My wife and I are considering a move to Buenos Aires to begin the process of gaining Argentinian dual citizenship with the USA--we'd be living in BA for 6-7 months of each year. We have some beloved Toyota FJs from the 1970's that we'd like to import. As I understand the situation, importing a vehicle into AR is very expensive and requires a lot patience, but can be done. We are prepared to spend whatever money and patience is necessary.

We are diehard gearheads with irrational attachment to these trucks, and have spent over 150,000USD on each of them, so finding local old Toyotas to replace them is not an option--these things are part of the family, as ridiculous as that may seem.

Are there vehicle inspections and emissions tests for old vehicles in Buenos Aires, or are vehicles of a certain age exempt from these tests?

Is there anything else you all might know that would be vital to us?

First off all, I think your question is completely off topic in this forum. The HUBB is about Adventure Travel on Motorbikes, Overlander 4 wheels or more, Bicycles or even Walking; don’t know how a part of a local (could be me?) with some obliquely scarce wretched knowledge of these dark red tape thing could help you here… instead you are planning to travel down with the truck what could be a problem to make a permanent import. Anyway…

I suggest you to find an expat forum, and a really good customs agent, hope you will bring a lot of money and free time as you will need it. Be prepare to pay taxes that can rise up to 100% of what customs estimate could be the value of the Toyo, all if they allow you to bring it, and for this I think first you need to have a residence status. Then many other things before to be worry about mechanics inspections and emissions tests, please tell me that your FJ didn’t have a VW Tdi engine?

If the entire question is about the inspections of vehicles in BA, I can tell you that here for locally registered vehicles is the Vehicle Technical Verification or VTV, nothing special isn’t very strict at all. By now on BA city (CABA) isn’t compulsory, maybe next year. On BA province and other provinces is mandatory from some years ago. On the VTV website you will find what they ask.

I don’t remember how old needs to be a vehicle for be excepted of this VTV (probably an special one is required), my 1964 Jeep isn’t it, for sure needs to be a lot older. I have seen cars like from beginning last century with some special plates and have talked with owners… Also needs a special “classic” register that only allows you to transit for “low speed” streets and strictly forbidden on national roads and highways. Isn’t the same that be accepted as “classic” for be imported.

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Javier...
Dakar Motos “ ”

No, my FJ doesn't have a VW TDi engine, but nonetheless it doesn't have the original engine. Under the hood is a modern Toyota TDi engine transplant. Do you think this would be a problem for some reason?

Here's what I've been able to find online from the AR government itself: http://www.industria...ulos-coleccion/

And also: http://www.industria...ccion/tramites/

Am I reading correctly that, essentially, to technically considered be "classic," the vehicle need only be thirty years old?

I don't actually care about being registered as a classic vehicle--I care about making sure I don't have to go through equipment inspections and/or exhaust emissions testing. Here in the USA it's the old vehicles that are exempt from such tests, so that's what I've been using a frame of reference. Are there no equipment or emissions tests in BA?

From what I've been able to find online (and in English), AR law allows only two imported vehicles per family, so the missus and I were planning on only one truck apiece, anyway. But we want to use them for international roadtrips, thus being able to cross the AR border back and forth is a necessity. Are AR registered cars not supposed to leave the country or something? Surely there are lots of Argentinians going on roadtrips across their own border?

Thanks for all that information; very helpful.


Do you have a link for the VTV website?

Hi, I am in agreement with javkap comments.

You might also double check your information about dual U S /Argentine citizenship. While Argentina might recognize dual citizenship, my research has indicated U S will not.

This may or may not be a problem for you. What we have, and it took three years of residence in Argentina and jumping through many financial and INTERPOL/police hoops are Argentina permanent foreign residents.

