PBH / colombia (travelguide, pictures) / post

taking a desktop computer on a tourist visa

I am planning to move to Bogota in the near future. I have at least one job offer there (english teaching). I will need to enter on a tourist visa at first before I can leave and re-enter on a work visa. The problem is that I want to bring most of the parts to build a new desktop computer as well as a 24" LCD monitor. I have no interest in laptops. To me they are utterly useless. I have never owned one and I hope I never need to.

Anyway, my question is this: What are my chances of getting through both immigration and customs with my computer gear? IIRC, I went through immigration before going through customs. So I would already have the stamp in my passport at the point when a customs search might reveal items that might be suspicious for a mere tourist to carry. Not sure if that really matters though. They can just walk me back over to immigration.

Basically I see two issues. (1) I don't want to be refused entry on the grounds that they don't believe that I am really entering the country as a tourist, and (2) I don't want to have to pay the 28% import taxes (IVA + duty) on my computer. Or at the very least I want to take advantage of the $1500 exemption (the actual value is probably around $3000 including the monitor). Also, it's not like the computer is going to be permanently residing in Colombia. After teaching for about a year, I will be returning home with my computer. So in that sense it is really just a larger version of a laptop. But I am not sure that aduana is going to see it that way.

I see my options as: (1) just place all the internal components of my computer in my carryon along with my LCD monitor and buy a case and PSU in Bogota. (2) bring a 'shoebox' sized SFF computer with all the parts installed and either check an LCD monitor in my luggage or just buy one in Bogota even though I have heard that they are much more expensive there. I am sort of hoping that, even though an SFF computer is still a desktop, the fact that it is so small may make the idea of traveling with it more plausible. Although it is not exactly a laptop, it is more laptop-ish. The only problem with bringing the SFF is that I cannot fit both that and an LCD monitor in my carry-on and I would be worried about the monitor being damaged/lost/stolen if placed in my checked baggage. So it would be better if I could just bring the hard drives and PCI cards without a case.

I am also wondering what to do about receipts. I would like to get away without paying any import taxes on the computer, but I am not sure how they would value the computer without receipts. I would claim that it is 'used' of course. And I might want to try to hide the receipts somewhere just in case they value the computer even more than it's worth. Although if I do and they see that they were hidden at first, they are likely to view me with great suspicion I think. The life of a computer smuggler is not easy I guess.

By pariahdog on Dec 28, 2007, 17:37 in Friendly Talkzone.

tomtom33 says on Dec 28, 2007, 18:28:

I use an external keyboard and mouse on my 17" laptop. And I have a special stand for it. I really see no difference between it and my desktops. And I could use an external 24" or more monitor as well.

If you insist on the desktop, bring no receipts and tell them you bought it on Ebay for US$1000. They might delay you a little, but I doubt that there will be a big problem.

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byoung says on Dec 28, 2007, 18:29:

just bring it in ,your on holiday ,its yours ,no problem,i bought in a 70.000 dollars plotter from the usa,just pack it ,walk in ,if they do stop you its your computer,dont worry.and if you can get hold of one of the 1st class gift bags ,give it to them ,they love these.

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mjordan2169 says on Dec 28, 2007, 18:50:

I hate laptops too! grrrrrrrr. But I think there is a website that sells these cool, small, notebook-sized computers. Maybe you could bring one of them? I think it's dell dot com or something like that. google "small, cool, fun, notebook-sized computer" and see what comes up.

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rocinante says on Dec 28, 2007, 20:46:

Juat pack it and bring it - it's for personal use you are not selling it and it is not brand new wrapped up in the box.

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Peso 1400 by November" Feb 5, 2008

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Peter (Moderator) says on Dec 29, 2007, 01:45:

I would recommend a laptop. Also, I would try to sell it when you head back, because the second hand market in Colombia fetches very good prices.

Poor but snappy

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miamimike says on Dec 29, 2007, 03:34:

I brought a Complete Computer(Tower, monitor, printer, keyboard) in 2001 to Colombia as checked on Luggage. It was well packed and once I landed at Bogota, I had absolutely no problem with customs in Bogota. They just waved me through, no taxes, opening of the boxes ect,,,

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." -- Feb. 28, 2008 --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C.

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Gator says on Dec 29, 2007, 06:49:

Personal use, no problem

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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chrispej says on Dec 29, 2007, 07:17:

I brought my iMac G5, laptop, video camera and Pentax SLR camera to Colombia. No problems at all.

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