Judging from the phone calls and conversations I have had, it seems as if some people just don’t understand (or refuse to understand?) plain English.
In my previous post, I quoted attorney Mark Teuten as saying, in part, that housebhold goods…”can be brought in free of tax within 6 months of the grant of permanent residence.” That seems pretty clear to me, but it obviously is NOT CLEAR to some people.
The duty-free exemption only applies for the 6 month period AFTER you get your permanent residency, NOT while your residency is pending!!!! If you bring in household goods before your permanent residency is granted, you will be required to put up a deposit ranging from hundreds to even thousands of dollars.
If you are not sure about your residency status here are some ways to check:
- If you don’t have a cedula, you don’t have permanent residency.
- If your cedula has words on the back like “provisoria” or “in tramite”, you don’t have permanent residency.
- If your cedula has “Residcencia Legal” on the back, you DO HAVE permanent residency.
You might get your cedula quickly, especially if you are handicapped. But, in my experience, you will not get your permanent residency in less than about 1 year. My friend and coworker Borko received his 365 days after arriving here and his was the quickest of which I am aware.
People are being told things other than this, especially by some less than professional “Immigration Consultants”. It may be that there is a language problem, or it may be that they are simply economical with the truth. That is not for me to judge.
An old Southron saying applies here, “I have no dog in this fight!”
My goal here is simply to help others avoid the mistakes I have made–which are legion–or about which I know–which are legion times 10!
