The New Argentina Reciprocity Tax for Tourists

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The new reciprocity tax in ArgentinaEditor’s Note: If you are an American, Canadian, or Australian citizen, then the Argentine government has decided to treat you the same way your respective countries treat its citizens.  By charging you money for the privilege of visiting. Thanks to Jimena Moses of 1stClassArgentina.com for the news. Read on for the details.

Suddenly, over the weekend, the Migrations Office of the Argentine Department of State posted on their website that the reciprocity tax will become effective on January 1, 2010.  Up until this point there has been mixed information from both the government, travel organizations, airlines, and the like. We have tried to get as much detail as possible but government officials have been reluctant to share specifics. We do not know how or when the reciprocity tax will actually be implemented.

The official version states that:

  • Start date January 1, 2010
  • Collection will be at Ezeiza airport only
  • Payable in pesos, US dollars, credit card and travelers checks
  • Entry fee / Reciprocity tax is based upon the cost for an Argentine citizen to get a Visa:
    • Australia: US$ 100.-
    • Canada: US$ 70.-
    • US: US$131.-

The US embassy has sent a message stating that collection is to start on December 20th and is valid for 10 years. We were not able to confirm this information.

We are waiting for further information regarding:

  • Collection process: before, while or after passport control
  • Collection to transit passengers to a third country
  • Other entry airport / ports / land borders collection fee
  • If it should be paid at exit if entry was through another border control (Iguazu/Foz de Iguassu, Torres del Paine/Calafate, Santiago de Chile/Mendoza, Lake Crossing in Bariloche, Atacama / Salta, Ushuaia port, Buenos Aires port, Buenos Aires domestic airport for flights from Uruguay, other minor international airports such as Bariloche, Mendoza, Salta, Cordoba and Ushuaia).
  • If more countries are being added to the list
  • Validity or multiple entries
  • If it can be purchased in advance

Several high level meetings within the industry and with the Tourism Minister and government officials have been taking place urging to delay or cancel it altogether. The bill was passed by Congress in October 2009 but the President vetoed the bill to avoid the negative impact it would generate in the midst of an economic crisis topped by the swine flu spread.

Via Jimena Moses
Senior Travel Consultant
1stClassArgentina.com LLC

9 Comments

sandra on December 27, 09

if you read the govt web site it is Dec. 28th not Jan. 1st.

Cesar Gonzalez on December 28, 09

Thanks for the correction Sandra!

John Stone on December 31, 09

Well, I was planning a trip there the 1st of Feb. but now it looks like Quito.

Jans on January 20, 10

Such a bummer. I planned to go Argentina, but now I will have to check out another country. Seriously though, if there was a major problem with Australians, Canadians, and Americans illegally migrating to Argentina I could see that a fee to do a background check would be necessary. Because it is the opposite, it seems like a joke…

Ben on February 5, 10

The fee is because those countries are screwing the Argentinians over, so they seem to think this is fair!

Ken V on March 15, 10

I arrived in BA Argentina 6 January. Paid my $70 at the immigration counter EZE airport. When I bought my ticket the tax was not in place.

I would have gone to Santiago but for the $130 tax there. As things went with the earthquake a good thing…

I don´t like getting ripped off so I guess this is the last time I travel to Argentina or Chile until the tax-for-no-added-value goes away.

... on April 7, 10

Argentines are charged this amount when traveling to these countries, so their government is reciprocating the gesture(hence the name “Recprocity tax”)
I’m not happy about having to pay the $130 per person (x4 since I’m traveling with my family), but I can see how it could be justified…

[…] for the longest time so I could pay the Argentinean government a $131 (US dollars, not pesos…) reciprocity tax. I then went through customs and security and was finally free! But then I realized my phone […]

Jack on June 4, 10

It’s just like paying for a visa. Can’t be too upset. we charge them to come to the US.

What Do You Think?