tried calling the local Argentinian consulate for advice...useless. They won't let you speak to a live person...you have to send an email and then they will answer "in the order received."

Advice?

[rascalrider]

I think you are getting caught in the web. The way I interpreted it is anyone arriving by ship escapes the fee if they fly straight home. But you are then flying and arriving by plane in a different part of Argentina, thus incurring the reciprocity fee. I think I read that the fee will cover entry for up to ten years. Up until 2009 there was a separate airport exit fee as well; now it is included in the ticket price.

[dr__dawggy]

I think you are getting caught in the web. The way I interpreted it is anyone arriving by ship escapes the fee if they fly straight home. But you are then flying and arriving by plane in a different part of Argentina, thus incurring the reciprocity fee. I think I read that the fee will cover entry for up to ten years. Up until 2009 there was a separate airport exit fee as well; now it is included in the ticket price.

 

Current Rules (subject to change on short notice)

 

The fee only only applies to international flights landing at either of the Buenos Aires airports (AEP or EZE).

 

The fee is not charged for domestic internal flights.

 

American citizens are charged U$160. The fee is good for 10 years and extends beyond the life of the passport. The fee is not charged to visitors arriving by ship or bus or on international flights landing at airports outside of Buenos Aires. There is no exit fee charged to individual passengers.

 

The Consulate is indeed useless. I emailed two weeks ago to request clarification of questions raised by posters here and on other travel boards re: the new on line payment process. No answer.

[mare s.]

arrrrggggg....so do we pay it or not? terribly confusing and, having dealt with LAN on some flight change problems, I don't think they will be very helpful either if I ask them. It makes sense to me that, since we've already entered the country by ship (and presumably the immigration folks will be stamping our passports) we'll be ok (after all, if we are questioned by immigration upon our return to B.A. from Iguazu...what can they do...where would they send us back to, which is what they would do if we landed at EZE from the U.S. without evidence of the fee payment) But don't know if it's worth the worry.

[mare s.]

An update. I actually spoke to someone at the Argentine embassy. He said that the fee is only collected upon entry into the country and, as far as he knows, only at the airports. So he said we should not be questioned about the fee on a domestic flight. However (and what is a bit confusing) he then went on to say that he wasn't sure about the current policy about arriving on a ship. He said we "may" be asked to pay it upon disembarking. I guess it's all very fluid and subject to change on a daily basis!

[biker1972]

It is all a matter of what systems Argentina has to collect the fee. It is a charge that the citizens of all counties that charge Argentine citizens a visa fee must pay. It is equal to the fee that each country charges, thus the reciprocity name. Canadians pay about half the amount that US citizens pay, UK passport holders pay nothing. Currently there is no system in place to collect the fee at the cruise port, but this may be changing with the on-line payment system. They seem to be moving toward an actual visa like Brazil. If the US were to lower the fee instead of raising it, or even removed the visa fee entirely, it would make traveling less demanding when crossing borders in SA.

[mare s.]

I have also spoken to a rep at LAN airlines. He confirmed the current situation but said he knew of someone who tried to enter by land from Chile and was assessed the fee, so I guess there are ways to collect other than at the airport and it appears very hit and miss at the moment. But now that the on-line system is working, I wouldn't be at all surprised if there is an announcement soon from Argentina that everyone entering the country in whatever manner will have to pay up front. Our TA is monitoring the situation for us.

[shakespeare]

It appears that the change will go into effect as of 1/7/13 and will have to be pre-paid, even if arriving by cruise ship.

 

http://www.discoverbuenosaires.com/a...oints-of-entry

[roberts2005]

It appears that the change will go into effect as of 1/7/13 and will have to be pre-paid, even if arriving by cruise ship.

 

http://www.discoverbuenosaires.com/a...oints-of-entry

 

 

If your cruise ship is docked before you disembark, how will they handle the collection. if your first entry is a ship's tour?

[shakespeare]

If your cruise ship is docked before you disembark, how will they handle the collection. if your first entry is a ship's tour?

 

If you are arriving on or after Jan. 7th, I would check with the cruise line and your travel agent for the answer to that question.

