Im a US citizen currently in Salta, Argentina. Spent a day in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile where there was no problem with aduana or migracion. Got to the border at Paso de Jama. Chilean and Argentinian aduana and customs all in the same building now. Passport stamped out of Chile and into Argentina. Bike stamped out of Chile. But the aduana guys didnt like the fact that my Bolivian bike was purchased in Colombia - the bill of sale wasnt worth doo doo. So no go. First time in many borders this has happened.

Spent the night at the border with the bike in the customs building. No help the next morning. So turn back around into Chile or ride across that salt flat a couple of kms in the distance....

Actually, its pretty worrying.....getting SOAT immediately would be a good step I think, so if one were to be pulled over, the passport and insurance would come out immediately, and hopefully one would not be asked to dig out the aduana papers. Another would be to take the paperwork to the aduana in Salta, but Im not sure how that would turn out, although I have heard that the aduana in Argentina all depends on who you get.

I hope its not a complete asshole move to be in this situation, but its hard to know what to do sometimes when confronted with unexpected situations like this. So please, dont judge

What would you guys do, (besides not get yourselves into this situation in the first place?!)

Hello brecchi,

thank you for posting your situation here, it is for all of us to learn.

Yes, you are in a situation and you have to decide what to do, and then you have to live with the decision you made. This is a way of growing up and learning. I dont know all about your situation, but of what you describe I would have done the same.

First. Thanks for telling us, that customs (aduana) from Chile and Argentina are now in the same building on Paso Jama. This is important information.

I heard a lot of stories about the Argentine aduana at Paso Jama, most of them not good, asking for stupid things and making their own rules. And I even met two bikers that lost their bolivian registered bikes, thru to missing paperwork for Argentina. But I never had a problem there, and I crossed many times, but always with correct/good paperwork.

I had my bike illegal in Argentina for quite some time and I always managed to leave and enter again.

So my first advise, what ever you do, dont go back to Paso Jama aduana.

Second advise, relax, this is South America, most people are good and things can be done.

Enjoy the asados, la cerveca y las noches en la calle Balcarce en Salta

mika

Thanks for the advice guys. I should explain the problem more clearly...

The bike is a Bolivian bike. Im from the US. The problem is that I bought the bike in Colombia off of the previous owner. I have a notarized bill of sale, with stamps and fingerprints and signatures all over it. I also have a poder, which is permission to ride someone else´s bike. This contradicts the bill of sale, but we figured it was good to have both options. I have never needed to use the poder.

The aduana guys said that the Colombia bill of sale was no good. It had to be a Bolivian bill of sale. They were kind of shitty about it, and started saying things like ¨you are from the US, your bike is Bolivian, bought in Colombia¨.....as if it was all too complicated and they were just not going to deal with it and make a decision on the spot to refuse me. I then showed them the poder and the boss looked at it for several minutes, and then said no again.

The funny thing is that this is all within earshot of the Chilean aduana and migracion guys, since they share the same space.....so I wonder if I had tried to go back to Chile and check my bike in again if they would now have had a problem with my bike as well?!......its all kind of crazy, and I have not had a problem with the bill of sale at any border ( except Bolivia when leaving, which is a whole ´nother story)..

So now Im at least trying to make it to Mendoza in a few days without any big problems. From there, I have to go to Santiago for a week and I may just take a bus to make things easy on myself. I have a friend in Mendoza who is a motorcycle guide and deals with borders all of the time, so maybe he can help me out.

I usually live in the moment, but riding from the border to Salta, I was kind of worried and getting nervous every time there was some type of toll booth or place where I had to slow down for cops.

There is an aduana here in Salta I think, and I was thinking of trying to get insurance as well, which apparently is a pain in the ass. But really, if I can just make it to Mendoza without getting my bike seized or something, Ill be happy!

Hello again,

dont worry too much about the police on your way to Mendoza, you have made it this far you will manage to deal with the Argentine police.

Yes, try to get insurance ... if you cant find an agency, then go to DiBez Motos, calle Goriti, one block from calle SanMartin. Ask for Daniel or Luis, they will tell you where to get insurance. Tell them Mika sent you.

Try to avoid Cordoba on your way down, there is a lot of corrupt police on the main roads going in and out of the city. If you have the time, then take Ruta 40, or parts of it.

Enjoy the ride
mika

Ok now It's clear for me, since the bike is registered in Bolivia, Customs wanted Bolivian, not Colombian, documents to proof you're the new owner.

In fact you've made a private transaction buying it in Colombia, to complete it you should have updated the register in Bolivia to reflect that you are the new owner, or at least have some temporary document from them to prove it.

Anyway, don't warry that much now, its done, just relax and keep going if problems arrive you can deal with them then.

In San Juan and Mendoza are nice roads if you stay by the Mountains, then agree with previous sugestion, Ruta 40 down to El Calafate is a nice ride, entering Chubut and Santa Cruz provinces start filling your tank every time you can as fuel is sometimes scarce and distances between gas stations are longer. Be prepared for some chilly weather down there by the end of this month.
suerte!

