Moving from Argentina to Germany (2026): Relocation Guide
Key takeaways
- Germany lets you import used household goods free of duty and import VAT under transfer-of-residence relief (Übersiedlungsgut) if you have lived outside the EU for at least 12 months and have owned and used the goods for at least 6 months. You claim it with customs form 0350.
- Leaving Argentina, your household effects are exported through Aduana (now part of ARCA, formerly AFIP) as a mudanza; a licensed international mover prepares the export declaration and inventory.
- Sea freight from Buenos Aires to Hamburg typically runs around 4 weeks (roughly 28–35 days), usually via a trans-shipment hub. Air freight is faster but far more expensive.
- Pets are straightforward. Argentina is an EU-listed (Annex II) country, so a dog or cat entering Germany needs a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination (given after the microchip and at least 21 days before travel) and an EU animal health certificate. No rabies antibody blood test and no three-month wait. Start about a month ahead for the 21-day rule and paperwork.
- After arrival you must register your address (Anmeldung) within 14 days; this unlocks your tax ID, bank account, residence permit and the 6-month clock to deal with your driving licence.
- Many Argentinians already hold an Italian or Spanish (EU) passport by descent, which gives free movement and the right to live and work in Germany with no visa.
1. Leaving Argentina: what to close out
Before your goods and your family leave, tie off the administrative loose ends in Argentina. Settle or formally close utility contracts, mobile plans and insurance subscriptions, and keep the final statements — Germany’s customs relief works more smoothly when you can show a clean break with your former residence. If you rent, recover your deposit and get written confirmation the tenancy has ended.
On the tax side, speak to your contador about your status with ARCA (the authority that absorbed AFIP). Argentina taxes residents on worldwide income, so establishing that you have left matters for your exposure. Keep proof of your time abroad from day one — passport stamps, your Argentine address history, and work or study documents all help evidence the “12 months outside the EU” test that German customs applies.
Exporting your household effects. Used personal and household goods leave Argentina under the customs mudanza (removal) regime. In practice you do not do this counter-work yourself: a licensed international removals company and a customs broker (despachante de aduana) prepare the export permit (permiso de embarque) and a detailed valued inventory (packing list) of everything in the shipment. You will sign a sworn declaration that the goods are used personal effects, not merchandise for resale. Have your passport, CUIL/CUIT and the destination address ready. Because Germany will want the same inventory on the import side, insist on a clean, itemised, English- or German-translatable list — it becomes the backbone of your form 0350.
Pet export (SENASA). To take a dog or cat out of Argentina you need an international veterinary export certificate from SENASA (Servicio Nacional de Sanidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria). A licensed private vet first confirms the microchip and a valid rabies vaccination; SENASA then issues the export certificate confirming the animal meets the destination country’s health requirements. Use SENASA’s online requirements portal for Germany and book the certification close to departure, as it is time-limited. This is in addition to the EU entry paperwork covered in section 5.
2. How your household goods ship to Germany
Nearly all Argentina-to-Germany household moves travel by sea from the Port of Buenos Aires. You have two main options. A full container load (FCL) — typically a 20ft or 40ft container — makes sense for a whole flat or house; you get the container to yourself and it is sealed at your door. A shared/less-than-container-load (LCL) service is cheaper for a one-bedroom’s worth of goods, but your consignment is consolidated with others, which adds handling and usually time.
Transit from Buenos Aires to the North European hub port of Hamburg is commonly in the region of four weeks — roughly 28 to 35 days port to port — and most sailings tranship at a hub such as a Brazilian or Uruguayan port rather than sailing direct, so schedules vary. Add time on each end for collection and packing in Argentina and for German customs clearance and final delivery. A realistic door-to-door window is six to ten weeks; plan for the longer end and keep essentials with you.
Air freight is the fast alternative — a matter of days in transit — and is worth it for a small volume of things you need immediately or for high-value items, but the cost per kilo is many times that of sea freight, so it is rarely used for a full household. A common pattern is to sea-freight the bulk and air-freight or hand-carry one or two boxes of essentials.
3. Germany customs & transfer-of-residence relief
When you move your normal residence from a non-EU country such as Argentina into Germany, your used household goods can enter free of customs duty and import VAT under transfer-of-residence relief, known in German as Übersiedlungsgut. The German customs authority (Zoll) sets the conditions, and you claim the relief with customs declaration form 0350 (“Zollanmeldung für Übersiedlungsgut”).
The core eligibility rules are: you must have had your normal place of residence outside the EU for a continuous period of at least 12 months; you must be establishing your normal residence in Germany; the goods must have been owned and used by you for at least 6 months before the move; and they must be for your continued personal use, not for sale. As a rule the goods should be imported within 12 months of your move. Form 0350 is a two-page declaration accompanied by your valued inventory; you submit it, together with evidence of your former residence and your new German address, at the competent customs office. A good removals company will complete and file it on your behalf as part of the service.
Some categories sit outside the relief or need extra attention — alcohol and tobacco beyond allowances, goods bought new just before the move, and vehicles (a car can qualify as removal goods but has its own registration and roadworthiness steps once in Germany). If in doubt, declare it: the penalty for an honest declaration is at worst a duty bill, whereas an undeclared item can jeopardise the whole shipment’s relief.
