ATM withdraw limits

[rmartinbuenosaires]

First of all, I don't know you Auntieapple, but I LOVE you! You are so right on, about everything. I am so pissed with the way things work here as far as foreigners are concerned. I constantly feel that I have to be on guard because I am going to get screwed over. Everything from those little "extras" on restaraunt bills that just happen to be a mistake to no prices in many stores (as I know there are two sets of prices...one for Argentines, the other for foreigners). It is very exhausting. I first caught on to the airline and hotel scam when I moved here four years ago. I complained at Aerolineas Argentinas and the excuse I got was that it was owned by a Spanish company so it was out of control for the Argentines. If that kind of discrimation took place in the U.S., there would be several lawsuits but you know how justice is here. Additionally, the Brazilian Consulate is issuing visas to Americans and charging us $111 and valid only for one trip! Its the same price for a five year visa to Brazil issued in Washington!!! I contacted the American Consulate and the Brazilian Consulate in Washington and was told they can do whatever they want. Doesn't this seem to detour tourism rather than promote it? Lastly, to the gentleman who talked about getting your DNI....the rules change everday and you get twenty different answers to the same question. They have no idea what they are doing at immigrations and the only way to speed up the process is to pay several thousand dollars to someone to expedite the process which is immoral. One example is the police report. First they wanted a local police report with fingerprints. Did that. Well that is only valid for three months. Now they want a police report from the States. Any idiot can look at my passport and see that I haven't lived in the U.S. for four years so wouldn't you think the local one would be more effecient? Don't use reason here because it doesn't work. If I was Bolivian and came here with my ten kids to get a job its easier to get a DNI than it is for an American or European with their own private income.

 

[henryb]

Don't use reason here because it doesn't work.

Precisely. And it applies to bureaucratic system in any country. People who work there are paid for following instructions not for thinking. Otherwise they would do something more creative. If the instruction says you need to provide a police report from all the countries you have lived at for last 5 years, it is taken literally. 5 years and not 4 or 4.5.

The problem is that Americans and Europeans think about the rest of the world as their backyard. Brazil has 100 bucks visa processing fee - how dare they?!! Well, may be because it is their own country?

Argentina has about the most relaxed immigration laws. Yes, you have to deal with the system. Yes, you may have to stay in line overnight to get some stupid piece of paper and go through the process for a year or even more. But basically having a couple grands a month of an outside income (or whatever is it now?) would not be sufficient to get you a greencard in the US or landing permit in Canada.

You act as would Argentines owe you something. They don't. And spending some money here doesn't make you the owner of the place.

 

[Granadaiscool]

Actually granada is cool, I have no intention of cashing in and filling my pockets sweetie, I already earn enough money from several major international networks. I dont make little programs about demonstrations. My point was I am prepared to push the buttons so that I would get anyone wanting to make a noise the coverage needed for it to be effective in the media. So it seems that you yet again jump to conclusions without using your brain.  

Why complain about populism if you live in Argentina.

It´s like saying in Cuba that Fidel sucks. In both countries you have zero chance you can make a difference

 

[rmartinbuenosaires]

henryb you are completely missing the point.... I do not have a problem with rules concerning Argentina or Brazil. The problems are that there are different rules for different people and no one knows what the Hell is going on or care to find out. I do not feel Argentina owes me anything nor do I owe it anything. All I do, in my simple little way, is mind my own business and contribute in my little way, to the local economy. This being said, I am a fair personal who has morals and believes in justice. Its simply wrong to charge foreigners more money for airline tickets and its simply wrong for Brazil to charge one price for a visa for Americans in Argentina than for Americans in the U.S. A price is a price. Period. Corrpuption in this country is the worst in Latin America...and that comes not from me but from several news sources I have read. Argentines see a foreigner and its like a pack of wolves ready to attack their prey. On the bright side, they do the same to each other in this sense.

 

[auntieapple]

I love this site!
quote henryb (sorry am having probs with the page controls)
"While living here for 5 years and permanently suffering from this terrible injustice, has an idea to apply for a residency ever crossed your mind? Look at it this way: you have been granted a privilege to live in this country. Enjoy your stay "

