UPDATE- PRE-PAYMENT OF RECIPROCITY FEES TO BA AIRPORTS BEFORE FLIGHT
Replies: 8 - Last Post: Dec 8, 2012 12:54 AM Last Post By: mendocinateacher
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UPDATE- PRE-PAYMENT OF RECIPROCITY FEES TO BA AIRPORTS BEFORE FLIGHT
UPDATE: COMING PRE-PAYMENT OF RECIPROCITY FEES TO BA AIRPORTS NEEDED BEFORE FLIGHTPre-payment has already started, no problems reported so far, it just does not become obligatory until 31st October 2012 for flights to Aeroparque and 28th December 2012 for Ezeiza International Airport. Right now , it is still an option to paying on arrival.
Another reason to fly into Argentina from Santiago to Mendoza or from Sao Paulo to Cordoba or enter by land or sea, as reciprocity fees only payable on landing on international flights into the two BA airports for Canadians , Australians and Americans. it does not apply to any other nationalities.
You register for the pre-payment site and pay here:
https://virtual.provinciapagos.com.ar/ArgentineTaxes/
Also, an explanation of the procedure is set out there as well.
Changes to Payment Method For Reciprocity Fee Visa, by Hugh Davies, 18 September 2012.
The National Immigration Agency has changed the method by which tourists and business visitors from the US, Canada, and Australia will be required to pay in order to gain visa entry to Argentina. The reciprocity fee will shortly no longer be payable at the airport upon arrival. Instead the payment must be carried out online, prior to arrival, using the credit card based Provincia Payment System.
The system will be effective as of 31st October 2012 for flights to Aeroparque and 28th December 2012 for Ezeiza International Airport. A press release clearly states that “after these dates cash payments will not be accepted at the airport”.
The change in payment method follows a decision to increase the fee for US citizens from US$140 to US$160, which came into effect in April of this year.
A press release from the US state department offers these instructions for how to pay the reciprocity fee online:
1) Enter the web site www.migraciones.gov.ar or www.provinciapagos.com.ar of Provincia Pagos and register to start the process.
2) Complete the form with the corresponding personal and credit card information.
3) Print the payment receipt.
4) On arrival in Argentina, this printed receipt must be presented at Immigration Control. The receipt will be scanned by the Immigration officials, the information will be checked, and the traveller’s entry to the country registered.
http://www.argentinaindependent.com/currentaffairs/changes-to-payment-method-for-reciprocity-fee-visa/
confirmed by Argentina government web site
http://www.migraciones.gov.ar/accesible/imagenes/reciprocidad.jpg
A past posted summary of the regulations and effect of the Reciprocity Fees:
Reciprocity Fees for Americans for BA airport arrivals now $US 160
US passport user reciprocity fees for BA airports international arrivals (only) just rose to $US 160, as of April 16, 2012:
http://www.migraciones.gov.ar/pdf_varios/tasas/Disposicion_845_2012.pdf
This is in response to recent US visa charge raise in US.
Increases also in Chile reciprocity fees for Santiago airport international arrivals, as well as visa charge increases in Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia.
The trouble is that they keep changing the rules in Argentina to try to "reciprocate" the changes in Australia , Canada and the US. This is the reason for conflicting advice, even from different official Argentine agencies. It is often hard to keep the changes straight.
The actual regulations and changes are listed on this page, under Tasas de Reciprocidad.
http://www.migraciones.gov.ar/accesible/?tasas
The latest applicable to Australians on the list :
http://www.migraciones.gov.ar/pdf_varios/tasas/Disposicion_2379_2010.pdf
"1- Para nacionales australianos: el pago de la tasa será válido para múltiples
ingresos durante un plazo de UN (1) año desde la fecha del primer ingreso."
This latest measure means Australians do now get multiple entries for their $US 100 fee, but it only lasts one year from the first entry after payment, after which you need to pay again.