Mika - thanks for the advice. I found a place that will sell me ATM insurance for multiple countries for 80 pesos a month. I said I might need 2 months and when I said maybe not , the guy said there was a 2 month minimum....haha.
Thats like 15 bucks so I didnt complain.

The process was going smoothly but he was having some issues finding my make and model bike in his computer, etc...so Im returning in the morning with the bike after he does some extra work to get the papers right.....another 40 pesos. But still less than 20 bucks for the rest of the time I will be in South America.

Ill go to the aduana in the morning also and see what happens. Ill go with just my paperwork and not the bike and feel out the situation, i.e. if they will be pissed that I rode so far into the country illegally. I figure if I dont get the right papers, at least Ill have the bike insured, and have something besides my passport to pull out at a police stop if Im pulled over.

EM25 - yep., thats my situation.....I was told that when I got to Bolivia, the transition of ownership would be easy, but long story short, it would be very time consuming especially with the original owner back in Europe. I would have literally had to spend multiple days dealing with beurocracy, and I didnt want to waste most of my time in Bolivia doing so. On top of everything, my license plate fell off a while back ( but nobody seems to care about this).

I´ll be sure to follow your advice on your suggestions to Mendoza. I will be trying to get there in 3 days which is pushing it a bit.....I was considering going to Cachi but I may just stick to the pavement to Cafayate, and the route you suggested.

Brecchi,
Good idea going to Aduana to get info, specially if you plan to ride to Tierra del Fuego where you will need to cross de border again.

One route to Mendoza could be to go to Calafate via Cachi vs using the main road, then SW to Chilecito-V.Union- Jachal- San Juan.

Not directly on your path but relatively close are Tinogasta, Fiambala and Little further Antofagasta de la Sierra all very beautiful places with hot springs and great views of los andes. Near Fiambala you may spot some of the highest volcanoes on earth.
enjoy!

I was planning to go to the aduana here in Salta tomorrow morning. I spoke to my friend in Mendoza and he crosses borders often with motorcycles. He got pretty freaked out about my situation, and says I shouldnt go to the aduana, they could jail me, etc.....although I am pretty sure he is speculating.

I have to say, Im a bit worried. Even though I will be there without the bike, I wonder if they could really stick it to me in some way for going in and admitting that I have a bike in the country illegally. I still have a half day to decide before I head south, so I´ll sleep on it and hopefully hear some suggestions from you guys in the HUBB community.

And EM25....I´ll be going through as many of the places you suggested as my time allows. I have to be in Mendoza on the 16th, so I will have to be clocking in the miles for the next few days, but Im sure I will be able to see quite a bit as well.

Brecchi,

just read your post now. It is mid day now, so maybe I am too late with my advise and you went to aduana already.

I would not go to the aduana in Salta, I dont think they would jail you, but it would cause you a lot of problems and delay.

As EM25 said correctly, you will have to think about the border in the South. I crossed there only in 2003, so my information is out of date, and I can not give you any advise on this. But listen to your friend in Mendoza, he knows all this a lot better then I do.

Send me a pm, and I tell you my story if you want to know.

Saludos desde Bolivia
mika

To get from mainland Argentina to Ushuaia is necessary to cross two borders in the way down and two borders in the way up. So four times going through Customs.

You can´t carry fuel on cans (bidones). They ask for insurance that must cover riding in Chile, driver licence and proof of ownership. I found in both sides the border personnel was very nice to the travelers and they are checking mostly for ilegal traffic of goods from Punta Arenas as it has a Zona Franca and people go there to buy tax free electronics and stuff.

Will they ask you for your entrance stamp? can't tell. Maybe not, who knows.

In my last trip, coming back from Punta Arenas back into Argentina, Customs officers forgot to check and record the entrance of my car, it was late night and raining, I didn't notice that either. Two year later, while crossing the border into Chile at Paso Sico (50Km south of Jama) Customs stopped me and run a "special check" I ask why. "Why? because according to our records your car left the country 2 year ago, never returned and now is going out again!"

Then I realized what happened! but they made no problems and I continue my trip. So go figure anything is possible.

Hey guys. The aduana in Salta was no help....one guy told me to go to another office and they would be able to check with the guys at Paso de Jama....exactly what I DONT want!

I was able to get my moto inured very cheaply, for here and Chile so at least Ill have some paper related to my bike that is legit at a police stop. Incidentally, I rode with a passenger on the back of the bike and she had no helmet. There were 2 police checkpoints between Salta and Cafayate and the no helmet thing was definitely an issue, but nothing else. We were able to work our way around the checkpoints, but definitely not a great way to travel....

Another unrelated question.....is bike maintenance in a shop in Argentina much more expensive than in Peru, Bolivia, etc?.....Thanks the vibe aIM getting but IM not sure if its because Im a gringo.

Anyway, always open to any advice or suggestions about my situation. Ill head to Mendoza and hopefully be there in 2.5 days and then Ill take a bus to Santiago for work, and deal with the legal stuff when I arrive back to Mendoza a week later.