In force since Jul 17, 2026
Postal customs: a single US$400 allowance and commercial export by mail with no limit
Decreto 604/2026 (Official Gazette, Jul 17, 2026)
in forceNATIONALApplies the same nationwide
Trade opening
Decreto 604/2026 unifies the non-commercial import allowance at USD 400 per shipment, up to five a year, free of duties and fees.
The other rules on this subject19
Imports: prior approval to bring in goods is eliminatedRes. 1/2023 Trade Secretariat + Joint GR AFIP-Trade 5466/2023 (Official Gazette Dec 26, 2023)in force
Mercosur–EU ratified: 450 million consumers open up to agriculture and industryLey 27.800 (Official Gazette Feb 26, 2026); provisional application from May 1, 2026in force
Argentina and the US sign their first trade and investment agreementBilateral agreement signed Feb 5, 2026 (no number; pending congressional approval)pending
What changed and who it applies to
What changed
The Executive Branch reforms the customs regime for postal and courier shipments. Import WITHOUT commercial purpose: a unified allowance of US$400 per shipment, up to 5 shipments per year, exempt from import duties and the statistics fee (previously there were different regimes and caps by operator). Commercial exports by mail: will NOT be subject to value limits. Non-commercial exports (family aid/gift): an allowance of US$5,000 accumulated monthly per sender. It eliminates the 50% tax regime that taxed postal imports handled by the official postal operator (Correo Argentino). verif Jul 17, 2026 ↗
In force
In force since 17 July 2026, the same day it was published. Article 4 of the decree reads: «This decree shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the OFFICIAL GAZETTE» — it waits for no grace period. verif Jul 17, 2026 ↗
Who it applies to
Consumers and sellers in cross-border e-commerce, courier operators and PSPs, the official postal operator (Correo Argentino), and producers/merchants that export by mail. It lowers the cost of importing small shipments (end of the 50% and a clear US$400 allowance) and opens commercial export by mail with no value limit —relevant for SMEs and regional economies that sell abroad in small volumes—. verif Jul 17, 2026 ↗
The norm
Decreto 604/2026 of the national Executive, issued on Jul 16, 2026 and published in the Boletín Oficial on Jul 17, 2026 (notice 344470), in force. It amends Decreto 1001/82 and repeals article 8° of Decreto 161/99. verif Jul 17, 2026 ↗
Our reading
Concrete customs opening and deregulation (R4/R-desregulación): it lowers a barrier and a tax (the Post's 50%) on low-value cross-border trade and enables the SME to export by mail with no cap. It belongs to the family of openings in the program; its real effect is direct on e-commerce and exporting regional economies. thesis
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