Shipping from China to Cordoba
China → Cordoba · via COR air / Buenos Aires sea · clearance by Dirección General de Aduanas (ARCA)

Freight from China into Cordoba clears through COR air / Buenos Aires sea. Cordoba is second largest city and automotive center, and allow +1 day for the inland leg on top of clearance.
Clearance itself is handled by Dirección General de Aduanas (ARCA), and typical dwell at the gateway runs 5–12 days.
What you will pay on arrival in Argentina
Imports into Argentina are cleared by Dirección General de Aduanas (ARCA). The headline position is: IVA 21% plus a 10.5% IVA perception and income-tax perception; Mercosur common external tariff of 0–35%. The de-minimis threshold is USD 400 for courier consignments under the simplified regime.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: Import declaration (SEDI) required before shipment for most goods; safety certification for electrical products. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Argentina: Pre-shipment import declaration approval is required; goods shipped without it can be refused. Foreign-currency access constrains duty settlement and supplier payment. Tax perceptions on top of IVA raise the effective landed cost well above the headline rate.
How this lane actually runs
Argentina's constraint is administrative rather than physical. Import declarations must be filed and approved before the cargo ships, and foreign-exchange access for paying suppliers has been rationed for years — both directly affect whether a DDP structure is workable. Verify the consignee's declaration status and FX position before booking, not after.
| Air gateways used | EZE (Buenos Aires Ezeiza), COR (Córdoba) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 4–7 business days |
| Sea gateways used | Buenos Aires, Zárate, Rosario |
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 30–40 calendar days |
| Gateway serving Cordoba | COR air / Buenos Aires sea |
| Inland leg to Cordoba | +1 day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 5–12 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |

What to sort out before the cargo leaves China
- Confirm the consignee in Cordoba can act as importer of record — Dirección General de Aduanas (ARCA) will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Argentina duty rate against it yourself.
- Put the Cordoba delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Budget for the inland leg: +1 day beyond gateway clearance to reach Cordoba.
Air, sea or overland into Cordoba?
| Mode | Transit to gateway | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| ✈️ Air Freight | 4–7 business days | time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo |
| 🚢 Sea Freight | 30–40 calendar days | volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed |
Transit shown is China departure to the Argentina gateway and excludes the +1 day inland leg to Cordoba and 5–12 days of clearance.
Mode guides for Cordoba
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Cordoba take?
China to the Argentina gateway is 4–7 business days by air, 30–40 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 5–12 days of clearance with Dirección General de Aduanas (ARCA) and a +1 day inland leg to Cordoba.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Cordoba?
Dirección General de Aduanas (ARCA) applies: IVA 21% plus a 10.5% IVA perception and income-tax perception; Mercosur common external tariff of 0–35%. The de-minimis position is USD 400 for courier consignments under the simplified regime. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Cordoba.
Which port or airport does cargo for Cordoba clear through?
Cargo for Cordoba is routed via COR air / Buenos Aires sea. Sea gateways for Argentina are Buenos Aires, Zárate, Rosario; air gateways are EZE (Buenos Aires Ezeiza), COR (Córdoba). We pick whichever gives the shortest total door time for your address.
Can you deliver door-to-door in Cordoba?
Yes. Delivery to a Cordoba address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to Dirección General de Aduanas (ARCA), and the +1 day inland leg. Confirm whether your consignee wants the goods at a warehouse, a marketplace fulfillment center or a shop front, because the last-mile requirement differs.
What certification do I need for Argentina?
For regulated goods, plan for: Import declaration (SEDI) required before shipment for most goods; safety certification for electrical products. Missing conformity paperwork is the single most common cause of a hold, and in most cases it cannot be remedied once the cargo has arrived.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Cordoba?
Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965–970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via EZE (Buenos Aires Ezeiza), COR (Córdoba). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.
Other delivery cities in Argentina
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Argentina change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling — confirm the current position for your own HS code with Dirección General de Aduanas (ARCA) or your broker before you ship.
- Dirección General de Aduanas
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IMO — IMDG Code for dangerous goods by sea
- IATA — Lithium battery shipping guidance (PI 965–970)
- World Bank — Logistics Performance Index
Page data last reviewed: 10 月 2026.
Shipping by industry
This page covers the route and clearance picture for the destination. Packing, classification and the compliance step that actually holds a shipment depend on what you are sending — these guides cover that by commodity.
- Home Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Garden Products Furniture & Home Products
- Illuminated Signs Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Metal Products Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Storage Tanks Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Transformers New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Sanitary Ware Building Materials & Construction Products
- Cartons Wood, Bamboo & Paper Products
- Flexible Packaging Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Home Decor Furniture & Home Products
- Technical Textiles Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Outdoor Products Toys, Sports, Outdoor & Leisure
Checking the Argentina duty position yourself
Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Dirección General de Aduanas (ARCA) against your declared HS code at the time of entry; where the amount is material, verify the current rate through ITC Market Access Map before committing to an order.
Most landed-cost surprises trace back to classification rather than freight. the WCO Harmonized System defines the heading structure every customs administration builds on, and ITC Market Access Map will show you the duty a given heading attracts in this destination.
For ocean cargo, restricted commodities move under the IMO's IMDG Code, and the container has to be declared and stowed accordingly. Batteries, flammables and corrosives all have a compliant ocean path; what causes rolled bookings is finding out about them after the container is packed.
For a wider view of how importing into Argentina actually works — documentation norms, inspection behavior, the paperwork that tends to hold shipments — the U.S. ITA guide to Argentina customs regulations is a useful independent read alongside our own lane notes.
Watch: the process behind this route
This guide covers routing and clearance for Cordoba. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
FCL vs LCL Shipping: When to Switch (Break-Even Point Explained) — Max Antonov. Published on YouTube by a third party; we link it because it explains the process well, not because we produced it or endorse the provider.
Customs clearance in Argentina
Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border — plus who files the entry.
Argentina clearance requirements →Priced routes to Argentina
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