Can foreigners buy dollars with card anywhere?

[HectorH]

I'm looking to get some dollars in cash to give as a gift but I'm not sure how to get them. Could I walk into an exchange place and just say "$5000 USD please"? or how does it work?

 

[Neil]

I'm looking to get some dollars in cash to give as a gift but I'm not sure how to get them. Could I walk into an exchange place and just say "$5000 USD please"? or how does it work?

Cash advances are almost impossible...I've never heard of anyone being successful these days.

 

[sts7049]

you would be buying dollars at basically the blue rate, if you walk into a cueva.

maybe you could find an ATM to dispense dollars using a US debit card, not sure what the fees would be like (if there still are ATMs that dispense dollars)

 

[HectorH]

you would be buying dollars at basically the blue rate, if you walk into a cueva.

maybe you could find an ATM to dispense dollars using a US debit card, not sure what the fees would be like (if there still are ATMs that dispense dollars)

Yeah I'm okay with the blue rate if that's what it takes, however I've never seen a cueva that takes card

 

[steveinbsas]

you would be buying dollars at basically the blue rate, if you walk into a cueva.

maybe you could find an ATM to dispense dollars using a US debit card, not sure what the fees would be like (if there still are ATMs that dispense dollars)

I believe ATM's stopped dispensing dollars more than 20 years ago.

 

[Redpossum]

I believe ATM's stopped dispensing dollars more than 20 years ago.

Here, it's been a while. As recently as 5 years ago, you could go across the river to Colonia and get dollars from the ATM's. I'm not sure if that still works.

 

[FrankPintor]

Up to 4-5 years ago you could withdraw USD from ATMs, at least from some banks in Buenos Aires. Now you're directed inside the branch. You can still get USD from ATMs in Colonia, but it tends to be a bit frustrating, with complex ATM menus to navigate, low amounts dispensed ($300 if I remember correctly, lower than I know my bank applies), and I believe you can only do it in banking hours. It can take several days to accumulate a reasonable amount of USD that way.

 

[steveinbsas]

Here, it's been a while. As recently as 5 years ago, you could go across the river to Colonia and get dollars from the ATM's. I'm not sure if that still works.

Wouldn't it be a lot cheaper and much quicker to send "yourself" enough pesos by Western Union and change them for dollars in a cueva?

 

[steveinbsas]

Up to 4-5 years ago you could withdraw USD from ATMs, at least from some banks in Buenos Aires. Now you're directed inside the branch.

Do you know if anyone who is not an account holder at that bank can (still) walk ino any branch of that bank and buy dollars, especially a foreiignr without a DNI, even if they have the digital nomad visa?

Aren't there serious resrtictions on who can buy dollas at a bank,,,as well as how much?

 

[sts7049]

Wouldn't it be a lot cheaper and much quicker to send "yourself" enough pesos by Western Union and change them for dollars in a cueva?

yeah, that's the way to go then. the card isn't gonna help much.