This is not a quick process, but I assure you it can be accomplished without an attorney or immigration assistance agents. I do not know what would be required to become a citizen of Argentina, but if it requires being available for military service, you may have a problem keeping your U S citizen. Once again I am not qualified to give you legal advice, but what I have learned from my own research is for U S citizens it is better to obtain permanent foreign residence status, which basically gives you all rights of an Argentine citizen than to go the dual citizen route. If you are Argentine - you might verify all with your embassy or consul before initiating applications for dual citizenship.

Javkap is probably a good resource for you as he is on top of TVIPs and importation issues.

My wife and I were only allowed to import one vehicle - and we had to accomplish this within 6 months of obtaining our permanent foreign residence status or we would lose the opportunity.

Some years ago I did import one vehicle. It cost me about 75% of the "Blue Book " as interpreted by the aduana (customs) which may or may not differ from standard Blue Book plus $600.00 US in fees and mandatory transport costs (internal) - even though no shipping of the vehicle was involved - I rode it into Argentina....

So please check your sources on dual citizenship and the import of (2) foreign registered vehicles per family???

Once again, I am not an expert but have lived in South America for more than ten years.

xfiltrate Eat Drink and check your sources

Contrary to the above, the US does indeed recognize dual citizenship--somewhat begrudgingly. There are recent court rulings governing this.

Even more recent were changes in tax enforcement which make it complicated and potentially expensive for those holding dual citizenship. My sisters both renounced their US citizenship for this reason after 30 years or so of maintaining both. Look into it before making any irrevocable decisions.

And of course: don't take anyone's word for it, including xfiltrate's and certainly including mine.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

Well sorry mate, usually I tends to think that everybody have same google search skills than me…

Come on! You can do it! Tape: VTV Argentina (enter) and …voila! There is … infovtv.com.ar

But as I told you all this entire thread isn’t relevant for this forum, only maybe for you and scars few others, so I don’t know how this link could help to travellers…

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Javier...
Dakar Motos “ ”

Markharf and others, according to CURRENT U S travel.state.gov (official)

Please go to this web site...

Dual Nationality

"A U.S. national may acquire foreign nationality by marriage, or a person naturalized as a U.S. national may not lose the nationality of the country of birth. U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one nationality or another. Also, a person who is automatically granted another nationality does not risk losing U.S. nationality. However, a person who acquires a foreign nationality by applying for it may lose U.S. nationality. In order to lose U.S. nationality, the law requires that the person must apply for the foreign nationality voluntarily, by free choice, and with the intention to give up U.S. nationality."

Of this I was speaking - those applying for foreign nationality.


Sorry for the confusion


xfiltrate

The VW TDi engine thing was a joke, don’t you see the news??? I only wonder why you are so obsessive regarding the emissions and not for the whole red tape you will have to face first for residency (not even talking about double citizenship) and then to see if customs allow you to import the truck. After that, deal with the shipping of the vehicle, the long process of the import and then the register of it. Not even talking about all what you will have to pay… as looks money isn’t the problem… lucky you!!!

If it has a modern engine for sure will be need that is correctly consigned on your original title/registration with the engine number too. Is the modern Toyota TDi engine transplanted worst smoke maker than the original engine? Do you think this would be a problem? Are your emissions radioactive or something worst?


Then you says that you was able to find online some links from the AR government, you forget to mention that wasn’t you who find it, someone posted for you on the ADVriders, … that’s not nice.


If I understand correctly maybe theoretically with a new modern engine, perhaps it will not be considered as "classic", the vehicle need only be thirty years old, but not the engine?


Sure at some point of the importation you will have to go through customs equipment inspections to verify if what you declare is what you bring and that all numbers (VIN, engine, frame, and body) match with all the papers. The VTV (with exhaust emissions testing) will come not before you finish with all the rest included the final Argentinean registration. By the time you finish with all probably even in BA city the VTV will be mandatory.


