Bank Accounts For Non-Dni Holders?

[CanadaBoy]

Does anyone know if it is yet possible for a non-resident, who visits frequently but who enters as a tourist on each trip and thus has no DNI, to open a bank account here that could hold dollars and pesos?

I have read that this is already or soon-to-be permitted by the central bank, but also that the commercial banks will make their own decisions how quickly to offer this service, if at all.

Any guidance as to where and when this could be done would be much appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

 

[estebandepraga]

Why would you want one HERE?

 

[Dada]

Why would you want one HERE?

Because you just want to function here. Maybe even order stuff via Mercado Libre. An account is not the end of the world, yet. You may need those 300 pesos you've just earned to pay for your web domain. Only payable online.

Or you may want to purchase a product on Amazon. In either case, you better have at least one nice current account in a convertible currency.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

No.

 

[citygirl]

AFAIK, not possible at this time and hasn't been for at least 5 years.

 

[ElQueso]

I've been here for 9 years and it was not possible when I got here, although one would hear the occasional rumor that someone else had managed to open a bank account as a tourist, but I never met anyone who was successful. I tried myself at a couple of banks with no luck. As I understood it, at the time, there was no law against it, but none of the banks would do it. I got my first bank account at Galicia when my lawyer went to open it with me about 6 years ago because it was required for the residency process and I couldn't find a bank to do it with me alone at the time.

 

[CanadaBoy]

For the moment, this confirms everything I have heard: has not been possible for a long time, and is not yet possible despite "noise" in that direction from the new government.

So, that leads me to the next question: does anyone have specific recent experience wiring dollars from abroad to an Argentine person and having it stay in dollars (without a big F/X spread being paid where the Banco Central received dollars, converts it to pesos at one rate and then converts it back to dollars at another, in the process costing you many percent)? If so, which bank(s) did the trade and what was the net cost?

I'm thinking of paying for a house this way, by wiring directly to the seller, as one would if one bought one outside of one's home country in more normal places, or as one would settle a large bill if you (for example) were a wine merchant paying for a shipment of wine from Argentina to wherever you lived.

All help gratefully accepted.

 

[jbeas176]

no expert here. I bought my apartment in 2006 by transferring money from one us bank account to the owners. we signed the papers in argentina. with my CDI (needed to purchase property) and proof of ownership was able to open an account with HSBC. checking account and debit card only. the account was closed by HSBC last year under pressure from the US as I was not a resident. I tried to send the money to argentina for the purchase but was blocked at every turn. at that time it was a carch 22. I could not open an account without property ownership. and wanted to purchase the property through my account. escrow accounts weren't available then and tried to get the escribana to open one for me to no available. hire an attorney and the escribana he likes working with. mis dos centavos.

 

[jbeas176]

one more thought. there used to be a real estate agent workings in BSAS named Jeffery Harth. he understands the ins and outs of what your are trying to do. I would trust him with my money and life. he was a poster here

 

[Ries]

Probably six or seven years ago, I was able to open an account at Banco Nacion, which I still have, with only a US passport, no DNI.
But its a peso only account.
I use it to auto pay all my utilities online.
At that time, no private bank would do it, but Banco Nacion would because it was a state bank.

I have no idea if this is still possible or not, but they havent shut mine down.