4. Arriving: registration, residence, driving, healthcare
Anmeldung (address registration). Your first and most important administrative step is registering your address at the local Bürgeramt or Einwohnermeldeamt. This is legally required within 14 days of moving into your accommodation; you will need your passport, the completed registration form and a landlord’s confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung). Appointments can be hard to get in big cities, so book the moment you have an address. The Anmeldung is the master key: without it you cannot easily get your tax ID (Steuer-ID), open a bank account, finalise a residence permit or start most services.
Residence and visa. Your route depends on your nationality. A very large number of Argentinians hold an Italian or Spanish passport through ancestry; as EU citizens they enjoy free movement and can live and work in Germany with no visa — they simply complete the Anmeldung and, in most cases, obtain a tax ID and health insurance. If you hold only an Argentine passport, you can enter Germany visa-free for short stays, but to live and work you need the right national visa/residence permit (for employment, the Blue Card or a skilled-worker permit; also study, family reunification and freelance routes) arranged through the German mission or converted after arrival at the Ausländerbehörde.
Driving licence. As a non-EU licence holder you may drive on your Argentine licence for a limited period after taking up residence — generally the first six months, counted from your Anmeldung — ideally carrying a certified German translation or an International Driving Permit. To keep driving beyond that you must convert to a German licence. Argentina is not among the countries granted a full exemption, so in most German states you will need to pass the theory and practical driving tests, though your existing experience is recognised in the process. Start early, because slots and translations take time.
Healthcare. Health insurance is compulsory in Germany. Employees are enrolled in the statutory system (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung) through their employer; the self-employed and some others choose statutory voluntary or private cover. Sort insurance immediately, as you need proof of it for your residence permit and it protects you from day one.
5. Pets
Bringing your dog or cat from Argentina to Germany is genuinely straightforward, because Argentina is an EU-listed third country (Annex II). That listing means your pet does not need a rabies antibody titration (blood) test and there is no three-month waiting period — the requirement that catches out owners moving from many other countries simply does not apply here.
The sequence is: (1) an ISO 11784/11785 compliant microchip (fit this first — a vaccination given before the chip does not count); (2) a valid rabies vaccination, administered after the microchip and at least 21 days before travel; and (3) an EU animal health certificate issued by an official vet, confirming the above, for entry into the EU. On the Argentine side you also need the SENASA export certificate described in section 1. Because of the 21-day rule and the certificate timing, begin the process about one month before departure. There are limits on how many animals you can bring under the non-commercial pet rules (generally up to five), and you should enter through a traveller point of entry. Confirm the current checklist on the official EU and German veterinary pages before you fly.
6. Money, banking & tax basics
Opening a German bank account is far easier once you have your Anmeldung and Steuer-ID; many newcomers start with an app-based bank and add a traditional bank later. Moving money out of Argentina is the trickier half — the country has historically operated currency and capital controls, so plan transfers carefully, keep documentation of the source of funds, and take professional advice rather than improvising. Germany taxes residents on worldwide income, with a double-taxation treaty framework to prevent income being taxed twice. If you keep assets, income or property in Argentina, get cross-border tax advice in your first months.
How Flyto handles your Argentina to Germany move
Flyto Relocation runs its own hubs across Northern, Central and Southern Europe, so an Argentina-to-Germany move is coordinated end to end rather than handed between disconnected agents. We manage the export from Buenos Aires, the sea freight to Hamburg, German customs clearance and form 0350, and final delivery to your door — plus the practical extras like pet paperwork timing and the arrival checklist. One team, one point of contact, from the port to your new flat. Get a quote and we will map out your timeline, volume and costs.
Frequently asked questions
Does my dog need a rabies blood test to enter Germany from Argentina?
No. Argentina is an EU-listed (Annex II) country, so no rabies antibody titration test and no three-month wait are required — just a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination given after the chip and at least 21 days before travel, and an EU animal health certificate. See European Commission — bringing a pet into the EU.
How do I avoid paying import VAT and duty on my furniture?
Claim transfer-of-residence relief (Übersiedlungsgut) with customs form 0350, provided you have lived outside the EU for 12 months and owned and used the goods for 6 months. See Zoll — Transferring residence.
How long does shipping from Buenos Aires to Hamburg take?
Around four weeks port to port (roughly 28–35 days), usually via a trans-shipment hub, plus packing and clearance on each end. Door to door is commonly six to ten weeks.
When do I have to register my address in Germany?
Within 14 days of moving into your accommodation, at the local Bürgeramt, using a landlord’s confirmation. See Zoll and your city’s registration office.
Can I drive on my Argentine licence in Germany?
Yes, generally for the first six months after registering, ideally with a certified translation or International Driving Permit; after that you must convert, which for Argentina usually means passing the theory and practical tests.
I have an Italian passport through my grandparents — do I need a visa for Germany?
No. As an EU citizen you have free movement and can live and work in Germany without a visa; you complete the Anmeldung and arrange health insurance like any resident.
Related moves
Sources
- German Customs (Zoll) — Transferring residence / Übersiedlungsgut
- European Commission — Bringing a pet into the EU from a non-EU country
- European Commission — Listing of territories and non-EU countries (Annex II)
- German Federal Ministry (BMLEH) — Travelling with pets: entry regulations
- SENASA (Argentina) — Sending dogs or cats abroad
- SENASA — Consult pet export requirements by destination
- ARCA/AFIP (Argentina) — Removal goods (mudanzas) customs guide
- Germany — Anmeldung (address registration) overview
Hiring an international mover? See our full International removals to Argentina service — Flyto’s own European hubs, vetted local partners and one English-speaking coordinator, door to door.