Bank Account: Mission Impossible!

[dani28]

Ok, so not everything is a bed of roses with my first month in Argentina. I am having THE ABSOLUTE WORST time trying to get a bank account opened. I have been told now by numerous banks, that the laws have changed and that they can now only open new bank accounts with an Argentinian DNI. Nothing else works. IE: This ID number that the police used to issue by verifying you really lived where you said you did, apparently no longer works for new account openings.

I find this very hard to fathom, as I am trying to obtain my visa rentisa and in order to obtain this, I have to demonstrate that this passive income enters an ARGENTINE bank account.

I have been to Citi Bank (which as a Citi customer in the States had been told no problem but later learned that Citi here is actually another bank operating under the Citi name for international branding purposes same with Spanish banks that I have worked with in Madrid BBVA and Santander, and also tried Galicia and HSBC, and no avail.

I was especially surprised with HSBC as they generally market themselves as THE international bank and actually target ex-pat customers in many other markets.

Does anybody have any advise? Or better yet, any direct banking contacts which you have a rapport with that may be able to help? Would it be possible to have my Argentine friend (who also was nice enough to lend me his DNI to get contract mobile phone service) open an account in his name and add me as a secondary with the intent of my being able to use the account as if it were mine (IE: withdrawls, debit card use, etc)

Thanks again,

dani

 

[jez]

Have a look at the post I wrote here: http://baexpats.org/expat-life/14293-opening-bank-account-foreigner-without-residency.html

 

[nikad]

Also try Banco Piano on Cabildo

 

[PhilipDT]

HSBC sucks. Well in argentina at least. I've traveled quite a bit and never had problems with them before, here on the other hand, absolute pain in the ass.

 

[davonz]

I find this very hard to fathom, as I am trying to obtain my visa rentisa and in order to obtain this, I have to demonstrate that this passive income enters an ARGENTINE bank account.

I dont know if you really do need a bank account here. The last 2 times i have applied i was asked for my arg bank account details, and i just explained that i dont have an argentine bank account because i need a DNI to open one, and that the DNI takes more that 6 months to get - this time they also asked how i paid for stuff here and i just said with ATM card, credit card and Travellers cheques.. They have eccepted this, this time last year, and again 1 month ago.

 

[studiodio]

i now have my visa and have renewed it once. immigration asked for argentine bank account at the renewal date, and when I stated that i hadnt received my DNI yet, they said fine, gave me a renewal, but stated that i should have one on second renewal....it doesnt sound like you need one yet.