Where’s the smartest place to buy the new iPhone?

An iPhone bought abroad may not be covered by warranty in your home country. Apple may limit iPhone warranty service to the country or region where the phone was sold, so a fault may mean sending it back there.

Allowances are per person, per trip, and counted once — not per phone. Carrying several units is what turns a traveller into a commercial importer in a customs officer's eyes, with the tax treatment to match. The multi-phone figures above assume you declare everything properly.

Carrier and Apple installment plans are tied to the country you buy in. They generally require a local bank account, a local credit check and often a local phone contract — a tourist buying abroad should expect to pay the full price up front, by card or cash, not to finance it.