well chaps, I dont have DNI because I dont want it. I can get it for several reasons, I have a child born here and an Argentine husband. I married in the UK. I have very good reasons for not wanting a DNI for which I will not write here . But just for the record I contribute to the economy, I have bought various property here, I keep several staff all of which I pay contributions health insurance etc. I earn outside of Argentina and bring a large contribution in. I also make a point of contributing to the local poor areas in my pueblo, so I have no reason to feel "grata", I more than pay my way. Also if you want the truth I would much rather live in Marrachech, or Jaipur but my husband has his business here and dumping hubby because he can not follow me is a little harsh!
What I can not understand is this, (well actually I understand it and it pisses me off)
Governments will always take advantage of a submissive nation. Look whats going on around you. Nobody fights back, nobody questions,.......shhhhhh lets not make a fuss when they send you away and tell you to come back tomorrow, because if we piss the bitch with the stamp they will make it difficult for us!
Look what has happened to our rights in the US the UK etc.
We have become chickens in the line waiting to be plucked. The worse thing is we keep a tidy queue with a smile.
No I disagree, just because I live here does not mean I do not have a right to complain, on the contrary I have every right! just as we all do. Just enjoy it! means be grateful. I do not know where you chaps are from but I am sure your Grandfathers did not have that arttitude when Hitler was storming across Europe. Corruption is a mentality, by being submissive and backing down you are not only giving them the power to abuse us and infringe our rights you are indirectly supporting their policies.
Mussolini once said (I'm going to get it for this!) No, darlings, I am not a fascist!
"Its much better to live one day as a lion rather than a hundred as a sheep"
Oh on the words from the Constitucion, I also thought that maybe it could mean taxes, but it does not say taxes and extraordinary charges are what is being charged in the hotels, airlines etc so it must be illegal. If you think about it. It does not specify "taxes" and taxes is a very ancient word why is it not there? So what are the surcharges to foreigners if not "contribuciones extraordinarios forzadas"
There is major change happening in the westernised world before our very eyes and unless the average man starts standing up and making a noise we are all Fucked.

Die with your boots on I say!
Regards

 

[henryb]

its simply wrong for Brazil to charge one price for a visa for Americans in Argentina than for Americans in the U.S. A price is a price. Period.

Can we also compare probabilities for American to get a visa to Brazil and Brazilian to get a visa to the USA? Now if American embassy charges 20 bucks for processing a visa application, the math can be pretty different. I just want to say that using a reciprocity principle exclusively is an oversimplification.

Argentines see a foreigner and its like a pack of wolves ready to attack their prey. On the bright side, they do the same to each other in this sense.

Welcome to the wild capitalism world . Seriously, you are just applying wrong set of morals. You think about "supermarket morals" in a situation where "used cars salesman morals" (if such thing exists) would be more appropriate. It is not even a discrimination, it is a creative profiling.

 

[henryb]

auntieapple,

You made an informed decision not to pursue getting the residency for some personal reasons. I completely understand it. I just assume you should also be ready to accept some inconveniences that come out from this decision.

Being an outside person you can easily make more money to compensate all these disadvantages of living here without the DNI, but somehow you'd rather complain and struggle with the system instead. What for? To nurture your personal sense of justice?

You can decide to always cross the streets on the red light and call it the struggle to die for. You can try to get to the next room in your apartment through the wall instead of using the door and also call it a struggle. You can also romanticize your efforts as much as you want to. But the question still remains is it really worth it?

And all these comparisons with Hitler and Mussolini look pretty much like Bush's rhetoric when he started the Iraq war, sorry.

 

[gregbrophy]

Wow,

Didn't expect to set off a flame war. I was hoping that someone might have some insight around the problem. As for the airlines I noticed the same thing too. Me and my girlfriend wanted to go to Salta. All the airlines wanted 200 dollars for her and 800 dollars for me. Well the airlines is the real loser here becaue I will not be travling and so because of their greed they will not get my money. I am sure that other people will think the same and they will see a profit loss. I mean lets get real here, my flight from the US to Buenos Aires was 900 dollars US and they want 800 for a two hour flight. That is beyond price gouging.

I think their was a skit on the Chapelle show about the US and how the Koreans there that own the delis have what he called white guy prices. So don't think the same thing doesn't happen everywhere, I have never seen it so blantent as I have here.

 

[donquixote]

Don't fly take the bus, velly cheep. I traveled on the bus from Mar Del Plata to Bariloche for less then $60.00 US. I don't understand I flew from Bariloche to BA for about $125.00 US of course that was in 2005, maybe things have changed. Maybe because I am Mexican American, special rates.
Don Coyote.

 

[auntieapple]

dear chaps, and henry
have just written a really longwinded reply (as usual) and the bloody thing crashed.....again. (was it sabotage by the administrator? ha ha
Difference between my rhetoric and Bush and Blairs rhetoric is that mine is used to communicate and pusuade facts
Bush and Blairs rhetoric was used to support lies and propaganda. I am definately not into that scene and was personally involved in trying to bring related information into the public domain pre-afganistan. So I can tell you alot about Bush/Blair rhetoric
(we need a new thread for this so forgive me here)
Complaining about ATM withdrawals, I have done alot, calls letters, etc.
crossing red lights, Im not that dumb but heres some more rhetoric just to aggravate you
"every great journey starts with one step"
shit did confucious say that?
Its called the domino effect and you know very well how effective it can be when it acheives momentum.
Oh and just to rub it in!
Every aspect of human life and thought that depends on the articulation and communication of meaning can be said to involve elements of the rhetorical
in the best possible spirit
auntieapple