Argentina law allows only one imported vehicles per adult in the family, for Argentine returnees. Don’t know if applies for foreigners residency aspirants. Anyway if you want to use it for international roadtrips, thus being able to cross the argentine border back and forth; think twice as nearly for sure it will not be possible for a long while. The rules of can’t take Argentinean vehicles on foreigners names outside the country for the first year can apply also as you will be nationalizing it. Or at least till you have your argie DNI and your truck’s argies Titulo/Cedula Verde.
Argentinean registered vehicles supposed leave the country on permanent residencies ownership name and only temporary. Surely there are lots of Argentinians going on roadtrips across their own border, but you are years far to be legally considered as “Argentino” if I can bet. Also for returnees if they bring a vehicle there is a period of time that they can’t let the country what will cancel all the process and could incur on a legal process for smuggling.

So let me ask you few personal things:
Have you ever been even for few days in Argentina? Have you or your partner any argie relatives? Why you wanna move here and get an Argentinean nationality?

Are you the same that years ago here and on the ADV creates very funny threads talking about travel on-road through all 6 (?) continents in just one year without sleep a night on a tent or something similar? Have you ever done it at the end? If I remember there you mistreated lots of mates…. No? Are all of this just because you are boring or we will see your face around?

Saludos

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Javier...
Dakar Motos “ ”

Thanks to everyone for all the info! To answer the questions posed to mes:

1) Yes, the US recognizes dual citizenship; no US citizen has to give up their citizenship unless he chooses to do so--the US government does not compel dual citizens to "choose a country." Dual, or even multiple, citizenships is not among unprecedented among a certain set. No, I'm not an oligarch trying to evade taxes.

2) New York City winters are too savage. I was searching for a comparable metropolis to live in during NYC's cold months--voila, Buenos Aires! Gaining dual citizenship seems like it might be the easiest way to travel back and forth between countries every year. Yes, a lot of hassle initially, but much less hassle down the road.

3) Holding multiple passports also allows a person to stay in foreign countries longer.

4) My interest in vehicle emissions testing is simply because here in the United States engine swaps in old vehicle restorations are pretty standard practice. Some states have no emissions testing for old vehicles, such as the one in which our Toyotas are registered; but this of course means that if they suddenly were subject to emissions testing they might not pass since they don't have equipment like catalytic converters and such.

Thanks so much for your on-the-ground insight!

Here are a few of the English language resources I've been using to research gaining Argentine citizenship.

http://www.fourflagsjournal.com/the-...-in-argentina/

ARCA | Argentina: Citizenship & Passports

Citizenship in Argentina | FOUR FLAGS JOURNAL

https://www.justlanded.com/english/A...ts/Citizenship

http://www.expatarrivals.com/article...y-in-argentina

nicholastanguma, I really wish you the best, but my parting words are
that three of your four references contradict each other and three of the four are for profit operations.

Let me just say I have a very intelligent foreign friend who placed his faith in for profit "immigration" assistance agencies and after three years and paying thousands of dollars to several different agencies, he realized he was being played and gave up the process.

This is not to say the contradictions are the results of changing laws or not , but I have heard there have been many recent changes to Argentine immigration policies.

And, I totally agree with javkap, this is the wrong place for this discussion, and therefore will stop contributing to this thread.

Suerte...

Xfiltrate

Why don't you just apply for residency and live like that 7 month of the year in Buenos Aires, why are you, before you even move there thinking about argentinian citizanship?
I got residencia definitiva in Chile, and unless I realy mess it up, I will have it for good.
12 or so years ago I met a fellow german who could bring everything INCLUDUNG HIS CAR free of charge from Germany when he moved to Argentina, you might be lucky and the situation is still the same. If the cars are in your name for years they are part of your personal belongings and therefore free of customs duty.
If I was you, I would go there as a tourist, ship your vehicles down there, use them on US plates and you will be fine.
Do a border run with Montevideo after 3 months and you are ok to stay for another 3 months. Many many foreigners do it that way in Chile, they cross the andes once every 3 months and come back the following day. Some live like that in Chile for 10 years.
So why look for unnecessary heardaches?

saludos,

Groschi