[mare s.]

shakespeare...thanks for the heads up. I'll be checking with the t.a. and the cruiseline right away.

[pmacher61]

There is an informative site about Buenos Aires - http://www.discoverbuenosaires.com/

which has recently distributed this message to its subscribers....

 

"Currently, the reciprocal Argentina entry fee for citizens of the United States, Canada and Australia is only required on flights into Ezeiza and Aeroparque airports. We wrote about how that entry fee must be paid in advance as of October 31, 2012 at AEP and as of December 28, 2012 at EZE.

New regulations just passed will now require that the entry fee be paid in advance for all border crossings into Argentina – land, air and sea – as of January 7, 2013. This means that those coming on the ferry, cruise ships, etc. will no longer be exempt from paying the fee.

Everyone will need to pay that fee in advance and bring a print out of their receipt with them. Read our post to get all the instructions on how to pay the Argentina entry in advance, and remember to use a credit card that does not have foreign transaction fees if you can.

The post Argentina Entry Fee Required At All Points of Entry appeared first on Discover Buenos Aires."

p.s. Disregard Jan 13 date in header. Start date is Jan 7.

[deise17311]

We are staying on the ship and continuing on for the next portion...I wonder how this works...I.e. we are not flying out of Argentina...so would all cruise ships just docking for the day or two have their passengers assessed a $140 fee...an expensive port charge...good bye BA as a stop I predict if this is true...

[deise17311]

This is from the BA site: it seems to say the fee will be waived until the summer? Is my translation off?

 

Esta dispensa surge a raíz de que a partir del 7 de enero de 2013 el requisito de la tasa de ingreso para esos extranjeros (en correspondencia con lo que abonan los argentinos en concepto de visas para viajar a esas naciones) se aplicará en la totalidad de los ingresos al territorio.

 

La medida de excepción para los cruceros fue dispuesta por la DNM a través de la disposición 2633/2012 del 23 de octubre y tendrá vigencia hasta el 30 de junio de 2013 en razón de que la contratación de dichos servicios turísticos se realiza de forma muy anticipada, lo cual generaría una gran dificultad operativa por parte de las empresas para dar aviso a los pasajeros de tal cambio.

 

Vale acotar que en verano, el período de mayor llegada de buques, se registran más de medio millón de ingresos y egresos de viajeros.

[mare s.]

Dwight, I think you may be right and there's an exception for cruise ship passengers until June 2013...but the question was asked of Bill Leiber on the Azamara forum so we should get a definitive answer. I wonder, though, if the exception will apply just to cruise ship passengers taking a tour or two and then leaving the country...I guess I'm overthinking this a bit.

[deise17311]

Mare! I don't think you are over thinking at all...it's frustrating to 1) not get clear answers 2) be hit with more fees 3) feel like you can't or won't be able to come and go without hassles...I'm with you, wrap it up and have a stress free vacation!!!

 

Dwight

[mare s.]

Hi Dwight...it appears that, indeed, cruise ship passengers arriving in Argentina this season are exempted from paying the reciprocity fee (just got an email from travel agent). However, there is still a bit of confusion about what happens to passengers who disembark and want to spend a few more days in Buenos Aires (or, like us, are traveling to Iguazu and back before going home) and perhaps there is still confusion about cruise ships who stay in port (like our cruise) for a couple of nights rather than making just a one day stop. My travel agent even suggested contacting the Argentinian consulate! LOL I told him "been there, done that"

mare

[commencemilo]

This is the first I am hearing about this fee. What is someones opinion.

My cruise ends on 12/27 but I am staying that night in BA and flying out on 12/28.

 

Fee or no fee?

 

Thanks,

 

Melodye

[mare s.]

Melodye...I would think not for you (just my opinion) because you're arriving by ship ahead of the date the fee is supposed to go into effect for everyone. It's not a departure tax...it's an entry fee and, until January 7, is for those arriving in Buenos Aires at either of the two airports. Unfortunately, we are scheduled to arrive in B.A. on Jan 12, have two overnights on board, and then will be in Argentina (Iguazu and B.A.) until Jan 18. So it's all a bit uncertain for us.

mare