A later regulation changes it for Canadians, who now only get a single entry for their $US 75 fee. Canadians can now also have multiple entries for 5 years for $US 150.
(http://www.migraciones.gov.ar/pdf_varios/tasas/Disposicion_931_2011.pdf)
Americans still get multiple entries for 10 years (transferable to a new passport if you show your old one) for their
$US 160.
Since the question is continuously asked. let me repeat the fees are ONLY payable for international air arrival at the two Buenos Airies airports, NOT for international arrival by air at any other airport (such as Mendoza, Cordoba or Salta), and NOT to arrival by land, road or sea. It does NOT have to be paid to exit from anywhere, as it is only an entry fee.
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recent post :
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=2165029
1
Just a question that arises out of curiosity: This month marks a dozen years since I was last in Argentina, but I remember the Mendoza airport as really tiny. Is it still as small as I remember it? If it is, and if there's a large influx of foreigners entering the country there, they might have to expand the facility. Worse, though: they might add Mendoza to the entry points where they apply the reciprocity fee.
2
It is still the terminal bullt in 1995, but still not reaching full capacity yet. http://www.skyscrapercity.com/archive/index.php/t-1053387.html No problem handling the flights beyond normal established national inefficiency standards ;). Compared to many other terminals in mid-sized cities in SA, I've never thought of it as tiny. Still miles ahead of the chaos in the BA airports. According to the end of the forum I linked to, there is supposed to be some ëxpanded facilities added starting in December.As to adding Mendoza or other points to the reciprocity fees, remember that (like Chile) it is still mainly a symbolic act of retaliation, so there have never been any statements of expanding the fee beyond the national capital. Of course, that is not to say it would not happen, just nothing on the horizon. As someone who often has foreign friends and family flying in, I hope it does not change.
Edited by: mendocinateacher
5
here's a query... i'm an american, i entered argentina by land 2 weeks ago, then left to come to uruguay. i have a flight booked from montevideo, layover at aeroparque in ba, then on to ushuaia. i already have my passport stamped from the land entrance into argentina, still valid for 90 days. i was then stamped out of the country when i came into uruguay.is there any chance that stamp in my passport is still valid and i won't have to pay the reciprocity fee when i layover in ba? also, since i'm not exiting the airport in ba, just changing planes to continue on to ushuaia, do i still need to pay the fee?
today is friday, my flight is on monday, any advice in the next two days is appreciated!
6
No, once you leave and re-enter by international flight through either of the two airports (which you will have to do to catch a domestic flight, and thus go through immigration), you will have to pay unless you have proof you have paid over the last 10 years.Sorry, by choosing to fly from Montevideo rather than taking the ferry to BA, you have put yourself in the position where you have to pay or have paid the reciprocity fee. No way around that if you fly into any of the two airports in BA from another country.
7
Mendocinateacher... can you comment on this? This was a link in my airfare ticket purchase from Cancun to Mendoza through LAN: http://www.lan.com/en_us/sitio_personas/noticia-news-item/change-in-reciprocity-fee-payment"Starting on November 1st , 2012, any passenger visiting Argentina with an American, Canadian or Australian passport will be required to pay in advance the Reciprocity Fee via online.
The new system will work parallel to the regular collection service performed at Ezeiza Airport until December 28th, 2012 and at Jorge Newbery Airport until October 31st, 2012. After the dates previously mentioned, the only method of collection would be online."
I realize that you have continuously mentioned that Mendoza is safe from the reciprocity fee, but it appears this is no longer case. However, I do not know this because I cannot translate the pdf file that constitutes the official policy. Will US citizens now need to pre-pay the fee regardless of airport?
8
This LAN announcement refers to old situation...see this sticky link for updates:http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=2273840
The BAairports require payment there or online before Dec 28, by prepayment on Dec 28 and thereafter, and prepayment for all of Argentina entry of land, or air (including Mendoza) on January 7, 2013, on).
Mendoza is therefore only safe if you arrive BEFORE January 7, but safe before then.
