How to send a package to Argentina?
Are you a company or an individual
and you send parcels or documents to Argentina?
Your company has developed commercial relations and you wish to send a parcel to Argentina? You are a person living in Switzerland and your family or friends live in Argentina and you want to send them fondue or chocolate? You think that maybe the Argentinean Post is not reliable enough to make sure that your package arrives in good condition and on time?
expedismart.ch has the solution for you. On Expedismart, you can compare the prices of the main express carriers such as DHL, FedEx, UPS, TNT or Aramex and book them online. In just two clicks, you can get a quote for a parcel shipment from Switzerland to Argentina. In addition, you benefit from discounts of up to 70% of the public price that we have negotiated with these carriers.
You can send up to 20 parcels from 100 grams to 70kg to Argentina at once, as well as documents and pallets. Good news for small and medium sized Swiss companies, if you plan to send more than 20 parcels per month to Argentina or to any other destination, we have the possibility to make you benefit from even better rates, please contact us.
Customs formalities for Argentina
Required documents
When you plan to send a package from Switzerland to Argentina with DHL, FedEx, UPS or TNT, two main documents are required. Firstly, the waybill. This document has two other names, Airway Bill or Bill of Lading. It is a document that every express carrier, DHL, FedEx, UPS, TNT, Aramex will ask you for. On Expedismart, this document will be provided to you automatically as a completed PDF at the end of your booking. It usually contains a large barcode that the carrier’s courier will scan as he passes by.
The other document mentioned for a parcel shipment from Switzerland to Argentina is the proforma invoice or commercial invoice. If your company in Switzerland sells goods to Argentina, then you will need to provide a commercial invoice. This tells the Argentinean customs the contents of your package, the price of the goods and to whom it is addressed. If you are not selling the goods, it will be the proforma or “for form” option. It also tells the Argentineans what goods you have shipped. In both cases, this will allow them to know how much VAT will be charged to the recipient of your package. This document will also be provided automatically at the end of your booking on expedismart.ch.
Key elements that must be included in your commercial or proforma invoice to Argentina.
- The names, addresses, telephone numbers and emails of the senders (yourself) and recipients.
- In the case of sales of goods, the VAT number of the company to which you are sending your package
- The exact number of items in your package.
- If you are sending to an individual, then remember to include a copy of their ID card. This is not always required but can facilitate customs clearance.
- Invoices must be provided in 3 copies, dated and signed.
CHECK-LIST
- Full address
- Proforma document
- Customs declaration
- No banned goods
Delivery of goods in Argentina?
Customs tariffs
When sending goods to Argentina, remember to inform your recipient that he/she will have to pay customs fees. These charges will be calculated on the declared value of your goods, which is the value you indicate on the proforma or commercial invoice. In Argentina, the import VAT charges range from 0 to 35% depending on the type of goods you wish to send. If you use expedismart.ch for your shipments, the carrier you choose will be responsible for collecting the import VAT. Please also inform your recipient that in Argentina, your recipient will have to pay this VAT at the time of delivery.
Tip: Customs fees must be paid in order for the goods to be delivered. If your recipient refuses to pay them, there are two solutions:
a. You can ask to pay the VAT costs yourself. In logistics jargon, this is called DDP (delivery duty paid). Read our article to find out more. Please note that if you request this option while your package is already in transit to Argentina, it will take several days for the carriers to set this up and it will extend the delivery date. You can ask us when you make your reservation on expedismart.ch. You should also know that you will not be able to get a refund for this amount of VAT, even if you are a company, because it is a VAT destined to a foreign country.
b. You can ask for the return of your package in Switzerland. Be careful, this solution is expensive because you will have to pay the amount of the sending, the one of the return and possibly the expenses of VAT of each country which will be invoiced anyway.
Goods that are not allowed to be imported.
Some goods are forbidden to be imported by all carriers, here is a non-exhaustive list:
- Alcohol
- Perishable food products
- Animal skins
- The oils
- The drugs
- Toxic products
- Chemical products
- Pornography
- The films
- Tobacco derivatives
- Firearms
- Shoes
Information to remember: all the information we give you here concerning the goods is indicative. It is necessary that you personally inquire about the legality of the shipments you wish to make to Argentina. Expedismart cannot be held responsible in case of blocking, return to sender or destruction of the goods.
Making express shipments to Argentina
Fragile goods
Express carriers such as DHL, FedEx, UPS, TNT or Aramex usually take care of your goods. Nevertheless, it is necessary to pack your package properly. If you are interested in this, we invite you to take a look at our article dedicated to this subject. The first thing you need to know is that in order for a parcel to arrive in Argentina in good condition, it is important that the goods are properly packed inside. To do this, consider stuffing the empty spaces with any protective materials such as old rags, newspaper or sagex. The choice of cardboard is also important, take triple fluted cardboard, the most resistant.
Finally, we advise you to indicate on the package that it is fragile merchandise. Indicate this with a sticker or by writing FRAGILE in felt pen, clearly visible on all sides of the box.
Delivery times
When you make a quote on expedismart.ch, you can know in a few minutes an ESTIMATE of the delivery time of your package to Argentina. Of course, this is an estimate and no time is guaranteed, regardless of the service used, and this since the pandemic of COVID-19. Whether it is with FedEx, UPS, TNT Aramex or DHL, no carrier will offer a refund for late delivery. Nevertheless, in the vast majority of cases, the indicated deadlines are respected. In Argentina, our customers usually send to the following cities: Buneos Aires, Salta, Mendoza, Cordoba, Mar del Plata.
Pick-ups and deliveries in Argentina
Festive days
There may be delays in delivery on subsequent days. Please take these dates into account when planning a shipment:
- 1er January, New Year’s Day
- Fat Monday, February 28
- Mardi Gras, March 1 er
- Falklands Veterans and Combatants Day, April 2
- Memorial Day for Truth and Justice, March 24
- Labor Day, May 1 er
- Census day, May 18
- Day of the first national government, May 25
- Anniversary of the death of General Martin Miguel de Güemes, June 20
- Flag Day, June 20
- Argentina’s Independence Day, July 9
- Anniversary of the death of General Saint Martin, August 15
- Respect for Cultural Diversity Day, October 10
- Bank Employees’ Day, November 6
- National Sovereignty Day, November 21
- Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8
- Christmas Eve, December 2
- Christmas, December 25
Tracking of express parcels to Argentina
Track your shipment
Shipments with express carriers have tracking numbers. By shipping with expedismart.ch, you will be able to track your shipments easily. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
